Dynamic prominence of voice-to-text mode selection

• US 10,567,569 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Ajoy K., Chaugule, Raj S., Verma, Sanjay K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Application Number:
  US16/233,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20190132439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2025/783 based on threshold decision
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/84 for discriminating voice from noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Some embodiments relate to a smart phone or a wearable device, such as a smart watch, and associated methods for enabling the UE device to switch from a normal mode to/from a voice-to-text mode and/or a text-to-voice mode. The transition to/from voice-to-text mode and/or text-to-voice mode may be conducted automatically or through manual selection by the user of the UE. These transitions (or the presentation of a manual selection option) may be determined based on an ambient noise measurement performed by the UE.

Claims

1. A user electronics device (UE), comprising:

at least one antenna for performing wireless communication;

at least one radio coupled to the at least one antenna, wherein the at least one radio is configured to perform cellular communication with a base station; and

one or more processors coupled to the at least one radio, wherein the one or more processors and the at least one radio are configured to perform wireless communications using the at least one antenna;

wherein the UE is configured to;

receive an incoming voice call;

in response to receiving the incoming voice call;

automatically detect whether one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the one or more voice-to-text conditions comprise conditions wherein it would be undesirable for a user to engage in the incoming voice call; and

present an icon on a display of the UE that is selectable to enter a voice-to-text mode, wherein the icon is presented regardless of whether it is detected that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the icon is made more prominent in response to detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, and wherein in the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are automatically converted to a text message displayed on the display,

wherein making the icon more prominent comprises one or more of increasing a size of the icon, altering a shape of the icon, or altering a color of the icon.

2. The UE of claim 1,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises automatically determining that the UE is located in a first location.

3. The UE of claim 1,

wherein the UE is a wearable device.

4. The UE of claim 3,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that a companion device is not currently in communication with the UE.

5. The UE of claim 1,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that an audio accessory device is not currently connected to the UE.

6. The UE of claim 1,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that a battery level of the UE is below a predetermined threshold.

7. The UE of claim 1,

wherein input text messages are automatically converted into outgoing voice signals while engaging a voice call while in the voice-to-text mode.

8. The UE of claim 1, wherein UE is further configured to:

present an option on the display that is selectable to exit the voice-to-text mode during the voice call;

wherein after exiting the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are presented as audible voice signals to the user and automatic conversion of incoming voice signals to the UE to a text message is no longer performed.

9. A method performed by a user electronics device (UE), the method comprising:

in response to receiving an incoming voice call;

automatically detecting whether one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the one or more voice-to-text conditions comprise conditions wherein it would be undesirable for a user to engage in the incoming voice call; and

presenting an icon on a display of the UE that is selectable to enter a voice-to-text mode, wherein the icon is presented regardless of whether it is detected that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the icon is made more prominent in response to determining that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, and wherein in the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are automatically converted to a text message displayed on the display,

wherein making the icon more prominent comprises one or more of increasing a size of the icon, altering a shape of the icon, or altering a color of the icon.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises automatically determining that the UE is located in a first location.

11. The method of claim 9,

wherein the UE is a wearable device, and

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that a companion device is not currently in communication with the UE.

12. The method of claim 9,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that an audio accessory device is not currently connected to the UE.

13. The method of claim 9,

wherein detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises detecting that a battery level of the UE is below a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 9,

wherein input text messages are automatically converted into outgoing voice signals while engaging a voice call while in the voice-to-text mode.

15. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

presenting an option on the display that is selectable to exit the voice-to-text mode during the voice call;

wherein after exiting the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are presented as audible voice signals to the user and automatic conversion of incoming voice signals to the UE to a text message is no longer performed.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium that stores program instructions that, when executed by a wireless user equipment device (UE), cause the UE to:

in response to receiving an incoming voice call;

automatically detect whether one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the one or more voice-to-text conditions comprise conditions wherein it would be undesirable for a user to engage in the incoming voice call; and

present an icon on a display of the UE that is selectable to enter a voice-to-text mode, wherein the icon is presented regardless of whether it is detected that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, wherein the icon is made more prominent in response to determining that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present, and wherein in the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are automatically converted to a text message displayed on the display,

wherein making the icon more prominent comprises one or more of increasing a size of the icon, altering a shape of the icon, or altering a color of the icon.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 16,

wherein automatically detecting that one or more voice-to-text conditions are present comprises one or more of:

determining that the UE is located in a first location;

detecting that a companion device is not currently in communication with the UE;

detecting that an audio accessory device is not currently connected to the UE; and

detecting that a battery level of the UE is below a predetermined threshold.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the UE to:

present an option on the display that is selectable to exit the voice-to-text mode during the voice call;

wherein after exiting the voice-to-text mode incoming voice signals to the UE are presented as audible voice signals to the user and automatic conversion of incoming voice signals to the UE to a text message is no longer performed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 16,

wherein input text messages are automatically converted into outgoing voice signals while engaging a voice call while in the voice-to-text mode.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 16,

wherein the UE is a wearable device.