Techniques for combining voice with wireless text short message services

• US 7,184,786 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aawaaz Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kirusa Inc.
• Inventors: Mumick, Inderpal Singh, Anderl, Ewald, Uppaladadium, Prasanna, Moorthy, Raja
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/019,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/403, 455/563, 455/414.4, 455/561
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

Combining speech with existing text wireless Short Message Service (SMS), to create a multimodal SMS service. A user of standard SMS text service is provided with a link within each message that allows adding or retrieval of a voice message associated with an SMS text message. A speech server in the wireless network may be used for recognition of voice commands, rendering of text into speech, and recording or playing back voice recordings. The messages may be retrieved or sent using any wireless handset. Additional services that may be used include message lists, prerecorded messages, integration with voicemail systems, image and video messages, cross-functional applications with Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) and Enhanced Message Services (EMS), and extensions of the combination of voice with text SMS to other computing devices such as PDAs and PCs.

Claims

1. A method of multi-modal communication comprising:

generating an SMS message, wherein the underlying content that is to be represented in the form of an SMS message comprises at least one of;

text; and

audio;

sending the SMS message to a recipient; and

the recipient opening the SMS message on a device that supports the rendering of both said text and said audio to retrieve the content of the SMS message, wherein at least one of the following holds;

the underlying content represented in the form of the SMS message comprises said audio, and wherein the SMS message comprises a link to listen to said audio;

the underlying content represented in the form of the SMS message comprises said text and said audio, and wherein the SMS message comprises said text and a link to listen to said audio; and

the underlying content represented in the form of the SMS message comprises said text and the recipient takes an action to have the text synthesized as audio,

wherein;

the underlying content represented in the form of the SMS message comprises said audio, and wherein the SMS message comprises a link to listen to said audio,

wherein said link refers to a first platform that is enabled to identify, and cause to be retrieved, a stored form of said audio based on information contained in the link or based on identity of the SMS message,

wherein the first platform causes a second platform on which said audio is stored to be retrieved and synthesized,

and wherein the second platform transmits said audio to a telephone set operated by said recipient without said audio passing through said first platform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said telephone set comprises a wireless telephone set.

3. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to perform a method of participating in sending an SMS message, the method comprising:

receiving first data indicative of a text message having been composed at a first wireless telephone, said first text message comprising text;

receiving second data indicative of an audio message to be associated with said text message having been composed at said first wireless telephone; and

creating an SMS message that comprises said text and a link which is activatable to retrieve said audio message, said link being activatable by a recipient of said SMS message at a second wireless telephone associated with said recipient.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein said first data comprises a text message that comprises said text and that is received from said first wireless telephone.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication that a user has selected one of a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages to be included in said SMS message;

including in said SMS message a link to the selected pre-recorded audio message, wherein the pre-recorded audio message to be included in the SMS message is selectable by the user but wherein the plurality of audio messages are not modifiable by the user.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein said receiving acts are performed at a multi-modal platform, and wherein said audio message retrievable by way of said link is stored at a speech server or a media server or a database distinct from said multi-modal platform.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an indication that an MMS or EMS message has been created at said first wireless telephone,

and wherein said creating act comprises;

retrieving an audio portion of said MMS or EMS message;

storing said audio portion; and

including in said SMS message a link that is activatable by said recipient at said second wireless telephone to retrieve the stored audio portion.