IP Library Granted Patent US 8,489,400
Granted Patent B2
US 8,489,400 · App. 13/567,550 · Granted Jul 16, 2013

System and method for audibly presenting selected text

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,489,400
App. No.
13/567,550
Granted
Jul 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods for presenting speech from a selected text that is on a computing device. This method includes presenting text on a touch-sensitive display and having that text size within a threshold level so that the computing device can accurately determine the intent of the user when the user touches the touch screen. Once the user touch has been received, the computing device identifies and interprets the portion of text that is to be selected, and subsequently presents the text audibly to the user.

Claims (38)

1. A method comprising:

presenting text on a touch-sensitive display of a computing device;

receiving, via the touch-sensitive display, a user touch;

identifying a portion of the text based at least in part on the user touch; and

audibly presenting the portion of the text.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user touch further comprises receiving non-contiguous separate inputs, wherein the non-contiguous separate inputs indicate a number of paragraphs of the text to be audibly presented as the portion of the text.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user touch comprises a first tap at a first location and a second tap at a second location, and the portion of the text is identified as text displayed between the first location and the second location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein audibly presenting the portion of the text occurs when a size of the text is below a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein audibly presenting comprises pre-recorded phonemes combined together.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the portion of the text further comprises:

identifying an area of the touch-sensitive display indicated by the user touch; and

associating text presented in the area to form the portion of the text.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting text on a touch-sensitive display of a computing device;

receiving, via the touch-sensitive display, a user touch;

identifying a portion of the text based at least in part on the user touch; and

audibly presenting the portion of the text.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein receiving the user touch further comprises receiving non-contiguous separate inputs, wherein the non-contiguous separate inputs indicate a number of paragraphs of the text to be audibly presented as the portion of the text.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user touch comprises a first tap at a first location and a second tap at a second location, and the portion of the text is identified as text displayed between the first location and the second location.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein audibly presenting the portion of the text occurs when a size of the text is below a threshold.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is a mobile phone.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein audibly presenting comprises pre-recorded phonemes combined together.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein identifying the portion of the text further comprises:

identifying an area of the touch-sensitive display indicated by the user touch; and

associating text presented in the area to form the portion of the text.

15. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

presenting text on a touch-sensitive display of a computing device;

receiving, via the touch-sensitive display, a user touch;

identifying a portion of the text based at least in part on the user touch; and

audibly presenting the portion of the text.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein receiving the user touch further comprises receiving non-contiguous separate inputs, wherein the non-contiguous separate inputs indicate a number of paragraphs of the text to be audibly presented as the portion of the text.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the user touch comprises a first tap at a first location and a second tap at a second location, and the portion of the text is identified as text displayed between the first location and the second location.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein audibly presenting the portion of the text occurs when a size of the text is below a threshold.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the computing device is a mobile phone.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein audibly presenting comprises pre-recorded phonemes combined together.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2025
From: RUNWAY GROWTH FINANCE CORP., AS AGENT
To: INTERACTIONS CORPORATION; INTERACTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 072802/0931 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 060445 FRAME: 0733. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 1, 2023
From: INTERACTIONS LLC; INTERACTIONS CORPORATION
To: RUNWAY GROWTH FINANCE CORP.
Reel/Frame 062919/0063 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME: 036100/0925 Recorded Jul 1, 2022
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: INTERACTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 060559/0576 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME: 049388/0082 Recorded Jun 30, 2022
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: INTERACTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 060558/0474 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 27, 2022
From: INTERACTIONS LLC; INTERACTIONS CORPORATION
To: RUNWAY GROWTH FINANCE CORP.
Reel/Frame 060445/0733 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded May 23, 2022
From: ORIX GROWTH CAPITAL, LLC
To: INTERACTIONS CORPORATION; INTERACTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 061749/0825 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2020
From: BEARCUB ACQUISITIONS LLC
To: ARES VENTURE FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 052693/0866 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 5, 2019
From: INTERACTIONS LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 049388/0082 →
ASSIGNMENT OF IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2017
From: ARES VENTURE FINANCE, L.P.
To: BEARCUB ACQUISITIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 044481/0034 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CHANGE PATENT 7146987 TO 7149687 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 036009 FRAME 0349. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 17, 2015
From: INTERACTIONS LLC
To: ARES VENTURE FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 037134/0712 →
FIRST AMENDMENT TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 13, 2015
From: INTERACTIONS LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 036100/0925 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2015
From: INTERACTIONS LLC
To: ARES VENTURE FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 036009/0349 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2014
From: INTERACTIONS LLC
To: ORIX VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 034677/0768 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2014
From: AT&T ALEX HOLDINGS, LLC
To: INTERACTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034642/0640 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2014
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: AT&T ALEX HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 034482/0130 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2013
From: CONKIE, ALISTAIR D.; SCHROETER, HORST
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 030666/0123 →