Multi-modality communication auto-activation

• US 9,788,349 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Aftab N.
• Application Number:
  US13/373,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20130079050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141, 455413, 455417, 4554561, 4554042, 455416, 4554144, 455415, 455463, 709250
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Disclosed herein are example embodiments for multi-modality communication with auto-activation. By way of example but not limitation, user interaction with a device may be determined to correspond to a second communication modality based, at least partly, on one or more parameters relating to utilization of the device. The device may activate at least one feature that causes a communication corresponding to a first communication modality to comprise a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to the second communication modality.

Claims

1. A method for automatic activation of multi-modality communication, the method at least partially implemented by a communication device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving one or more signals at the communication device associated with a communication from a remote communication device corresponding to a first communication modality;

(b) obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, wherein the two or more parameters include at least a first parameter that is indicative of whether the communication device is being transported within a moving vehicle and a second parameter that is indicative of an identity of a remote user associated with the remote communication device;

(c) determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, the determining including at least;

(1) determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is not one of one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a second communication modality, as the selected communication modality; and

(2) determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is one of the one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a third communication modality, as the selected communication modality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises:

detecting one or more environmental parameters using one or more sensors of the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises:

processing at least one matrix of multiple parameters relating to utilization of the communication device in conjunction with multiple respective thresholds to determine that the communication device accepts one or more interactions with the local user via the selected communication modality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

identifying at least one schedule entry of a calendar associated with the communication device; and

ascertaining a current time; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that the current time matches a scheduled time corresponding to the at least one schedule entry of the calendar associated with the communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

ascertaining that the communication device is connected to a vehicle via a wireless coupling; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality, the selected communication modality comprising a communication modality that may be implemented at least partially by the vehicle via the wireless coupling.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

obtaining at least an approximate location of the communication device; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the at least an approximate location of the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

detecting at least an approximate ambient sound level; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the at least an approximate ambient sound level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises:

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based at least partially on whether the communication is at least one of initiated at the communication device or terminated at the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication modality corresponds to a voice user interaction modality;

and

wherein the determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is not one of one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a second communication modality, as the selected communication modality, comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a textual user interaction modality based, at least partly, on the first parameter indicating that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicating that the remote party is not one of one or more designated individuals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication modality corresponds to a voice user interaction modality;

and

wherein the determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is one of the one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a third communication modality, as the selected communication modality comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a video user interaction modality based, at least partly, on the first parameter indicating that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicating that the remote party is one of the one or more designated individuals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

detecting one or more movement patterns of the communication device using one or more sensors of the communication device; and

ascertaining at least one movement pattern sample corresponding to transport movement within a vehicle; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining at least one correlation between the detected one or more movement patterns of the communication device and the ascertained at least one movement pattern sample corresponding to transport movement within a vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining at least one correlation between the detected one or more movement patterns of the communication device and the ascertained at least one movement pattern sample corresponding to transport movement within a vehicle comprises:

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based at least partially on the at least one correlation between the detected one or more movement patterns of the communication device and the ascertained at least one movement pattern sample corresponding to transport movement within a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

ascertaining an application that is currently being executed by the communication device and interacted with by the local user of the communication device via at least a user input interface of the communication device; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

responsive at least in part to the ascertaining, determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based at least partly on an association between the selected communication modality and the application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the application includes at least a game, the first communication modality includes at least one of a textual user interaction modality or a video user interaction modality, and the selected communication modality includes at least a voice user interaction modality.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

obtaining an identification of at least one other party that is to participate in the multi-modality communication; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the identification of the at least one other party.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the identification of the at least one other party comprises:

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one communication modality preference of an identified user of the remote communication device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

ascertaining at least one indication that at least one person is located within a particular distance of the communication device; and

determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device comprises;

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the at least one indication that the at least one person is located within the particular distance of the communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the ascertaining at least one indication that at least one person is located within a particular distance of the communication device comprises:

obtaining at least an approximate location of the at least one person from a location-aware service; and

ascertaining the at least one indication using the at least an approximate location of the at least one person and at least an approximate location of the communication device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the ascertaining at least one indication that at least one person is located within a particular distance of the communication device comprises:

obtaining at least one image from at least one sensor of the communication device; and

comparing the at least one image from the at least one sensor of the communication device to at least one image associated with the at least one person.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the ascertaining at least one indication that at least one person is located within a particular distance of the communication device comprises:

establishing a direct wireless link between the communication device and at least one other device that is associated with the at least one person; and

ascertaining the at least one indication responsive at least partly to establishment of the direct wireless link.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based, at least partly, on the at least one indication that the at least one person is located within the particular distance of the communication device comprises:

determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to the selected communication modality based at least partially on at least one indication that at least one person, other than the local user, is located within a particular distance of the communication device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected communication modality is at least one of the second or the third communication modality and further comprising:

activating at least one feature that causes the communication corresponding to a first communication modality to include at least a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein activating at least one feature that causes the communication corresponding to a first communication modality to include at least a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality comprises:

establishing at least one user interaction intimacy setting corresponding to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the activating at least one feature that causes the communication corresponding to a first communication modality to include at least a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality comprises:

engaging user interface functionality of the communication device that corresponds to the second communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first communication modality includes at least a textual user interaction modality;

and wherein the engaging user interface functionality of the communication device that corresponds to the second communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device is to correspond to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality comprises;

engaging at least one of a microphone or a speaker of the communication device to enable at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the activating at least one feature that causes the communication corresponding to a first communication modality to include at least a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality comprises:

engaging conversion functionality of the communication device to cause at least one of (i) incoming data being converted from corresponding to the first communication modality to corresponding to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality or (ii) outgoing data being converted from corresponding to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality to corresponding to the first communication modality.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the engaging conversion functionality of the communication device to cause at least one of (i) incoming data being converted from corresponding to the first communication modality to corresponding to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality or (ii) outgoing data being converted from corresponding to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality to corresponding to the first communication modality comprises:

engaging conversion functionality of the communication device (i) so that data corresponding to text is converted to data corresponding to voice or (ii) so that data corresponding to voice is converted to data corresponding to text.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the activating at least one feature that causes the communication corresponding to a first communication modality to include at least a multi-modality communication corresponding to the first communication modality and to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality responsive at least partly to the determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality comprises:

causing a conversion of data associated with the communication to occur at another device, the conversion of data including at least one of (i) a conversion from data that corresponds to the first communication modality to data that corresponds to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality or (ii) a conversion from data that corresponds to at least one of the second communication modality or the third communication modality to data that corresponds to the first communication modality.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the causing a conversion of data associated with the communication to occur at another device comprises:

causing a conversion of data associated with the communication to occur at the remote communication device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the causing a conversion of data associated with the communication to occur at another device comprises:

causing a conversion of data associated with the communication to occur at a network communication device.

31. A communication device for automatic activation of multi-modality communication, the communication device comprising:

(a) circuitry for receiving one or more signals at the communication device associated with a communication from a remote communication device corresponding to a first communication modality;

(b) circuitry for obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, wherein the two or more parameters include at least a first parameter that is indicative of whether the communication device is being transported within a moving vehicle and a second parameter that is indicative of an identity of a remote user associated with the remote communication device;

(c) circuitry for determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, the determining including at least;

(1) circuitry for determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is not one of one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a second communication modality, as the selected communication modality; and

(2) circuitry for determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is one of the one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a third communication modality, as the selected communication modality.

32. A computer program product, comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium including at least;

(a) one or more instructions for receiving one or more signals at the communication device associated with a communication from a remote communication device corresponding to a first communication modality;

(b) one or more instructions for obtaining two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, wherein the two or more parameters include at least a first parameter that is indicative of whether the communication device is being transported within a moving vehicle and a second parameter that is indicative of an identity of a remote user associated with the remote communication device;

(c) one or more instructions for determining that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond to a selected communication modality based, at least partly, on at least one parameter of the two or more parameters relating to utilization of the communication device, the determining including at least;

(1) one or more instructions for determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is not one of one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a second communication modality, as the selected communication modality; and

(2) one or more instructions for determining, if the first parameter indicates that the communication device is being transported within the moving vehicle and the second parameter indicates that the remote party is one of the one or more designated individuals, that user interaction with the communication device regarding the communication is to correspond at least partly to a third communication modality, as the selected communication modality.