JP2001503236A - Personal voice message processor and method - Google Patents

Abstract

  (57) [Summary] Through the communication link, the user can record, edit, play and review voice messages and other audio material received from and subsequently transmitted to the remote voice processing or interactive voice response (IVR) host computer Portable device. The device desirably has its own power supply, integrated circuit and control buttons, and allows the recording, editing, storage and playback of audio signals locally via built-in speakers, microphones and removable memory cards. The apparatus also includes a standard RJ-11 telephone jack, a modem chipset, and a DTMF tone decoder, and can transmit and receive audio signals to and from a host computer. The apparatus includes a circuit that enables transmission and reception of an audio signal at a speed substantially higher than the original speed at the time of recording.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Personal Voice Message Processor and Method Field of the invention The present invention generally relates to dictation devices and voice communication devices. In particular, methods and portables for voice communication, including recording and editing of voice mail and voice content, and their transmission and reception over a private or public network such as the Internet using a common telecommunications medium or data link. Related to the device. Background of the Invention All electronic messaging systems except voicemail have an intermediate device or storage medium whereby data is transmitted over standard communication links, preferably at high communication rates, for later offline access by scheduled users, re-use. Stored on a storage medium or non-participating device for review and editing. In the case of facsimile transmission, the image is scanned by a transmitter, then transmitted and finally printed off-line for off-line use by intended recipients. In the case of e-mail, the data is computer generated and then sent and stored directly on the intended user's unattended computer, or stored on a central host computer linked to a computer network and later Searched by the intended user. The most common networks are local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and public networks such as the Internet, or private networks. When the intended user accesses his computer, he finds a message displayed in the graphic editor that indicates that the e-mail is already there or has arrived and how he can find it . Once the e-mail is retrieved, it can also be read, reviewed, and manipulated by the user off-line at the intended user's computer. Alternatively, the e-mail may be output to a printer and provided with a hard copy so that it can be reviewed at the convenience of the user. If a facsimile machine is not available, the facsimile can be sent to a computer or Reflection Technology, Inc. Recipients, such as FaxView's Personal Fax Reader, can be transmitted to a paperless fax machine on a handheld for offline, independent review. A utility exists for both facsimile and e-mail messages, whereby messages are selected by the authorized user from the host for subsequent user e-mail addresses or transmission to non-participating facsimile machines. obtain. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,918,722 to Duehren et al. These files were recently selected with the spread and growth of the Internet and, more particularly, with the growing popularity of WEB sites that provide publishing material in the form of Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) documents. A utility has emerged that allows offline access and independent review by fax. See, for example, Ibex Technologies, Inc. See FactsLine for the web by. Such utilities make the vast amount of information and graphics provided over the Internet available to users who do not have access to an Internet-connected computer, or who want to limit the amount of time they spend online. Becomes Most of the potential users have or do not have access to the Internet, but are traveling, unable to access their computer, or navigate to documents or emails of interest. Computer to identify the document by number, and have the selected document read in real time over the phone using text-to-speech and sent by fax or attached to an e-mail. Get up and wait for the website graphics to appear (Netphonic Communications, Inc., which allows users to access the Internet in response to voice prompts). Utilities such as Web-On Call Voice Browser have been introduced), and you may not want to spend time. Similarly, the widespread use of the Internet and crowded access to particularly popular websites or during certain peak usage hours causes Internet users to "subscribe" to certain websites There has arisen a demand for a utility called an offline browser that allows for this. And from this particular website, the user's computer automatically searches for materials during off-peak hours, categorizes and organizes new or updated information, and the user can go offline using their chosen browser. You can review this at (eg, FreeLoader, Inc. FreeLoader). Similarly, a subscription service has been introduced that can send voice mail to an e-mail address and update the audio content provided on the website by a standard telephone call to an interactive voice response (IVR) system. (Eg, "Amail" and "Dialweb" in Telelet Communications). More recently, voice processor system manufacturers have been working on the global voicemail system market to develop the Interoperability standard for Voice Profile for Internet Mail (VPIM). Established a workgroup consisting of more than 60% of Due to the presence of globally accessible contact points, mainly on the Internet, and generally accepted transmission protocols, specifically Simple Message Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and multipurpose Internet messaging extensions as the core of VPIM (MIME), TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) has been selected as the transmission means (see Business Wire, April 29, 1996). Once this is achieved, common operational standards such as VPIM will allow voicemail users to send and receive their voice messages over the Internet or intranet as easily as they do today over the telephone. Would. In addition to voice messaging and voice e-mail over the Internet, the recent introduction of proprietary client-server software systems allows users with traditional multimedia personal computers and voice-grade telephone lines to access real-time streams ( RE) to browse, select and play audio or audio-based multimedia content, or download (REM) on demand. Interested users need only download software from the content provider's website to access such audio content (eg, RealAudio Player and Server from Progressive Network). Such a system is a real breakthrough. Until then, the transmission of voice by conventional online methods downloaded voice at a rate that was as low as five times the length of a real program to acquire information. In this case, the listener had to wait 25 minutes to hear the voice for 5 minutes. With the availability of audio streaming over the Internet, many companies have introduced Internet telephony products that allow users with multimedia computers programmed with proprietary software to speak in real time over the Internet (see Voclatec). . Such a system is useful for long distances when a user can access a local access point or point of presence on the Internet to make a long distance call a local call. Similarly, as a result of streaming audio over the Internet, content providers can broadcast live audio from websites (eg, Audionet by Cameron Audio Networks). More recently, standards-based implementations for communicating over the Internet have been introduced and are supported by Intel and Microsoft. This is DSP Group's TrueSpeech G. Utilizes 723 compression technology. It uses advanced algorithms, resulting in excellent audio quality despite high compression ratios, with 6. 1 compression ratios of 20: 1 and 24: 1 respectively. 4. 3 kilobits per second (kbps) and It operates at 3 kbps. 28. 2. Effective speed at 8 kbps modem speed. Includes silence compression that can be slower than 7 kbps. As a result, the sound is 1: 7. At a rate of 78 or 10 minutes, 1. It is possible to transmit in three minutes. 