Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-05-22
Knepper, David D. (Department: 2748)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236969
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Subject matter in the present application is included in Disclosure Document No. 403212, filed on Aug. 1, 1996.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of telephony, and more particularly to an apparatus integrating voice recognition, cellular phone technology and telephone headsets.
Presently, a plurality of headset devices are available for use in a typical PBX or telephone system. A variety of such headsets are disclosed in the Hello Direct Catalog, Spring 1997, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,745 to Silver. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,102 to Rothschild, Ralph F., et al., a headset interface is disclosed that is connected to the public telephone network at a central office. The system includes automated voice features that alleviates the need for an operator to vocalize greetings and responses to users of the telephone system. This system relies upon standard ground-line based telephony, rather than cellular technology.
Cellular technology has been widely applied to car telephone systems. For example, a standard car mounted cell phone with a keypad on the hand set is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,261 to Fujinaka. Dialing a phone number via the keypad is awkward and potentially unsafe while operating a moving vehicle. Even when the portable phone is removed from the vehicle-mounted base, the cell phone mounted keypad still presents the same difficulties to dialing while a person is in motion or in an environment where being visually distracted can be problematic. The cell phone system in the '261 Patent includes a speaker phone feature that frees a driver from having to hold the phone in the car, but this feature only adds marginally to the overall convenience and safety of the device.
Telephone headsets have been proposed for use with cellular systems, such as the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,602 to Regen et al. The headset shown in this patent fails to eliminate many of the problems of using a cellular device. For example, when using the cellular phone in an automobile, the driver is required to be connected to a slave unit containing electronic circuitry that purports to provide a transparent interface between the headset and the existing cell phone. With this system, the headset is directly connected by a cord to the cellular device. Moreover, as with a standard car phone, the user of the headset shown in the '602 Patent is still required to dial using the keypad on the cellular device.
So-called “wearable” cellular phones have been recently promoted. One such compact telephone can be worn as a necklace around the neck. The device described in the article is not useable when being worn. Additionally a conventional extendable antenna is required along with a keypad for dialing. This invention is consistent with the current state of the art devices that require the user to use their hands to operate the device.
In U.S. Pat. 5,042,063 to Sakanishi, a telephone apparatus is disclosed in which a call may be made in response to utterances of a user by speech recognition without manually dialing a telephone number. However, the system still requires some keypad functions in order to communicate, so that is does not permit true hands free operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the limitations of the prior communication systems, the present invention contemplates a highly flexible headset communication apparatus. The headset apparatus is self-contained, meaning that it includes its own power source, communications link and circuitry to maintain remote, non-land based communications. In one application, the headset apparatus of the present invention permits use with a base unit linked to an office or landline telephone system. The same headset can be used for remote cellular communication outside the office.
In one embodiment, the headset apparatus includes a port and circuitry for I/R communications with external hardware. For example, in one mode of operation, the user can send and receive data to and from a personal computer, or an ATM.
In one important feature of the invention, the headset is provided with electronics/software for voice recognition. The headset permits voice activation of the headset, voice dialing and audible commands. The apparatus includes electronics to recognize whether the user has issued a voice command, to determine the nature of the audible command, and to control the operation of the headset in response to the spoken word. In one embodiment, the headset apparatus can distinguish between spoken numbers and spoken words. The headset includes electronics to permit spoken number dialing, and to access a database of telephone numbers referenced by spoken words.
In conjunction with the voice recognition features, the headset includes electronics and software for user recording of voice commands. A voice recognition processing unit (VRPU) within the headset processes verbal input and stores a translated version of the spoken words in a local memory. The VRPU can then compare future spoken commands with the translated version in memory to then issue an appropriate electronic command to the headset components.
In one beneficial feature of the invention, advanced antenna technology incorporated into the headset. The advanced antenna overcomes interference and signal degradation that is typically associated with cellular communications. A renewable power supply, such as a rechargeable lithium battery, adds to the flexibility of the inventive telephone headset.
In another feature of the invention, the headset includes a mouthpiece that is rotatably connected to the central housing of the apparatus. The mouthpiece includes a housing end that fits within a complementary configured recess in the housing. An array of electrical contacts are disposed on both the housing recess and the housing end of the mouthpiece. The electrical contacts transmitted electrical energy between the components in the central housing and the components in the mouthpiece, such as the ear speaker and microphone. In addition, the headset apparatus can be energized or de-energized by rotating the electrical contact arrays into and out of electrical connection.
In one feature associated with the rotatable mouthpiece, the electrical contacts at the housing end are arranged to contact corresponding electrical contacts on the base unit. With the mouthpiece rotated into a position in which the headset is not energized by its own power supply, the headset can be linked to the base unit. The base unit can be used to recharge the on-board power supply of the headset. In addition, the base unit can be used to maintain communication through the headset speaker and microphone.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly integrated wearable cellular telephone apparatus that is incorporated into a headset. Having the power source, control circuitry and antenna built in to the headset offers a significantly compact and portable communication device that can be operated safely in or out of a vehicle or the office.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wearable communication system which reduces need for having a separate phone device for your vehicle, home, office or other locations to be fixed. Features of the system allow connection to a PBX or use as a remote stand-alone cellular phone.
It is further an object of the present invention to function with a wireless infrared communication port to transmit data from a computer laptop or other device and to forward the data via the cellular network to other computers or systems.
One benefit of the present invention is achieved by features of the wearable headset that permit voice activated commands. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4459674 (1984-07-01), Sakurai
patent: 4484029 (1984-11-01), Kenney
patent: 4497980 (1985-02-01), Gorman
patent: 4558178 (1985-12-01), Yasuda et al.
patent: 4864622 (1989-09-01), Iida et al.
patent:
Hintz Kathleen M.
Hintz Thomas M.
Ruppert Jonathan P.
Baker & Daniels
Knepper David D.
Sax Robert Louis
LandOfFree
Wearable telecommunications apparatus with voice/speech... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wearable telecommunications apparatus with voice/speech..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wearable telecommunications apparatus with voice/speech... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2551678