US 5,724,410 A · Two-way voice messaging terminal having a speech to text converter

Abstract

A two-way voice messaging terminal for communicating with a receiving terminal which may or may not be capable of reproducing a voice message transmitted from the voice messaging terminal. A voice message is digitally encoded and stored in a memory. A receiving terminal selection unit connected to the first memory preferably allows for the selection of the receiving terminal(s) to which the voice message is to be transmitted. The receiving terminal selection unit then receives the stored, digitally encoded voice message and determines whether the selected receiving terminal(s) is(are) capable of reproducing the voice message. If the receiving terminal(s) can reproduce the voice message, the voice message is transmitted to the selected receiving terminal(s). If the terminal(s) is(are) not capable of reproducing the voice message, the voice message is converted into a text message in a speech-to-text converter in the voice messaging terminal and then transmitted to the selected receiving terminal(s). The voice messaging terminal may also have a text-to-speech converter to convert a response text message into a synthesized voice message, the response text message being sent from the selected receiving terminal(s) in response to the voice message transmitted by the voice messaging terminal.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A voice messaging terminal for communicating with at least one receiving terminal, comprising:

microphone means for receiving a voice message, and for converting said voice message to an analog electrical signal;
first processing means for digitizing said analog electrical signal into a coded digital signal;
a first memory for storing said coded digital signal;
receiving terminal selection means connected to said first memory for determining whether said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message and for providing a first output of said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message and for providing a second output of said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message;
converter means for converting said coded digital signal into a text message in response to said first output from said receiving terminal selection means;
encoding means for encoding said text message with a communications protocol to provide an encoded text message in response to said first output from said receiving terminal selection means and for encoding said coded digital signal with said communications protocol to provide an encoded digital voice message in response to said second output from said receiving terminal selection means;
and,
transmitting means for transmitting said encoded text message in response to said first output from said receiving terminal selection means and for transmitting said encoded voice message in response to said second output from said receiving terminal selection means.

5 more elements

A voice messaging terminal for communicating with at least one receiving terminal, said voice messaging terminal comprising:

a microphone for receiving a voice message, and for converting said voice message to an analog electrical signal;
a first CODEC for digitizing said analog electrical signal into a coded digital signal;
a first memory for storing said coded digital signal;
a receiving terminal selection means, including a second memory, and connected to said first memory for determining whether said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message;
a speech-to-text converter for converting said coded digital signal into a text message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message;
a protocol encoder means for encoding said coded digital signal with a communications protocol to provide an encoded digital voice message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message and for encoding said text message with said communications protocol to provide an encoded text message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message;
and,
a transmitter for transmitting said encoded digital voice message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message and for transmitting said encoded text message if said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message.

5 more elements

A method for providing communications from a voice messaging terminal to at least one receiving terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice message at a microphone;
converting said voice message into an analog electrical signal at said microphone;
digitizing said analog electrical signal into a coded digital signal;
storing said coded digital signal in a first memory;
determining whether said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message;
converting said coded digital signal into a text message if a receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message;
encoding said coded digital signal with a communications protocol to provide an encoded digital voice message if said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message or encoding said text message with said communications protocol to provide an encoded text message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message;
and,
transmitting said encoded digital voice message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is capable of reproducing said voice message or transmitting said encoded text message of said receiving terminal selection means determines that said at least one receiving terminal is not capable of reproducing said voice message.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Two-way voice messaging terminal having a speech to text converter

Life of this patent

Two-way voice messaging terminal having a speech to text converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40