28. Operating at 8 kbps. Using Texas Instrument's C80 DSP chip with a 34 modem, a 10: 1 audio transmission rate (10 minutes of audio transmitted in 1 minute) can be achieved with telephone grade audio quality. As is evident from the above, while the transfer and transmission of data, graphics, voice messaging and voice content over a network has become more widespread and convenient, this advance has enabled the transfer of voice messaging and voice content and input and output. Several related drawbacks have been highlighted. As audio messaging and audio content become more available, the disadvantages arising from the absence of intermediate devices or storage media for such audio become more apparent. For e-mail and facsimile, the use of telephone links is limited to the transmission of data and control codes for this data. As the use of network computing grows and becomes widespread, telephone links for e-mail and fax (eg, RADLinx's PASSaFAX) are further restricted to connecting to a local point of presence to access the network. Is done. The content that e-mail and facsimile contain can be output to a printer by the intended user, so that the user can carry a hard copy of the material when leaving the office or going on a trip, and when convenient. It is possible to reexamine. In contrast, voice messages and texts are currently recorded by the sender and retrieved primarily by the intended recipient in real time and online. At best, a user can only access recorded and stored audio files or streaming audio files using his multimedia notebook computer. Offline access to audio is limited to downloading audio files to a multimedia computer and playing the audio on a computer equipped with a sound card. However, multimedia computers are barely the size of conventional dictation devices or voice recorders because they have screens, keyboards, and versatile processing capabilities. Relying on a telephone handset or multimedia computer to generate voice and to access voice in this way means that the facsimile can only read and edit the facsimile when it is near the facsimile machine or fax-enabled computer. Similar to not being able to create. Voice messaging and voice content to network-based messaging by not being able to create, review, and access network-based voicemails except in real-time from a telephone handset or offline from a multimedia computer The desire to integrate with is significantly limited. There is no dedicated portable device for storing network-based voice messaging. Similarly, there is no method or utility to scan and select personal voice messages or public announcements from networked hosts so that they can be later transmitted to the device at high speed for later review offline. The only dedicated device that allows users to review their voice messages offline is the residential or small office, primarily using digital recording technology, replacing the standard features of traditional tape-based answering machines.・ An answering machine (Telephone Answering Device, TAD) for home office (SOHO). Because the TAD is plugged into both an electrical outlet and a telephone jack and is not portable, the user must be within range of the TAD's speakers or hang up the phone to search for his messages online and in real time. You may use it to call. Traditionally, TADs provide only very restricted outbound messaging capabilities, while the outbound messages provided are output by the owner from within the TAD's microphone or from a real-time telephone call. It was necessary to record a message (eg, a general greeting or caller-specific / mailbox-specific message). Voice-based messaging, whether network-based or TAD-based, which is limited to online and real-time transmission and requires physical access to a telephone, TAD or multimedia computer, especially voice communications Unfortunately, humans do not need any external hardware or equipment other than the mouth and ears to generate or access voice. Voice is the most natural and self-sufficient form of communication. The audio is inaccessible on the part of the user performing the input or search, with no need for writing utensils, keyboards, screens, dedicated video or hand-to-eye adjustments. Nevertheless, voicemail is so widely used not because the current technology is perceived to be sufficient, but because of the function of the unique characteristics of speech. Similarly, the vast number of innovative utilities that make audible sounds and sounds available through public and private networks have been introduced due to the powerful nature of audible sounds and sounds in content, messaging and command issuance. And only emphasizes the need to make audible sounds and sounds more readily available. Until voice messaging and voice content become more accessible, many of the network-based voice utilities described above will continue to be new to technology enthusiasts. Much has been said about computer telephone integration (CTI) and universal mailboxes. In these, network-based messages and content may be generated on any medium and by any selected input device, and may also be retrieved on any medium or by any selected output device. The fax is accessed as data on a computer screen, and the data may be accessed as a fax or text-to-speech text. Also, as automated voice recording utilities become more competent, voice will be accessed like printed text in email or fax. However, the desire for audio as the medium of choice will be similarly severely limited, unless the audio has a selected input / output device other than a telephone handset or screen / keyboard based multimedia computer. Since speech is a direct recording of the user's voice, its enthusiastic assertions, meanings and emotions are not lost. Similarly, informational text (info-) is required for timely data about meetings, speeches and radio broadcasts, since so much data is only spoken first and then converted to text or data. text) should be the preferred medium. Ideally, voicemail is the preferred mode of communication when traveling, communicating through standard time zones, and accessing timely information spoken (eg, meeting or lecture minutes). There should be. Speech text (ie, data or text uttered by a computer or pre-recorded by a person) can be used for motor skills and video use, such as when driving, operating equipment, or performing leisure activities. Should be in a format suitable for messaging the information to be accessed if it is inconvenient or fails. The use of current telephones for direct access to voice messages has severely limited the potential use of voice messaging. The real-time transmission of voice messages and information-text makes the recording and retrieval of voicemail, especially from long distances, very expensive. This high cost and inconvenience means that voice mail and information-text cannot be created and reviewed in a cost-effective manner and at the user's own pace. People are restricted to places and conditions that are accessible by telephone and, in the case of wireless communication links, places where wireless transmission is possible and desirable. Applying a multimedia computer to compose and review voice mail is almost inexpensive to use with keyboards, pointing devices and screens, and because of the size and cost of multimedia computers it can be spread and transported It is unlikely to make voice messaging more convenient, since it is unlikely to be. At present, voicemail is limited to short messages between individuals who want to contact each other in a more realistic way at another time (phone tags). Voice "mail" is limited to voice "messaging" because listening to a long and full "mail" over the phone or on a multimedia computer is costly and inconvenient for both the sender and recipient Is starting to be. Further, the audio signal may be transmitted through a direct communication link to the user's audio processor or TAD and transmitted in real time only when the user has access to the telephone (as opposed to recording off-peak during off-peak hours). Costs are more commercial use of informational texts (eg, instructions recorded on “tapes”, recorded trip stories, speech records, articles or books), and other innovative advertiser / subscriber support Make the use of the spoken text infeasible. Recently, it has been published by Charles Lamer and others, and has been published in International Business Machines Corp. U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,768 assigned to Shmuel Goldberg et al. And assigned to Espro Engineering, Inc., are assigned to one or more