Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Synthesis
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-13
2001-01-30
Hudspeth, David R. (Department: 2741)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Synthesis
C704S258000, C379S088220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182041
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to automated reminder systems. In particular, this invention concerns an automated reminder system which operates within a computer and/or telecommunication system. More particularly, this invention is related to such a reminder system which uses text-to-speech conversion to provide speech reminders.
2. Description of the Problem Solved
As life within our society becomes more complex, the average person must remember more and more things. Many different types of reminder systems have been devised in order to make remembering easier. Among the oldest and simplest is the “daily planner” booklet system in which a user writes down appointments, meetings, and other information that he or she must remember. The advent of computers in recent decades has produced numerous new types of reminder systems. Early mainframe computer systems often included a scheduling or reminder application into which a user typed data related to appointments and meetings. Using the clock in the computer system, the application could remind a user of an appointment or an event by displaying a reminder on the screen at an appropriate time.
In recent years, miniaturized electronics and personal computers have made possible reminder systems with even more capabilities. A so-called “personal data assistant” can keep track of numerous events, and remind a person of an upcoming event with an audible tone at a specific time. The personal computer software market is flooded with numerous personal assistance programs and scheduling programs which perform a reminder function on a personal computer, either stand-alone or networked. These programs typically allow a user to type in reminder data ahead of time. The program will then determine the time using the computer system clock and give the original or a second user a reminder of an upcoming event a specified number of minutes before the time of the event.
The present-day systems described above have some basic limitations. Most importantly, unless a recipient can remember what a reminder is about, a recipient must visibly observe a display screen once he or she hears an audio alerting signal. Also, a user must have some sort of specialized hardware in order to utilize such a reminder service. For example, the user either needs a personal data assistant or a personal computer. Additionally, a user must have direct access to specialized software which performs the reminder function. What is needed is a system which provides a way for users to gather full information about the reminder event without having to look at a display screen. Such a system would be especially useful if it allowed reminders to be generated for and communicated to users who do not have specific reminder capable hardware and software available at their personal workstation.
SUMMARY
The present invention meets the above needs by providing a system and method for supplying text-to-speech based reminder, services within a computer and telecommunication network. According to the present invention, one or more servers within a communication network include hardware and software which allows the servers to collect data about a reminder, direct the translation of the reminder from text-to-speech, and forward the reminder to a recipient via an appropriate delivery method. Using the invention, a recipient does not need specialized hardware or software to receive reminders. Rather the invention makes use of communication methods such as e-mail, voicemail, an Internet connection, and/or an existing telephone connection. Since reminders are delivered as speech, a recipient need not observe a display screen to understand the contents of a reminder message.
The network in which the invention is used includes a text-to-speech translation system, a server which controls the operation of the reminder service, and delivery systems such as a voicemail system or an e-mail system. The network may be small or large. In the preferred embodiment the network incorporates a universal compatibility software system and the components of the text-to-speech based reminder service are represented by adapters. In this embodiment, the operation of the invention is controlled by universal compatibility server. Reminder data is initially collected through a user interface such as a world-wide-web interface.
According to the present invention reminder data is first received from the user interface. A text message is collected and forwarded to a text-to-speech translation system. When a server receives a completion notification message from the translation system, the delivery system is directed to record the speech reminder, and the text-to-speech translation system is directed to send the reminder to the delivery system for recording. The delivery system can be an e-mail system, or a voicemail system. The voicemail system can be directed to automatically call a recipient on the telephone and play the speech reminder at a specified time. Alternatively, the reminder can simply be left in the recipient's personal mailbox in the voicemail system for retrieval by the recipient in the same way that his or her regular voicemail is retrieved. If an email system is used, reminder is attached to an e-mail using a speech format.
Many key aspects of the invention are implemented using computer software. In the preferred embodiment the computer software runs in a computer system or workstation or a collection of computer systems or workstations connected together by a network. Each computer system includes a processor system which is connected to a plurality of input/output devices and which includes computer program code for executing the method of the present invention. The program code is stored in memory in the computer system while executing, and is otherwise stored on a media such as optical disk or magnetic disk or tape. The computer program code can also be transferred over a network. The computer program code and the processor systems within the servers or workstations form the means for performing various operations required to make the invention work. The network in which the present invention operates includes a user interface server, a text-to-speech translation system, end terminal sets or telephones, a recipient delivery system, and a server which controls the operation of the reminder service. These components may be spread among various workstations and computer systems or many of the components may reside in the same computer system.
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Li Yizhi
McNamara Ross
Ng Alexander S.
Trinh Trung
Abebe Daniel
Hudspeth David R.
Nortel Networks Limited
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