System and method for answering a communication notification

• US 9,319,504 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schroeter, Horst J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUERRA-ERAZO, EDGAR X
• Application Number:
  US14/539,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20150072739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 704/261, 704/246, 704/258, 704/276, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/235, 704/243
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• 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

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for answering a communication notification. The method for answering a communication notification comprises receiving a notification of communication from a user, converting information related to the notification to speech, outputting the information as speech to the user, and receiving from the user an instruction to accept or ignore the incoming communication associated with the notification. In one embodiment, information related to the notification comprises one or more of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the request, caller id, a voice message, address book information, a text message, an email, a subject line, an importance level, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an IP address, or a domain name. Another embodiment involves notification assigned an importance level and repeat attempts at notification if it is of high importance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a notification associated with an incoming communication associated with an entity;

determining, via a processor, an importance level of the incoming communication associated with the entity; and

when the importance level indicates the incoming communication associated with the entity meets a requisite importance according to a threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on the notification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the threshold based on a current user activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification presents an option to a user, the option comprising accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting of the synthesized speech occurs by transmitting the synthesized speech to an integrated device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the integrated device is a hands-free device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the importance level is determined based on one of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the incoming communication, a caller identification, a voice message, a text message, an email, a subject line, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an Internet Protocol address, and a domain name.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing an address book to determine an importance level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the requisite importance is met when the importance level is above the threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the requisite importance is met when the importance level is below the threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold changes based on who generated the incoming communication.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, result in operations comprising;

generating a notification associated with an incoming communication associated with an entity;

determining an importance level of the incoming communication associated with the entity; and

when the importance level indicates the incoming communication associated with the entity meets a requisite importance according to a threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on the notification.

12. The system of claim 11, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, result in operations comprising modifying the threshold based on a current user activity.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification presents an option to a user, the option comprising accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the presenting of the synthesized speech occurs by transmitting the synthesized speech to an integrated device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the integrated device is a hands-free device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the importance level is determined based on one of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the incoming communication, a caller identification, a voice message, a text message, an email, a subject line, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an Internet Protocol address, and a domain name.

17. The system of claim 11, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, result in operations comprising accessing an address book to determine an importance level.

18. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, result in operations comprising:

generating a notification associated with an incoming communication associated with an entity;

determining an importance level of the incoming communication associated with the entity; and

when the importance level indicates the incoming communication associated with the entity meets a requisite importance according to a threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on the notification.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the computing device, result in operations comprising modifying the threshold based on a current user activity.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the notification presents an option to a user, the option comprising accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.