remote central messaging facilities. All portable computer devices that audibly process voice messages are disclosed. In a system such as Lamer, a user can record and play, send (upload) and receive (download) voice messages from a central messaging facility over a communication link to a portable device. However, systems such as Lamer require that a direct telephone link be established between the portable device and one or more remote central messaging facilities. Lamer et al. And Goldberg et al. Allow portable devices to individually access conventional, closed and costly proprietary voice processing systems through direct communication links. Lamer et al. And Goldberg et al. Do not provide a commercially viable solution to access voicemail other than by long distance calls to a central messaging facility. The costs associated with these long distance charges will keep the long-term use of systems such as Lamer out of reach. In addition, systems such as Lamer require the user to contact one or more remote central messaging facilities to retrieve and transmit selected audio files. The inconvenience associated with such a polling procedure negates the convenience provided by the system. Similarly, systems such as Lamer do not provide a way for a user to view available audio content on a portable computing device, or to select an audio file from a menu for later retrieval. Similarly, systems such as Lamer are dedicated to either connecting a portable computing device directly to the computer or detecting and recording DT MF tones generated locally by a standard touch-tone telephone device. Other than by initiating a "training" mode, the user remotely accesses a central server linked to the server's network, downloads control codes, and searches the personal user groove or public database for addresses. Does not provide a utility for Because a typical user's mailbox utility is processed on the user's network e-mail server and modified in the process of sending and receiving e-mail, such dedicated training tools for portable computing devices Sessions are impractical. Similarly, new voice server platforms, utilities and compression mechanisms are regularly introduced, requiring a dynamic and transparent way to update both control codes and address books without the need for dedicated training sessions It is. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly, the object of the present invention is to allow a user to be offline, from any location, performing any activity, at a slow pace, without incurring telephone charges, and that the communication link is currently accessible. It is an object of the present invention to provide an Internet-enabled dictation device and voice message recording / review device and method capable of creating and reviewing voicemail, whether or not possible. Preferably, the telephone link to the local network access point is primarily used as a communication link for high speed transmission of pre-recorded materials and control codes to facilitate this transmission, thereby providing a telephone or multimedia computer and voice It is also an object of the present invention to limit the use of a telephone line for messaging in a telephone as a recording or playback device. Pre-message handshaking occurs between the dictation and voice message recording / review device and the network server to adapt the digitized voice signal to one of the standard voice compression protocols and one of the TCP / IP protocol stacks, and It is also an object of the present invention to provide a protocol that facilitates high speed transmission of voice messages. Another object of the present invention is a portable dedicated voice enabled network (Internet) access device that allows a user to record, edit and play audio files that can be transmitted and / or received over a public or private network. To provide. An owner of a telephone answering machine (M-TAD) with a special modem configuration accesses the compressed voice message file and transfers it from the digital memory of the TAD, either by a direct cable connection to the TAD or by a telephone link. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable access device and method that allows for direct download to a message recording / playback device. By providing such a portable access device and method, the TAD owner can encourage the sender to leave a richer, data-rich voice message on his TAD, and the TAD owner can TAD periodically sends it in compressed digital format and subscribes to audio content that can be downloaded to the device of the present invention and played and reviewed at a convenient time and place. This also allows TAD owners to establish a telephone link with their TAD on their portable dictation and voice message recording / reviewing device when not at home or office, making all stored messages economical and automatic. A search can be performed to update all outgoing messages (eg, general and sender-specific greetings). All stored messages and out-of-town greetings are then transmitted in a digitized compressed format. The present invention is directed to voice-to-text, text-to-speech and other communications that allow a user to receive from a remote host computer located on a public or private network and subsequently transmit to a remote host computer over a communication link, such as a public switched telephone system. Provide a low cost portable recording and playback dictation and voice message recording / reviewing device that can record, edit, play and review voice messages including voice material. A preferred device includes its own rechargeable power supply, integrated circuit and control buttons, and audio signals via a built-in speaker, microphone or plug-in headset, foot pedal, and removable memory card. Recording, editing, storing, playing and recording locally. The device also includes a detachable PCMCIA connector to which a standard RJ-11 telephone jack, modem chipset (or software), or standard or wireless modem card can be connected, and which connects audio signals to a public or private network. DTMF tone decoder that allows transmission and control to and from the host computer. The apparatus includes circuitry capable of transmitting and receiving audio signals at a substantially faster rate than when initially recorded. Preferred devices also allow network users to use standard services such as the TCP / IP suite of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol (POP3) and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) to provide Internet services. Accessing the network directly from a provider (ISP) access point and local access point, such as a shell account, to an audio file (or data that could also be translated into speech) sent to the user's email address It includes a processor with the necessary terminal emulation to review, select and search text files) and to enable downloading and transmission of such files. Preferred devices also include a standard or touch screen display and similar graphics for creating and reading e-mail messages displayed on their computer screens when users access their e-mails. Displaying an editor, where the user wants to scroll through his email message, select the audio file he wants to download, and have it converted to an audio format (text-to-speech) by a network server or at the device. Software that allows you to select the text message you want. The preferred device also has a cradle for placing the device, a telephone jack to enable the establishment of a communication link, and a file directly to the computer, having a port that can be connected to a power source to recharge the battery of the device. A serial or parallel port on the computer for downloading and uploading and for receiving "redirected" files. Preferred devices also include a language user interface capable of recognizing speech and answering the speech verbally. Such interfaces include speaker independent functions, but allow speaker adaptation to adjust the personal device to the user's voice or pronunciation characteristics, thereby improving accuracy. This speaker adaptation is achieved through a protocol that allows the system to adapt to the user's voice by repeating a batch of sentences before the first use of the device (the asr1000 product line of the Lernout & Hauspie Speech Product (LH SP)). See). The language interface is a vocabulary builder (see Lextool (TM) of LHSP) that allows users to extend vocabulary, including