Annotations addition to documents rendered via text-to-speech conversion over a voice connection
A method and an apparatus for using speech to annotate text messages over a voice connection. The present invention allows the insertion of a plurality of annotations in the message, while the message is being rendered vocally using a Text-to-Speech (TTs) conversion. The invention interactively integrates TTS conversion, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and the execution of office document applications within the Unified Messaging System.
1 . A method for inserting a caller's speech annotations into an original message, comprising the steps of:
providing a speech rendering of said original message;
annotating said speech message with at least one speech annotation; and
inserting said speech annotation into said original message.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said original message is a text email message.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein said original message contains at least one attached document.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein said original message is a voice message.
5 . The method according to claim 2 wherein said step of providing a speech rendering of said original message comprises converting said text message to speech.
6 . The method according to claim 3 wherein said step of providing a speech rendering of said original message comprises converting said attachment to speech.
7 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of connecting to the mailbox of said email message by establishing a voice connection using a landline telephone or a mobile telephone.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein said annotating step includes recognition of predefined commands for starting and stopping said speech annotation.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said commands are speech commands.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein said commands are entered via Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones.
11 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using an interactive voice response (IVR).
12 . The method according to claim 8 wherein said speech commands are user defined.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of recognizing said speech annotations of said caller.
14 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of converting said speech annotations to text.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein said step of converting annotated voice command to text is accomplished using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Speech-to-Text conversion.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein said speech annotation is inserted in said original message in text format.
17 . The method of claim 1 wherein said speech annotation is inserted in said original message as a sound file.
18 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing said annotated message at the Unified Messaging server after inserting said speech annotation into said message.
19 . The method according to claim 18 wherein said step of storing said annotated message includes creating a new copy of said message.
20 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of forwarding said annotated message to another user.
21 . An apparatus for inserting a caller's speech annotations into an original message, comprising:
means for providing speech rendering of said original message;
means for annotating said speech message with at least one speech annotation; and
means for inserting said speech annotation into said original message.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said original message is a text email message.
23 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said original message contains at least one attached document.
24 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said original message is a voice message.
25 . The apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said means of providing a speech rendering of said original message comprises means for converting said text message to speech.
26 . The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said means of providing a speech rendering of said original message comprises means for converting said attachment to speech.
27 . The apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising means for connecting to the mailbox of said email message by establishing a voice connection using a landline telephone or a mobile telephone.
28 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said annotating means includes means for recognition of commands for starting and stopping said speech annotation.
29 . The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said commands are speech commands.
30 . The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said commands are entered via Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones.
31 . The apparatus of claim 28 further incorporating the interactive voice response (IVR).
32 . The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said speech commands are user defined.
33 . The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising means for recognizing said speech annotations of said caller.
34 . The apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising means for converting said speech annotations to text.
35 . The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said means of converting annotated voice command to text is accomplished using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Speech-to-Text conversion.
36 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said speech annotation is inserted in said original message in text format.
37 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said speech annotation is inserted in said original message as a sound file.
38 . The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising means for storing said annotated message at the Unified Messaging server after inserting said speech annotation into said message.
39 . The apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said means of storing said annotated message includes creating a new copy of said message.
40 . The apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising the means for forwarding said annotated message to another user.