Voice and text communication system, method and apparatus

• US 20100030557A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: El-Maleh, Khaled Helmi, Molloy, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/497,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030557A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/027 Concept to speech synthesisers; Generation of natural phrases from machine-based concepts generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text G10L13/08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/00 Speech or audio signals analysis-synthesis techniques for redundancy reduction, e.g. in vocoders; Coding or decoding of speech or audio signals, using source filter models or psychoacoustic analysis in musical instruments G10H
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02082 the noise being echo, reverberation of the speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems, methods and apparatus to convert speech to text and vice versa. One apparatus comprises a vocoder, a speech to text conversion engine, a text to speech conversion engine, and a user interface. The vocoder is operable to convert speech signals into packets and convert packets into speech signals. The speech to text conversion engine is operable to convert speech to text. The text to speech conversion engine is operable to convert text to speech. The user interface is operable to receive a user selection of a mode from among a plurality of modes, wherein a first mode enables the speech to text conversion engine, a second mode enables the text to speech conversion engine, and a third mode enables the speech to text conversion engine and the text to speech conversion engine.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a vocoder operable to convert speech signals into packets and convert packets into speech signals;

a speech to text conversion engine operable to convert speech to text;

a text to speech conversion engine operable to convert text to speech; and

a user interface operable to receive a user selection of a mode from among a plurality of modes, wherein a first mode enables the speech to text conversion engine, a second mode enables the text to speech conversion engine, and a third mode enables the speech to text conversion engine and the text to speech conversion engine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display to display text from the speech to text conversion engine.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a keypad to receive input text from a user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is operable to receive a user selection of a mode before the apparatus receives a call from another apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface is operable to receive a user selection of a mode after the apparatus receives a call from another apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a voice synthesizer to synthesize a user'"'"'s voice.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit encoded speech packets and text packets to a communication network.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a vocoder operable to convert speech signals into packets and convert packets into speech signals;

a speech to text conversion engine operable to convert speech to text;

a user interface operable to receive a user selection of a mode from among a plurality of modes, wherein a first mode enables the vocoder, and a second mode enables the speech to text conversion engine; and

a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit encoded speech packets and text packets to a communication network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a display to display text from the speech to text conversion engine.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a keypad to receive input text from a user.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user interface is operable to receive a user selection of a mode before the apparatus receives a call from another apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user interface is operable to receive a user selection of a mode after the apparatus receives a call from another apparatus.

13. A network apparatus comprising:

a vocoder operable to convert packets into speech signals;

a speech to text conversion engine operable to convert speech to text;

a selection unit operable to switch between first and second modes, wherein the first mode enables the vocoder, and a second mode enables the vocoder and the speech to text conversion engine; and

a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit encoded speech packets and text packets to a communication network.

14. The network apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a text to speech conversion engine operable to convert text to speech, wherein the selection unit is operable to switch to a third mode where the vocoder and both conversion engines are enabled.

15. The network apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a voice synthesizer operable to synthesize a user'"'"'s voice from text converted to speech.

16. The network apparatus of claim 15, wherein the voice synthesizer is operable to receive and store voice characteristics of a user'"'"'s voice.

17. The network apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a controller operable to receive a request from a communication device to convert speech to text.

18. The network apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a controller operable to receive a request from a communication device to convert text to speech.

19. A method comprising:

receiving encoded speech packets;

converting the received encoded speech packets into speech signals; and

receiving a user selection of a mode from among a plurality of modes, wherein a first mode enables speech to text conversion, a second mode enables text to speech conversion, and a third mode enables speech to text and text to speech conversion.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a user selection for a mode before receiving an incoming call.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a user selection for a mode after receiving an incoming call.