special terms and proper nouns, to speech recognition applications. A user template (LHSP's asr200 product line) where the user can create words to associate with user-defined commands, such as being able to be associated with an address, in a car, airplane or public place; Includes e-mail address spelling, further background noise tolerance and alphabet recognition for remote voice software, improving the accuracy of the language user interface even when the user is not wearing a headset. (See LHSP) The preferred device also provides for authenticity of sensitive information by encrypting and decrypting message data and by authenticating the identity of the sender using a secure digital or voice signature. Includes public key encryption techniques designed to ensure some secure transmission. Preferred devices also include a text-to-speech utility that allows a user to download data that has not yet been transcribed by the network server and do so on the device. The preferred device also allows the user to automatically print printed barcodes related to prints, such as news articles, maps, menus of available audio files, or audio files related to prints, from a network such as the Internet. A barcode reader that can scan printed barcodes in a travel guide that gives the device all information including the network server, file location and file ID needed by the device to retrieve it Including. The preferred device also allows the user to print a bar code associated with a print, such as a news article, a map, a menu of available audio files, or a group of already inspected audio files (such as those described in Goldberg et al.). A barcode reader that can scan printed barcodes in a travel guide that gives the device all the information the device needs to play the file from the device. Suitable devices also include high-speed local wireless transmission of audio files and control codes between the device, a payphone, a kiosk or a user's computer (eg, 1. Includes an infrared interface using standards such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA) for 2 Mbps and 4 Mbps. Preferred devices also include a software utility called an offline browser. This utility can be used during off-peak hours from the network to which the user is subscribing, or from selected websites with new audio material available, or emails that the user is programming to search through an offline browser Program the device to automatically retrieve the audio file from the address. The preferred device also allows a user to browse a network database, such as a database on the Internet, for an address and / or site to receive and send audio files by a graphical screen based interface or by voice prompts. Includes software utilities that enable The preferred device also provides access to, updates to, and / or updates to, an e-mail address book that contains e-mail addresses of individuals and groups that the user wishes to create and send audio files to. Or a software utility that creates a graphic interface and memory for downloading. Such utilities automatically synchronize the data in the dictation and voice message recording / review device with the data contained in the user's email server account. The preferred device also optionally includes a clock and alarm function to select between a simple audible alarm or a programmed voice message alarm (eg, "call home"), your phone number, email address , A graphical interface for organizing calendars, notes and appointments, and software utilities that allow the user to create memory. Preferred devices also allow users to download proprietary client-server software systems and upgrades and newly introduced standards for low bit rate audio compression available through public or private networks, such as the Internet, Includes software utilities to ensure that you can use the latest audio compression software. Preferred devices also include an application program interface (API) that allows the device to be used as a portable Internet telephone device for real-time two-way, full-duplex voice conversations using a local connection to the Internet. To allow users to download proprietary client-server software systems and upgrades and newly introduced standards that allow devices to receive highly compressed and / or streamed audio files, including, but not limited to audio content. Includes software utilities that enable The preferred device also extends the functionality of a web program run from a web browser to operate on the data as it enters the user's PC, such that the user can transfer the audio file through the communication port. , A software utility that allows it to be directed directly to a device mounted in the cradle and connected to a serial or parallel port. Alternatively, this may be via OLE (object linking and embedding) web software that, when initiated by the user by pressing a designated key such as printing, directs the audio file directly to a special "printer" driver dedicated to the device. Can be realized. The utility allows users browsing the web on their computers to download audio files directly to their personal audio server and access them later without having to transfer them from their hard disk. The preferred device also allows the user to select an e-mail message, convert the message from text to speech by a suitable text-to-speech conversion application available on the network, and then digitize and transmit as a digitized compressed audio file Includes software utilities that can be requested to be The present invention also provides that once connected to a communication link, the user can process other related or unrelated data and / or receive and transmit data to and from the network while the user is talking on the phone. Simultaneously or alternately, the Digital Simultaneous Voice / Data (DSVD) and / or VoiceView protocol (Radish Communications Systems, Inc.) allows audio files to be transferred and received directly to dictation and voice message recording devices. ) And software utilities. By using these voice / data protocols, a user of the dictation and voice message recording / review device can request a voice file in response to a voice prompt spoken in a digitized stream or analog voice, a voice response, It responds with keypad input or DTMF tones and allows these files to be transferred in high-speed data mode during the same phone connection. The present invention also relates to methods and software utilities that enable scalability of digitized audio files to meet network server requirements or user preferences. This allows the server to command a lower compression rate or a slower transmission rate, or request the user, and vice versa, to give the requested audio file higher credibility. A feature of the present invention is that the recording device remains connected to the communication link and dials and connects to the local network access point during off-peak hours when telephone charges are lowest and excess capacity is available on the input line. It can be programmed as The recording device can be a voice file to which the user is subscribed, a new voice file available from a website programmed by the user to alert the device, and voice mail sent to the user from the selected email address. It is programmed to search the network for A feature of the present invention is that a recording device is connected between a telephone, computer, cell phone or personal digital assistant and a communication link, and the user can select an audio file and retrieve while using any of these devices. An interface port such as a standard RJ-11 telephone jack is provided. Circuits are also provided for performing digital conversion and compression on the analog voice signals recorded in the memory of the dictation and voice message recording / review device to enable high density storage and high speed transmission of digitized voices. This is a feature of the present invention. Similarly, circuitry is provided for analog conversion and natural sound reproduction of digitized audio already stored or received. Airport, for example, in a manner analogous to an automatic teller machine, where a user can connect his / her own recording / review device and select voice messages and text to be retrieved and transmitted directly by the recording / review device. It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a public terminal installed in a place such as a tourist