Voice based addressing of voice messages
View Patent ↗A system for transmitting voice messages from a caller location to a receiver location using a plurality of computers each coupled to another through a network such as the Internet. The system also has a plurality of handheld portable recording-delivery devices which are coupled to the network. Each handheld portable recording-delivery device can convert voice input into digital data for transmission through the network. Destination information for the digital data being transmitted is generated using speech recognition of voice input.
1. A method comprising the steps of:
providing a handheld portable device including a portable-cellular telephone;
providing a prompt for destination information by said handheld portable device;
encoding a first voice signal by said handheld portable device;
processing said first voice signal by said handheld portable device to control speech recognition;
generating first destination information by said handheld portable device based on said step of processing said first voice signal;
encoding a second voice signal by said handheld portable device;
processing said second voice signal by said handheld portable device to create a first voice message comprising a first recorded voice signal;
transmitting said first voice message, said first destination information and first sender information to a network by said handheld portable device, wherein said first recorded voice signal is transmitted for delivery to a recipient, wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a wide-area packet-switched network;
receiving information associated with a second voice message from said network by said handheld portable device;
receiving said second voice message from said network by said handheld portable device, wherein said second voice message comprises a second recorded voice signal;
generating a notification of delivery of said second voice message by said handheld portable device; and
decoding said second voice message by said handheld portable device to play back said second recorded voice signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
encoding a third voice signal; and
processing said third voice signal to control speech recognition, if said step of processing said first voice signal is unable to provide information sufficient to identify a recipient of said first voice message.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said handheld portable device includes a Pocket PC.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first destination information comprises an email address.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first destination information comprises a phone number.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said first sender information comprises a phone number.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a phone number.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a reference to said second voice message.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said reference comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) for said second voice message.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
14. The method of claim 1 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of an Internet and said step of transmitting utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.
15. The method of claim 1 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
generating second destination information by said handheld portable device based on said information associated with said second voice message;
encoding a third voice signal by said handheld portable device;
processing said third voice signal by said handheld portable device to create a third voice message comprising a third recorded voice signal;
transmitting said third voice message, said second destination information and said first sender information to said network by said handheld portable device.
17. An apparatus comprising:
a handheld portable device including a portable-cellular telephone, said handheld portable device comprising:
a voice input device that is used to encode a voice signal into a recorded voice signal;
a storage device that stores said recorded voice signal;
a processing module, wherein said processing module is configured to:
provide a prompt for destination information;
process a first voice signal to control speech recognition;
generate first destination information based on said speech recognition;
process a second voice signal to create a first voice message comprising a first recorded voice signal;
transmit said first voice message, and said first destination information and first sender information to a network, wherein said first recorded voice signal is transmitted for delivery to a recipient, wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a wide-area packet-switched network;
receive information associated with a second voice message from said network;
receive said second voice message from said network, wherein said second voice message comprises a second recorded voice signal;
generate a notification of delivery of said second voice message; and
decode said second voice message by said handheld portable device to play back said second recorded voice signal.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said processing module is further configured to:
encode a third voice signal and process said third voice signal to control speech recognition, if said speech recognition of said first voice signal is unable to provide information sufficient to identify a recipient of said first voice message.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said handheld portable device includes a Pocket PC.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said first destination information comprises an email address.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said first destination information comprises a phone number.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said first sender information comprises a phone number.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
25. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a phone number.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a reference to said second voice message.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein said reference comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) for said second voice message.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
30. The apparatus of claim 17 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of an Internet and said step of transmitting utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.
31. The apparatus of claim 17 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
32. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said processing module is further configured to:
generate second destination information based on said information associated with said second voice message;
encode a third voice signal;
process said third voice signal to create a third voice message comprising a third recorded voice signal;
transmit said third voice message, said second destination information and said first sender information to said network.
33. A non-transitory machine readable medium of a handheld portable device that includes a portable-cellular telephone, the medium storing instructions for:
providing a prompt for destination information;
processing a first voice signal to control speech recognition;
generating first destination information based on said speech recognition;
processing a second voice signal to create a first voice message comprising a first recorded voice signal;
transmitting said first voice message, and said first destination information and first sender information to a network, wherein said first recorded voice signal is transmitted for delivery to a recipient, wherein at least a portion of said network comprises a wide-area packet-switched network;
receiving information associated with a second voice message from said network;
receiving said second voice message from said network, wherein said second voice message comprises a second recorded voice signal;
generating a notification of delivery of said second voice message; and
decoding said second voice message by said handheld portable device to play back said second recorded voice signal.
34. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , further comprising instructions for:
encoding a third voice signal; and
processing said third voice signal to control speech recognition, if said step of processing said first voice signal is unable to provide information sufficient to identify a recipient of said first voice message.
35. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said handheld portable device includes a Pocket PC.
36. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said first destination information comprises an email address.
37. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said first destination information comprises a phone number.
38. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37 , wherein said first sender information comprises a phone number.
39. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
40. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
41. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a phone number.
42. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 41 , wherein said information associated with said second voice message comprises a reference to said second voice message.
43. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 42 , wherein said reference comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) for said second voice message.
44. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 43 , wherein said prompt comprises an audio prompt.
45. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 43 , wherein said prompt comprises a visual prompt provided through a touch screen.
46. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of an Internet and said step of transmitting utilizes a TCP/IP-based communication protocol.
47. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , where at least a portion of said network includes part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
48. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , further comprising instructions for:
generating second destination information by said handheld portable device based on said information associated with said second voice message;
encoding a third voice signal by said handheld portable device;
processing said third voice signal by said handheld portable device to create a third voice message comprising a third recorded voice signal;
transmitting said third voice message, said second destination information and said first sender information to said network by said handheld portable device.