Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Message management
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-14
2001-04-24
Weaver, Scott L. (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Message management
C379S088140
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222909
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of communications, and more particularly to devices for recording audio notes in communications systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Portable wireless communications devices have gained wide acceptance among the general public causing a dramatic increase in the number and types of wireless devices which are presently available. A common occurrence with these devices is that they are being used in non-traditional environments outside of the home or office which allow a user to take full advantage of the portable/wireless aspects of the device. Because of their use in such non-traditional environments, a user may lose the ability to take accurate notes while engaged in a conversation, since the user may simultaneously be engaged in another task, for example, driving an automobile.
In an effort to address such an inability to take accurate notes while engaged in a conversation on a wireless communications device (or any other communications device), devices described in prior art references have included the ability to make recordings at the device itself of ongoing conversations. These prior art references make no mention, however, of a manner in which a user can distribute the stored information to oneself or other parties once the information has been recorded. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,217 issued to Lee discloses a wireless telephone which uses push buttons on a mobile unit to start and stop recording of speech of an opposite party by a base unit. However, the Lee patent does not provide a means for distributing the stored speech from the base unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a system and method that permit a user to record audio information, i.e., audio notes, during a conversation on any telephonic communications device, e.g., wireless or wired devices, coupled to an appropriate network, and distribute the information to other parties in a number of different formats. Importantly, the present invention provides an interface with other communication systems, for example, voice servers, e-mail servers, and personal computers, in order to distribute the stored audio information in an accurate and comprehensive manner.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a communication system has a recording means and a distribution means for controlling when an audio recording is to be commenced, which parties on a call are to be recorded and what processing is to be performed on the recorded message. Advantageously, the notes recorded by one party on a call are fully independent from the notes recorded by the other parties. As a consequence, each party can record private comments by muting transmission to the other parties involved in the call. An exemplary embodiment of a communications device for use with the audio note taking system employs a user interface to permit recording, distributing and retrieving of audio messages in a hands free manner. The communication device may further include a detachable storage unit for recording the information and transferring the recorded information to another storage medium, such as a disk on a personal computer, for processing.
The present invention also allows users to replay previously recorded notes during the current call. Furthermore, the system permits user-directed retrieval of the audio information for playback on the communications device or other compatible communication devices. The system enables the user to direct the recorded information to a speech recognition processor, where the converted message can be forwarded to other parties as electronic mail.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5249217 (1993-09-01), Lee
patent: 5544231 (1996-08-01), Cho
patent: 5557659 (1996-09-01), Hyde-Thomson
patent: 5859898 (1999-01-01), Checco
patent: 5870454 (1999-02-01), Dahlen
patent: 5974449 (1999-10-01), Chang et al.
Qua Gin W.
Szurkowski Edward Stanley
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Weaver Scott L.
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