spot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The above description, as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a suitable personal voice message processor embodying the present invention; FIGS. 2 through 7 (FIG. 2 includes FIGS. 6 is a flowchart showing how the operation is performed by the device of FIG. Detailed description FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a presently preferred personal voice server (PVS) system 10 embodying the present invention. The PVS system 10 comprises roughly five main parts; a highly integrated DSP / RISC integrated chip 11 (DSP stands for Digital Signal Processor, RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computer); Audio codec 17; SDRAM 12 and / or flash memory 13 coupled to a DSP chip; including peripherals such as microphone 26, speaker 18, touch screen / display LCD 19, infrared I / O 21, and bar code reader 15. Operating system software is also provided to allow the DSP to handle modem routines such as V32bis, V34, voice recognition, echo cancellation and speech synthesis. The software also controls the system via the RISC part of chip 11. Although the device 10 of this embodiment is referred to as a voice server, it will be clear that it is equally useful for other types of voice, including music. The DSP chip is preferably a Philips Semiconductor PR3110 chip, which has a MIPS R3000 RISC CPU core with 4Kbytes of instruction cache and 1Kbytes of data cache, and various interfaces for interfacing with a number of system components and external I / O modules. Including integrated functions. The chip also has a hardware multiply / accumulate unit that performs DSP functions, such as a software fax / modem that does not require an external modem chipset. However, the chip also has a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receive Transmit) interface 22 (shown separately), which allows the device to connect to an external modem or other device via a conventional RS232 serial connector 23. (Such as an answering machine with a modem). PR31100 also provides multiple direct memory access (DMA) channels that provide an efficient means of transferring data between external system memory, cache memory, CPU cores and external I / O modules, and a high performance, flexible bus interface. -Includes unit (BIU). The PR31100 also includes a system interface module (SIM), which is integrated to interface to various external I / O modules such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) 19, an infrared I / O module 21, and a codec 17. Provide functions. Codec 17 is preferably a Philips UCB1100 single-chip integrated mixed-signal voice and telecom codec, which includes voice and telecommunication codecs (analog / digital encoding and decoding) functions and touch-screen analog-to-digital conversion, ISDN. Handles most of the analog functions of the system, including high-speed serial and infrared and wireless peripherals. Although shown separately in FIG. 1, high speed serial interface 14 is actually part of UCB1 100. The chip has a single channel audio codec designed to connect microphones and speakers directly (ie, components 16 and 28 are actually part of UCB 1100). This built-in telecommunication codec can be connected directly to a conventional RJ-11 jack 20 for connection to a telephone line. For a more complete understanding of the embodiment of FIG. 1, the data sheets for PR31100 and UCB1100 are attached, which are incorporated herein by reference. The operating system software for PR31100 is preferably Eden OS version 2.0 marketed by Eden Group Limited of Cheshire, UK. This operating system is specially designed to support PR31100 (also called DINO) and UCB1100 (also called BETTY). Attach the Eden OS data sheet. It describes the software support and drivers provided by this operating system. This data sheet is incorporated herein by reference. Memories 12, 13 are used to store messages and to hold temporary data. Flash memory is configured according to the amount of required permanent programs, including the operating system (O / S) and application software, and to store some of the recorded messages. Typically, the audio compression provided by the PR31100 results in a data bandwidth of less than 1/2 Kbyte / sec (ie, 1 Mbyte of memory provides 1 hour of audio). Microphone 26 and speaker 18 are selected based on quality and size. FIGS. 2 to 7 are flow charts showing operations for retrieving messages via the Internet, transmitting them to and from the PVS, connecting the lines, receiving data from a predetermined server address in the Internet, storing, and sieving. , Searching, and selecting various actions for transmitting and replaying messages to and from the PVS. These operations include receiving compressed messages in digital form and audio signals in analog form in a two-way fashion from speaker / microphone and telephone connections. 2a and 2b illustrate how the PVS is connected to a location on the Internet by a transport protocol, and how the PVS provides all data related to its web / email site (eg, HTML display information) to receive / store messages (voice, data, etc.) sent using either proprietary or de facto standards (eg, 2.5 kbps high compression voice) It is a flowchart which shows. The operations shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b are performed in parallel by the DSP / RISC real-time kernel (described further below with reference to FIG. 3). This allows multiple tasks to run and execute in parallel. The operation of the main task begins at block 200. Accessing the site and storing or receiving stored messages is performed in parallel with other tasks. These tasks can also be performed locally to operate PVS or other tasks such as operation of a barcode reader, speech synthesizer, speech recognition, or to access other websites simultaneously by PPP. . At block 202, a test is performed to determine if the desired action is to connect to a network access provider via a toll call (block 210). If no, the modem answers the call when it rings, completes its handshaking procedure, and begins receiving information (block 204). At block 220, data bits from the modem are received by DSP chip 11. At block 230, the DSP chip decodes the input data. At block 240, a test is performed to determine if the desired action is to decode the HTML site. If no, control transfers to block 340. Otherwise, operation continues at block 250, where display of the site page begins. At block 260, a test is performed to determine whether the mode of operation is interactive or automatic. In the interactive mode, the PVS user must browse and select the desired operation to complete. In the automatic mode, the keyword (s) for searching for voice or other messages are searched and activated automatically to obtain compressed data. If the test at block 260 detects an interactive mode, control passes to block 110 of FIG. 2b. If no, automatic browsing begins at block 270 to search for inverted keyword symbols. At block 280, a test is performed to determine if the keyword is a request for an already digitized message, and if so, at block 290, data compressed by the FTP protocol is received by the PVS. If the result of the test at block 280 is “no”, control transfers to block 310. At block 310, a test is performed to determine if the message is no longer present; if not, control returns to block 100. Otherwise, at block 320, a test is performed to determine if the keyword is a request for a location to store a local message at the web server. If so, this data, for example, a compressed voice message, is transmitted from the PVS to the website (block 330). Otherwise, control returns to start (block 100). The process continues until the website has no stored messages for the PVS owner. At block 340, a test is performed to determine if the site utilizes the FTP protocol language. If so, the message is retrieved using FTP (block 360), stored at block 380, and control passes to block 120 of FIG. 2b. If block 340 determines that the FTP protocol is not being used, a test is performed at block 340 to determine whether an authorized access language has been received. If so, at block 360, the message is retrieved utilizing the authorized access language and then stored at block 380. Next, control transfers to block 120 of FIG. 2b. If, at block 350, the authorized access language is not found, the user is notified at block 370 and control returns to block 100. If the mode is determined to be interactive at block 260, control transfers to block 110 of FIG. 2b. At block 112, a keyword for the web page is selected, and at block 114, HTML interpretation is activated to locate the message in the pool. At block 116, the message is then sent and / or received, and control returns to block 100 of FIG. 2a. Following block 380, where the data is stored, preferably in compressed form, control transfers to block 120 of FIG. 2b. All stored data causes the data to be generated in a flat database (block 120), which is later searched to locate the data. If the message is a voice message, it is compressed and played back as it is transmitted by the FTP protocol. The test at block 122 determines whether such action is required for the current message, and if so, the decompression and speech synthesizer is activated (block 124) and the message is ready for synthesis. The database is updated to reflect that has been done, and control returns to block 100. If the message is not decompressed and played, control transfers from block 122 to block 128. Here, a test is performed to determine whether the message is sent to the web server, and if no, control returns to block 100. If the message is sent to a web server, it is sent by FTP at block 130, notifying the user of the completion of the transfer (block 132), and control then returns to block 100. FIG. 3 shows the overall operation of the Eden OS kernel operated by the RISC core CPU of the DSP 11 in this application. The kernel is multitasking in that it can have multiple programs or tasks running at the same time, each with its own priority and capable of starting other (child) tasks. Once the kernel has been initialized via blocks 400-420, operation begins in idle mode at block 480, where the PVS waits for an event to occur, which is handled at block 430. Any program thus interacts with the operating system by drawing attention to its task at block 430. The type of event that occurs can be synchronous or asynchronous. If, at block 440, a synchronization event is detected, processing of the synchronization event is triggered via connection 5. Otherwise, a test is performed at block 450 to detect the asynchronous event. In this case, the processing of the asynchronous event is started via the connection unit 6. In each case, after the processing is started, the operating system returns to the idle mode and processes another event. Another special event that occurs is block 460 error handling. If no asynchronous event is detected at block 450, a test is performed to detect a fault event at block 460; if not, the program returns to idle mode. In the case of a hardware failure, communication failure, or software failure, an error event is detected at block 460 and a runtime handler is invoked (block 470) to handle the event. Next, control returns to the idle mode. The synchronous and asynchronous events shown in FIG. 3 are merely exemplary, and it is contemplated that there may be others for each type. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a routine performed by the controller of the DSP / RISC chip 11 when recording an analog voice message. At block 710, a test is performed to determine if the input message is from a built-in microphone. If NO, the control proceeds to the routine of FIG. If so, the voice message is digitized and compressed (block 720) and placed into a working pool of data (block 730). At block 740, a test is performed to determine if the memory is full before storing the entire message. If no, the routine ends and control returns to the idle mode. If so, recording is disabled (block 750) and the operator is notified that the memory is full, such as by a warning light. Control returns to the idle mode. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a routine performed to record analog audio from a telephone line. At block 800, a test is performed to determine if the voice message being received is from a communication link (telephone line). If NO, the control proceeds to the routine of FIG. If so, the message is passed as voice through the telecom / voice codec 17 (block 810) and a test is performed at block 820 to determine if compression is performed by the DSP / RISC chip. If compression occurs, the message is stored in local memory (block 830), recording is stopped, and control is returned to idle mode. If no compression is performed by the DSP / RI SC chip, the message is sent to the telecom / voice codec, where compression is performed by a standard (ADPCM) algorithm (block 840). Next, the message is returned to the DSP / RISC 11 via its UART (block 850), and the message is stored in the flash memory 13 under the control of the DSP / RISC chip (block 860). Control is then returned to the idle mode. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a routine performed by a voice / telecom codec controller to play stored voice through a built-in speaker. At block 900, the operator selects a message from a message pool stored on the device. At block 910, a test is performed to determine whether the stored message to be retrieved was originally compressed by a voice / telecom / codec. If no, control transfers to block 920. If so, the message is read and decompressed using a voice / telecom codec (block 930) and the decompressed message is provided to a voice / telecom codec digital-to-analog converter (DAC) (block). 940). The message then passes through the D / A converter and amplifier 28 and is played back via the internal speaker 18 (block 950), and control is returned to the idle mode. If the stored message was not originally compressed by the voice / telecom codec, a test is performed at block 920 to determine whether the stored message was originally compressed by the voice / telecom codec. If no, the user is notified (block 960) and control is returned to idle mode. If so, the message is read by the controller (block 970), then sent to the modem for decompression, and from the modem back to memory 13 through the UART port of voice / telecom codec 17. Control passes to block 940 where the playback is processed in the same manner as the message originally compressed by the voice / telecom codec. FIG. 7 shows how the PVS connected to the cradle is connected to a PC (whether multimedia or not) or a specially configured TAD with a built-in modem, and the PC or TAD user (A) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing whether an audio file can be sent to or received from a PVS through a modem other than the PVS telecom / audio codec. As a result, the PC user can transmit or attach the audio file existing in the PVS through the PC modem, and similarly, the PC user can directly download the audio file received through the PC modem to the PVS. With the same configuration, the user (B) of the non-multimedia PC can play the audio file received through the modem of the non-multimedia PC by playing the audio file using the multimedia capability of the PVS. Become. This arrangement also allows the PC user (C) to record audio through the PVS's built-in microphone and transmit it as a file or as stream audio through the PC's modem. Such an arrangement also allows the PC user (D) to redirect the audio file directly to the PVS using a standard web browser program. Finally, a configuration similar to the TAD in a modem configuration allows a TAD user to download voice messages to the TAD and from the TAD to the PVS. Two-way communication from the PC to the PVS is handled by a communication cable (eg, a 9-pin connector) at the serial RS232 port of the PC and the PVS and is controlled by asynchronous event software that controls input and output from the UART communication interface. The PC software handles drivers that send and receive data to and from the PC and the PVS. The transmission of data is similar to a PC transmitting data to a fax or a printer, and the reception of data is similar to the PC receiving data from a scanner. This driver sets all parameters required for PVS, such as operation type, acknowledgment and "end of transmission" length and weight. The PC also handles software that uses the PVS as an additional device (peripheral device) to receive multimedia voice messages, such that the PVS speaker operates. The PC also processes software that manages the microphone input of the PVS, and software that is fully integrated with the software and that integrates with a standard web browser (eg, Netscape Navigator) to invoke commands to the PVS accordingly. I do. The software in the PVS is part of a multitasking operating function that handles remote activation of procedural calls (RPC) controlled under the PVS asynchronous event software. While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for purposes of illustration, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous additions, modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It can be understood that

