Population of Lists and Tasks from Captured Voice and Audio Content

• US 20120035925A1
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Friend, Ned B., Rey-Babarro, Marta, Kikin-Gil, Erez, Kotler, Matthew J., Parker, Charles W., Zaika, Igor, Arora, Kanav, De La Brena Valderrama, David, Rodrig, Maya
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Automatic capture and population of task and list items in an electronic task or list surface via voice or audio input through an audio recording-capable mobile computing device is provided. A voice or audio task or list item may be captured for entry into a task application interface or into a list authoring surface interface for subsequent use as task items, reminders, “to do” items, list items, agenda items, work organization outlines, and the like. Captured voice or audio content may be transcribed locally or remotely, and transcribed content may be populated into a task or list authoring surface user interface that may be displayed on the capturing device (e.g., mobile telephone), or that may be stored remotely and subsequently displayed in association with a number of applications on a number of different computing devices.

Claims

1. A method for generating an electronic list item from captured audio input, comprising:

receiving a first audio content item;

transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item; and

displaying the first text string as a first electronic list item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating an audio file containing the first audio content item with the displayed first electronic list item;

displaying a selectable visual indicator of the associated audio file in proximity to the displayed first electronic list item;

receiving a selection of the selectable visual indicator of the associated audio file; and

providing a playback of the audio file containing the first audio content item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to displaying the first text string as an electronic list item, applying one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein applying one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string includes applying the one or more metadata items via one or more input means, including voice input, gesture input, typing input, touch input, location sensor input, light sensor input, sound sensor input, video input and photographic input.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein applying one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string includes applying one or more metadata items for associating the first electronic list item with one or more people associated with the first electronic list item.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein applying one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string includes applying one or more metadata items for associating the first electronic list item with one or more locations associated with the first electronic list item.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein applying one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string includes applying one or more metadata items for associating the first electronic list item with one or more dates and times associated with the first electronic list item.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising comparing the identified one or more components of the first text string with one or more identified components of a second text string transcribed from a second audio content item for associating the first text string with the second text string.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein associating the first text string with the second text string includes grouping the electronic list item with a second electronic list item generated from the second text string and further comprising displaying the first and second electronic list items together as a grouping of related list items.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling editing actions on the first text string and on one or more other text strings including text revisions, sorting, filtering, and searching.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first audio content item includes receiving the first audio content item via a voice or audio capture recording means associated with a first computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the first audio content item via a voice or audio capture recording means associated with a first computing device includes receiving the first audio content item in response to a selection of an audio recording button associated with a mobile computing device without requiring an unlocking of or other access to other functionalities of the mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item includes transcribing the first audio content item locally at a first computing device with which the first audio content item is received.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item includes passing the received first audio content item to a remote transcription service and receiving at a first computing device with which the first audio content item is received the first text string representing the first audio content item.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item includes:

parsing the first audio content item for one or more keywords associated with two or more electronic list items;

splitting the first audio content item into two or more audio content items associated with the one or more keywords associated with respective two or more audio content items; and

displaying a text string for each of the two or more audio content items as electronic list items for each of the two or more audio content items.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a reminder for completion of the first electronic list item, and presenting the reminder in association with the first electronic list item prior to a time for completion of the first electronic list item.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein presenting the reminder in association with the first electronic list item prior to a time for completion of the first electronic list item includes playing the received first audio content item as the reminder.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item, receiving a playback of the received first audio content item, allowing a re-recording of one or more portions of the received first audio content item for correction one or more portions of the received first audio content item, and wherein transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item includes transcribing a corrected first audio content item into a first text string.

19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for generating an electronic task item from captured audio input, comprising:

receiving a first audio content item;

transcribing the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item;

applying one or more metadata items to a subset of one or more words comprising the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string;

displaying the subset of one or more words comprising the first text string as a first electronic task item; and

associating an audio file containing the first audio content item with the displayed first electronic task item.

20. A system for generating an electronic list item from captured audio input, comprising:

a voice recording and processing application coupled with a recording-capable computing device, the voice recording and processing application operative to;

receive a first audio content item;

transcribe the first audio content item into a first text string representing the first audio content item;

apply one or more metadata items to the first text string for identifying one or more components of the first text string;

display one or more components of the first text string as a first electronic list item in a list authoring user interface in association with any of a plurality of software application user interfaces operative to display operative to display the list authoring user interface;

associate an audio file containing the first audio content item with the displayed first electronic list item;

display a selectable visual indicator of the associated audio file in proximity to the displayed first electronic list item;

receive a selection of the selectable visual indicator of the associated audio file; and

provide a playback of the audio file containing the first audio content item.