Method and device for providing speech-enabled input in an electronic device having a user interface

• US 7,383,189 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Halonen, Katriina, Salminen, Henri
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US10/820,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, a device and a system for multimodal interactions. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of activating a multimodal user interaction, providing at least one key input option and at least one voice input option, displaying the at least one key input option, checking if there is at least one condition affecting said voice input option, and providing voice input options and displaying indications of the provided voice input options according to the condition. The method is characterized by checking if at least one condition affecting the voice input is fulfilled and providing the at least one voice input option and displaying indications of the voice input options on the display, according to the condition.

Claims

1. A method for indicating speech-enabled input for multimodal interaction in an electronic device having a user interface, comprising:

activating a multimodal user interaction feature of said user interface in which at least one key input option and at least one voice input option is provided,

displaying the at least one key input option on a display of said electronic device,

checking, if at least one condition that could possibly interfere with voice input is fulfilled, and

providing said at least one voice input option and displaying indications of said voice input options on said display according to said condition.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said displayed indications of voice input options comprise keywords.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said displaying of indications of said voice input options on said display further comprises displaying if a speech recognition is actually possible.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying of indications of voice input options comprises displaying said voice input options.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying of indications of said voice input options on said display, is provided with a hysteresis so as to prevent said displaying of indication from making fast changes.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying of indications of said voice input options on said display is provided with a backlog function.

7. A software tool comprising program code stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1, when said software tool is run on a computer or network device.

8. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1, when said program product is run on a computer or network device.

9. A computer program product comprising program code, downloadable from a server and stored on a computer readable medium, for carrying out the method of claim 1, when said program product is run on a computer or network device.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a central processing unit,

a display connected to said central processing unit, to display visual content received from said central processing unit on said display,

a key-based input system operably connected to said central processing unit, to provide a key input feature providing key input options displayed on said display,

a microphone operably connected to said central processing unit, to provide a voice input feature, and

a data bus, operably connected to said central processing unit, to handle data and to exchange data required for the operation of the central processing unit,

wherein said central processing unit is configured to control multimodal interactive browsing via said display, said key based input system and said microphone, and

wherein said central processing unit is configured to monitor conditions that could possibly interfere with said voice input, and to provide said voice input feature and display an indication of a voice input option of said voice input feature on said display according to said condition.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising a mobile communication device.

12. A speech recognition system capable of multimodal interaction comprising:

a user interface,

at least one central processing unit,

a display connected to said central processing unit,

a key-based input system operably connected to said central processing unit, to provide a key input feature providing key input options displayed on said display,

a microphone operably connected to said at least one central processing unit,

a data bus, operably connected to said at least one central processing unit, to handle data and to exchange data required for the operation of the said at least one central processing unit,

wherein a first central processing unit of said at least one central processing unit is configured to control multimodal interaction via said display, said key based input system and said microphone and to monitor conditions that could possibly interfere with said voice input and to control and display an indication of a voice input option of said voice input feature on said display according to said condition, and

wherein a second central processing unit of said at least one central processing unit is configured to provide said voice input feature.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first central processing unit and the second central processing unit are comprised in the same device.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first central processing unit and the second central processing unit are comprised in different interconnected devices.

15. An electronic device comprising:

means for processing,

means, connected to said means for processing, for displaying visual content received from said means for processing,

means, operably connected to said means for processing, for a key input feature providing key input options displayed on said means for displaying,

means, operably connected to said means for processing, for providing a voice input feature, and

means, operably connected to said means for processing, for handling data and to exchange data required for the operation of the means for processing,

wherein said means for processing is configured for controlling multimodal interactive browsing via said means for displaying, said means for providing a key input feature and said means for providing a voice input, and

wherein said means for processing is configured for monitoring conditions that could possibly interfere with said voice input, and for providing said voice input feature and for displaying an indication of a voice input option of said voice input feature on said means for displaying according to said condition.