[Procedure of Amendment] Article 184-8, Paragraph 1 of the Patent Act [Submission date] March 10, 1999 (1999.10.10) [Correction contents]                              Claims 1. Communicates and stores analog and digital audio signals In portable devices,   Digital storage means;   A communication connection to the communication channel;   A telecommunications input / output coupled to the communication connection and a digital input / output Re-communication interface,   An analog-to-digital converter having an output coupled to the storage means;   Digital input / output of the storage means and the telecommunications interface A controller coupled to       The signal on the communication connection is an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal. Means for detecting whether the signal is a signal,       The telecommunications interface is controlled by the detecting means. And a loop coupled to the storage means and the analog-to-digital converter. When the detecting means detects a digital signal, Coupling the digital output of the communication interface to the storage means. When the detection means detects an analog signal, the telecommunication The interface diverts the signal on the connection, and then the storage means A route for coupling the signal to the analog-to-digital converter for storage. And a controller having   A portable device comprising: 2. Coupling to the storage means takes place via a device for compressing the signal before storage. The device of claim 1. 3. The controller is   The digital message stored in the storage means is converted into data and control bits. Means for assembling into a packetized data stream comprising:   Transmitting said packetized data stream over said communication channel. A hand coupled to the digital input of the telecommunications interface The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a step. 4. The controller includes: Making the packetized data stream substantially higher than the digitized voice transmission rate. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission is performed at a high rate. 5. Connections to digital communication channels, and the 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interface with the controller. 6. The digital communication channel and the corresponding interface are infrared The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is designed to handle communications. 7. The bar code reader further coupled to the controller. An apparatus according to claim 1. 8. A contractor further comprising an LCD touch screen coupled to the controller. An apparatus according to claim 1. 9. A portable device that communicates and stores analog and digital audio signals. In the band type device,   Digital storage means;   Connection to the communication channel,   A text having an analog input / output and a digital input / output coupled to the connection. Re-communication interface,   Coupled to the storage means and the telecommunications interface Controller       The digital message stored in the storage means is stored as data and control bits. Means for assembling into a packetized data stream containing       The packetized data stream for transmission over the communication channel. System to the digital input of the telecommunications interface A controller comprising means for performing   Portable device equipped with. 10. The controller communicates with the telecommunications interface , The packetized data stream is substantially sub-divided from the transmission rate of the digitized voice. Apparatus according to claim 9, adapted to transmit at a high rate. 11. The controller sends an HTML language message to the communication channel. A contract that includes a module that detects receipt and enables two-way communication in the language. An apparatus according to claim 9. 12. The controller sends an FTP language message to the communication channel. 10. The method of claim 9 including a module for detecting receipt and enabling two-way communication in the language. The described device. 13. The controller is adapted to receive text information through the communication channel. In response, an audible message is generated that mimics the textual information as spoken in a human voice. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a speech synthesizer for generating. 14． The controller receives information about the stored data, and A database management module for enabling selective search of the information; The device according to claim 9. 15. Communication of analog and digital forms of audio signals through communication channels Performing, and storing the signal,   Whether the signal on the channel is an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal The step to detect,   Detecting a digital signal on the channel, an input coupled to the channel; Telecommunications interface of the type with digital output Storing the force in a digital storage means;   When an analog signal is detected on the channel, the signal is converted from analog to digital Converting the signal into a digital form and storing the converted signal in digital storage means.   A method that includes 16. The signal is compressed prior to any of the storing steps. 16. The method according to 15. 17． Having an analog input / output coupled to the channel and a digital input / output Using a telecommunications interface of any type   The digital message stored in the storage means is converted into data and control bits. Assembling into a packetized data stream comprising:   Through the communication channel at a rate substantially higher than the transmission rate of the digitized voice. The packetized data stream to the modem's digital Coupling to the input. 18. Communication of analog and digital forms of audio signals through communication channels Performing, and storing the signal, an analog input / output coupled to the channel. And digital input and output Done using a telecommunications interface,   Digital message stored in storage means, including data and control bits Assembling into a packetized data stream;   Through the communication channel at a rate substantially higher than the transmission rate of the digitized voice Transmitting the packetized data stream to a digital input of the modem for transmission. Further comprising the step of: 19. A user receives from a remote device over a communication link, and then Record, edit, play and record voice messages and other audio material that can be sent to the device. Portable devices that allow   Power supply receptacle,   Record, edit, and store audio signals supplied from the receptacle locally And an integrated circuit for reproducing,   Non-volatile storage means whose access is controlled by the integrated circuit When,   Coupled to the integrated circuit for audible playback of audio and local input, respectively Built-in speakers and microphone,   A telecommunications interface chipset coupled to the integrated circuit; And   A modular telephone jack coupled to the modem chipset.   The integrated circuit outputs an audio signal at a substantially higher rate than was originally recorded. A portable device characterized by operating the device to transmit and receive. 20. The integrated circuit includes an analog signal received on the communication link and a digital signal. A module operative to allow distinction between the analog signal and the analog signal. The signal is the telecommunication 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the signal is passed to the integrated circuit without being processed by the interface chip. On-board equipment. 21. The integrated circuit utilizes at least one available protocol. A contract including, over the Internet, a module that enables communication over the communication link. The apparatus according to claim 19. 22. The integrated circuit converts the signal received over the communication link into text. And converts the signal into a signal that mimics the voice of the person speaking the text. 20. The device of claim 19, comprising a module.

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Communicates and stores analog and digital audio signals In portable devices,   Digital storage means;   A communication connection to the communication channel;   A telecommunications input / output coupled to the communication connection and a digital input / output Re-communication interface,   An analog-to-digital converter having an output coupled to the storage means;   Digital input / output of the storage means and the telecommunications interface A controller coupled to       The signal on the communication connection is an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal. Means for detecting whether the signal is a signal,       The telecommunications interface is controlled by the detecting means. And a loop coupled to the storage means and the analog-to-digital converter. When the detecting means detects a digital signal, Coupling the digital output of the communication interface to the storage means. When the detection means detects an analog signal, the telecommunication A route that allows the interface to bypass signals on the connection and combine them A controller provided with   A portable device comprising: 2. The analog-to-digital converter then stores the data in the storage means. The signal. 3. The coupling to the storage means comprises a device for compressing the signal before storage. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is performed via: 4. The controller is   The digital message stored in the storage means is converted into data and control bits. Means for assembling into a packetized data stream comprising:   Transmitting said packetized data stream over said communication channel. A hand coupled to the digital input of the telecommunications interface The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a step. 5. The controller includes: Making the packetized data stream substantially higher than the digitized voice transmission rate. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission is performed at a high rate. 6. Connections to digital communication channels, and the 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interface with the controller. 7. The digital communication channel and the corresponding interface are infrared The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is designed to handle communications. 8. The bar code reader further coupled to the controller. An apparatus according to claim 1. 9. A contractor further comprising an LCD touch screen coupled to the controller. An apparatus according to claim 1. 10. Communicates and stores audio signals in analog and digital form In portable devices,   Digital storage means;   Connection to the communication channel,   Analog input / output and digital input / output coupled to the connection A telecommunications interface having   Coupled to the storage means and the telecommunications interface Controller       The digital message stored in the storage means is stored as data and control bits. Means for assembling into a packetized data stream containing       The packetized data stream for transmission over the communication channel. System to the digital input of the telecommunications interface A controller comprising means for performing   Portable device equipped with. 11. The controller communicates with the telecommunications interface , The packetized data stream is substantially sub-divided from the transmission rate of the digitized voice. Apparatus according to claim 9, adapted to transmit at a high rate. 12. The controller sends an HTML language message to the communication channel. A contract that includes a module that detects receipt and enables two-way communication in the language. An apparatus according to claim 9. 13. The controller sends an FTP language message to the communication channel. 10. The method of claim 9 including a module for detecting receipt and enabling two-way communication in the language. The described device. 14． The controller is adapted to receive text information through the communication channel. In response, an audible message is generated that mimics the textual information as spoken in a human voice. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a speech synthesizer for generating. 15. The controller receives information about the stored data, and Database for enabling selective search of the information The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a management module. 16. Communication of analog and digital forms of audio signals through communication channels Performing, and storing the signal,   Whether the signal on the channel is an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal Detecting,   Detecting a digital signal on the channel, an input coupled to the channel; Telecommunications interface of the type with digital output Storing the force in a digital storage means;   When an analog signal is detected on the channel, the signal is converted from analog to digital Converting the signal into a digital form and storing the converted signal in digital storage means.   A method that includes 17． The signal is compressed prior to any of the storing steps. 16. The method according to 15. 18. Having an analog input / output coupled to the channel and a digital input / output Using a telecommunications interface of any type   The digital message stored in the storage means is converted into data and control bits. A step to assemble into a packetized data stream containing   Through the communication channel at a rate substantially higher than the transmission rate of the digitized voice. The packetized data stream to the modem's digital Coupling to the input. 19. Communication of analog and digital forms of audio signals through communication channels Performing the method and storing the signal in the channel. Telecommunications of the type having an analog input / output coupled and a digital input / output Application interface,   Digital message stored in storage means, including data and control bits Assembling into a packetized data stream;   Through the communication channel at a rate substantially higher than the transmission rate of the digitized voice Transmitting the packetized data stream to a digital input of the modem for transmission. Further comprising the step of: 20. A user receives from a remote device over a communication link, and then Record, edit, play and record voice messages and other audio material that can be sent to the device. Portable devices that allow   Power supply receptacle,   Record, edit, and store audio signals supplied from the receptacle locally And an integrated circuit for reproducing,   Non-volatile storage means whose access is controlled by the integrated circuit When,   Coupled to the integrated circuit for audible playback of audio and local input, respectively Built-in speakers and microphone,   A telecommunications interface chipset coupled to the integrated circuit; And   A modular telephone jack coupled to the modem chipset.   The integrated circuit outputs an audio signal at a substantially higher rate than was originally recorded. A portable device characterized by operating the device to transmit and receive. 21. The integrated circuit includes an analog signal received on the communication link and a digital signal. Module that acts to allow a distinction between And the analog signal is transmitted through the telecommunications interface. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is passed to the integrated circuit without being processed by a chip. 22. The integrated circuit utilizes at least one available protocol. A contract including, over the Internet, a module that enables communication over the communication link. The apparatus according to claim 19. 23. The integrated circuit converts the signal received over the communication link into text. And converts the signal into a signal that mimics the voice of the person speaking the text. 20. The device of claim 19, comprising a module.