System and method for answering a communication notification

• US 9,525,767 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• 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:
  US15/058,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20160182700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 704/261, 704/246, 704/258, 704/276, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/235
• 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 system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

modifying a threshold to generate a modified threshold;

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

responsive to the importance level indicating that the incoming communication associated with the entity satisfies a requisite importance according to the modified threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on a notification that is associated with the incoming communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the modifying of the threshold is based on a current user activity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the modifying of the threshold is according to a caller identity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification presents a first option to accept the incoming communication and a second option to ignore the incoming communication.

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

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the integrated device is a hands-free device.

7. A method comprising:

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

responsive to the importance level indicating that the incoming communication associated with the entity satisfies a requisite importance according to a threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on a notification that is associated with the incoming communication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the importance level comprises accessing an address book.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising modifying the threshold according to a caller identity.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising modifying the threshold based on a current user activity.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification presents an option for processing the incoming communication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the option includes accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the presenting of the synthesized speech occurs by transmitting the synthesized speech to an integrated device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the integrated device is a hands-free device.

15. The method of claim 7, 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, a domain name, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the requisite importance is satisfied responsive to the importance level being above the threshold.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the requisite importance is satisfied responsive to the importance level being below the threshold.

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

accessing information stored in conjunction with an address book;

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

responsive to the importance level indicating that the incoming communication associated with the entity satisfies a requisite importance according to a threshold, presenting synthesized speech based on a notification that is associated with the incoming communication.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise modifying the threshold based on a current user activity.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the notification presents a first option to accept the incoming communication and a second option to ignore the incoming communication.