Communication converter for converting audio information/textual information to corresponding textual information/audio information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communication converter comprising:
- speech receiving means acting to receive audio information and to establish an instant messaging session;
speech-to-text conversion means acting to convert audio information from the speech receiving means into corresponding textual information; and
textual information output means acting to provide the textual information directly to a first instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link, andat least one controller acting to receive commands from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections to and from the speech receiving means and speech-to-text conversion means,wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other.
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Abstract
A communication converter is described for converting among speech signals and textual information, permitting communication between telephone users and textual instant communications users.
199 Citations
81 Claims
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1. A communication converter comprising:
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speech receiving means acting to receive audio information and to establish an instant messaging session; speech-to-text conversion means acting to convert audio information from the speech receiving means into corresponding textual information; and textual information output means acting to provide the textual information directly to a first instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link, and at least one controller acting to receive commands from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections to and from the speech receiving means and speech-to-text conversion means, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A communication converter comprising:
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textual information receiving means acting to establish an instant messaging session and to receive textual information directly from a first instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link; text-to-speech conversion means acting to convert the received textual information into corresponding audio information; and audio information output means acting to provide the audio information to a first party via a telephony connection during the instant messaging session, and at least one controller acting to receive commands from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections to and from the textual information receiving means and text-to-speech conversion means, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A communication converter acting to facilitate communication among a telephony connection and an instant communications client, the communication converter comprising:
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an instant communications interface acting to establish an instant messaging session and to conduct instant messaging communications directly with the instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link; a telephony communications interface acting to communicate audio information via the telephony connection during the instant messaging session; a communication converting means acting to perform at least one of speech-to-text translation and text-to-speech translation directly between the audio information and the instant messaging communications, and at least one controller acting to receive commands from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections to and from the instant communications interface and communication converting means or to and from the telephony communications interface and the communication converting means, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other.
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50. A method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:
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receiving textual information directly from the instant communications client during an instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link; translating the textual information into corresponding audio information; providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection during the instant messaging session, and receiving commands by at least one controller from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections between the receipt of the textual information and the translating of the textual information into audio information, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:
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receiving audio information via the telephone connection during an instant messaging session; translating the audio information into corresponding textual information; providing the textual information to be communicated directly to the instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link, and coordinating connections between the telephone connection and the instant communications client via commands received by at least one controller from and intelligent gateway, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a communications system to perform a method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:
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receiving textual information directly from the instant communications client during an instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link; translating the received textual information into corresponding audio information; providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection during the instant messaging session, and coordinating connections between the telephone connection and the instant communications client via commands received by at least one controller from an intelligent gateway, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a communications system to perform a method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:
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receiving audio information via the telephone connection during an instant messaging session; translating the audio information into corresponding textual information; providing the textual information to be communicated directly to the instant communications client during the instant messaging session via an instant messaging communication link, and coordinating connections between the telephone connection and the instant communications client via commands received by at least one controller from an intelligent gateway, wherein the intelligent gateway and the at least one controller are remote from each other. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification