Speech based status and control user interface customisable by the user
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a means for an end user to customize a speech-based user interface, such as those used in status and control for such applications as messaging, unified communications, automobile control, and many others. The invention consists of two major components: a graphical configuration component, and a run-time component. The graphical configuration component allows a user to quickly and efficiently: specify the information they wish to be included in spoken summaries; restructure command menus or vocabulary structures to meet their personal requirements, moving commonly-used commands to the “top” of a hierarchy or vocabulary structure, and rarely-used commands to the bottom layers; create additional commands to access information relating to functions external to the system, e.g. access data from the web, or control another device or system, via the web; and save the customization for use by the run-time program. The run time program is embedded into the speech user interface module of the system, and effectively executes the customized speech based user interface. Some existing speech user interface modules may already be “data driven”, thus providing an excellent foundation for implementing the invention.
1. A method of customizing a speech based user interface to an application system by means of an input device, said application system comprising a speech user interface subsystem, a profile database, and application components, the method comprising the steps of:
accessing the speech user interface subsystem from an input device;
selecting a profile of user-defined functions from the profile database for customization of said profile by a user;
customizing the user-defined functions that are presented to the user for use within said profile;
specifying information to be presented to the user in a status summary associated with said profile in addition to said user-defined functions;
saving said profile in said profile database of said application system; and
providing said profile to said speech based user interface for presentation upon subsequent access by the user.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of customizing comprises customizing a command menu structure in a dual tone multi frequency driven user interface.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of customizing comprises specifying a vocabulary structure in a speech recognition driven user interface.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of customizing comprises creating an additional function that accesses elements external to said application system.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting a profile is performed automatically.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said customizing step comprises selecting functions from a menu.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said selecting functions step comprises selecting the order selected functions are presented.
8. The method according to claim 1 further including a step of creating an additional function providing information or entertainment services from elements external to said application system.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein a portion of said information is obtained by accessing at least one element external to said application system.
10. A method of providing a customized speech based user interface to an application system, said application system comprising a speech user interface subsystem, a profile database, and application components, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving an access request from a user;
retrieving a customized profile for the user from said database, said customized profile comprising user-defined functions made available to the user, said customized profile previously customized by said user;
retrieving a customized status summary associated with said profile;
presenting said user-defined functions via said customized speech based user interface in accordance with said customized profile; and
presenting said customized status summary in addition to said user-defined functions via said customized speech based user interface in accordance with said customized profile.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said user-defined functions comprise a command menu structure in a dual tone multi frequency driven user interface.
12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said user-defined functions comprise a vocabulary structure in a speech recognition driven user interface.
13. A method according to claim 10 wherein said user-defined functions comprise additional functions that access elements external to said application system.
14. The method according to claim 10 wherein a portion of the customizable status summary is obtained by accessing at least one element external to said application system.
15. A communication system comprising:
an input device;
an application system including:
a profile database comprising a plurality of profiles, each profile having user-defined functions of a speech-based user interface associated with said profile and customizable status summaries associated with said profile in addition to the user-defined functions, the profile database for use with said application system;
customization means permitting customization of said user-defined functions and permitting the customization of said customizable status summaries; and
a speech user interface subsystem for presentation of one of said plurality of profiles; and
an audio output device.
16. A communication system according to claim 15 wherein said application system is a unified communications system.
17. A communication system according to claim 15 wherein said application system is a unified messaging system.
18. A communication system according to claim 17 wherein said user defined functions comprise messaging system functions.
19. The system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said application system comprises an automobile control system, and said user defined functions comprise automobile system functions.
20. The system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said application system is located remote from a user and further comprising a network interface for communication between said application system and said user.
21. The system according to claim 15 wherein a portion of at least one of the customizable status summaries is obtained by accessing at least one element external to said application system.