Selectable state machine user interface system

• US 20060083357A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Howell, David A., Fong, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.40
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

A system that concurrently provides multiple user interface (UI) mechanisms that facilitate control of an application state machine (e.g., unified message system). More particularly, the invention can create two relatively distinct user experiences, one via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) navigation and another through speech recognition navigation of a unified message system. In accordance therewith, one single underlying state machine can be used. Navigation and flow control (e.g., state transitions) in the state machine can be leveraged by multiple UI mechanisms that actively co-exist. The invention introduces speech recognition features together with other input mechanisms to drive the UI of an application state machine (e.g., unified messaging system). The speech recognition UI can be designed to provide a natural navigation through the application independent of a DTMF UI.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates navigating within an application state machine, the system comprising:

a user interface store that retains a plurality of user interfaces, the plurality of user interfaces are concurrently active to effect navigation within the application state machine; and

a user interface selection component that facilitates selecting one of the plurality of user interfaces.

2. The system of claim 1, the plurality of user interfaces includes a dual tone multi-frequency user interface and a speech recognition user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, the user interface selection component comprises at least one of a rule-based logic component and an artificial intelligence component that automates selection of the one of the plurality of user interfaces.

4. The system of claim 1, the application state machine is a unified messaging system.

5. The system of claim 4, the unified messaging system includes:

a component that receives from a first device a message of a first format; and

a unified messaging component that analyzes the message and converts the message to a second format that corresponds to a target device that conveys the message in accordance with a user instruction, the user instruction is transmitted via the selected user interface.

6. The system of claim 5, the received message is a voicemail communication.

7. The system of claim 6, the converted message is an email communication.

8. The system of claim 7, the content of the email communication and voicemail communication are date and time synchronized.

9. The system of claim 5, the unified messaging component conveys content of an electronic calendar to an individual via telephone.

10. The system of claim 5, the unified messaging component receives an audible message from an individual via telephone, reformats the message and populates a calendar with the reformatted message.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein content of the reformatted message is synchronized with content of the audible message.

12. A computer readable medium having stored thereon the components of the system of claim 1.

13. A method of employing a unified messaging system, the method comprising:

concurrently providing a plurality of user interfaces that facilitate navigating through the unified messaging system;

selecting one of the plurality of user interfaces;

transmitting an instruction to the unified messaging system via the selected user interface; and

processing the instruction to control operation of the unified messaging system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising alternatively selecting another of the plurality of user interfaces and transmitting a second instruction in accordance with the alternative user interface.

15. The method of claim 13, the act of processing comprises:

receiving a message of a first format from a first device;

analyzing the message and transforming the message to a format that corresponds to a target device that conveys the message;

synchronizing the messages of the first and different formats.

16. The method of claim 15, the received message is a voicemail communication.

17. The method of claim 16, the transformed message is an email communication.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising conveying the content of an electronic calendar to an individual via telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving audible information from an individual via telephone;

reformatting the information; and

populating a calendar with the reformatted information.

20. A system that facilitates communicating with an application state machine, the system comprising:

means for concurrently providing a plurality of user interface mechanisms that facilitate navigating through the application state machine;

means for selecting one of the plurality of user interface mechanisms;

means for receiving an instruction via the selected user interface mechanism; and

means for processing the instruction to control the application state machine.