Voice pronunciation for text communication

• US 9,111,457 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Beckley, Kristina, Burckhardt, Vincent, Song, Alexis Yao Pang, Talwar, Smriti
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shin, Seong-Ah A.
• Application Number:
  US13/237,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 704/3, 704/231, 704/260, 704/270, 704/275, 379/88.16, 434/167, 434/185, 434/319, 715/751
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system for voice pronunciation for text communication is described. A selected portion of a text communication is determined. A prompt to record a pronunciation relating to the selected portion of the text communication is provided at a first computing device. The recorded pronunciation is associated with the selected portion of the text communication. A visual indicator, relating to the selected portion of the text communication and the recorded pronunciation, is displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a user selected portion of a text communication selected on a first computing device, wherein the text communication includes visible text and wherein the user selected portion of the text communication is the visible text;

providing at the first computing device, in real-time during a text communication session between the first computing device and a second computing device, a user selectable voice prompt that allows the user to record a pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication, wherein the pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is recorded in real-time at the first computing device where the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is selected by the user;

associating the recorded pronunciation of the visible text in the text communication with the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication;

transmitting both the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication to a second computing device; and

displaying at the first computing device and the second computing device simultaneously, a visual indicator relating to the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation that facilitates the use of the recorded pronunciation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

playing the recorded pronunciation based upon, at least in part, an input received from at least one of the first computing device and the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the text communication includes an instant messaging communication.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the text communication includes a message from a chat-enabled eMeeting.

7. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a user selected portion of a text communication selected on a first computing device, wherein the text communication includes visible text and wherein the user selected portion of the text communication is the visible text;

providing at the first computing device, in real-time during a text communication session between the first computing device and a second computing device, a user selectable voice prompt that allows the user to record a pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication, wherein the pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is recorded in real-time at the first computing device where the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is selected by the user;

associating the recorded pronunciation of the visible text in the text communication with the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication;

transmitting both the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication to a second computing device; and

displaying at the first computing device and the second computing device simultaneously, a visual indicator relating to the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation that facilitates the use of the recorded pronunciation.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising instructions for:

playing the recorded pronunciation based upon, at least in part, an input received from at least one of the first computing device and the second computing device.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising instructions for:

determining the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the first computing device.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising instructions for:

determining the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the second computing device.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the text communication includes an instant messaging communication.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the text communication includes a message from a chat-enabled eMeeting.

13. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory architecture coupled with the at least one processor;

a first software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the first software module is configured determine a user selected portion of a text communication selected on a first computing device, wherein the text communication includes visible text and wherein the user selected portion of the text communication is the visible text;

a second software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the second software module is configured to provide at the first computing device, in real-time during a text communication session between the first computing device and a second computing device, a user selectable voice prompt that allows the user to record a pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication, wherein the pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is recorded in real-time at the first computing device where the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication is selected by the user;

a third software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the third software module is configured to associate the recorded pronunciation of the visible text in the text communication with the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication; and

a fourth software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the fourth software module is configured to transmit both the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation of the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication to a second computing device; and

a fifth software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the fifth software module is configured to display at the first computing device and the second computing device simultaneously, a visual indicator relating to the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication and the recorded pronunciation that facilitates the use of the recorded pronunciation.

14. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising:

a sixth software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the sixth software module is configured to play the recorded pronunciation based upon, at least in part, an input received from at least one of the first computing device and the second computing device.

15. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising:

a seventh software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the seventh software module is configured to determine the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the first computing device.

16. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising:

an eighth software module executable by the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the eighth software module is configured to determine the user selected portion of the visible text in the text communication based upon, at least in part, an input at the second computing device.

17. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the text communication includes an instant messaging communication.

18. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the text communication includes a message from a chat-enabled eMeeting.