Patent ID: 6246983
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: G10L,H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A text-to-speech reader for automated speech processing of text messages comprising:a telephone interface for coupling to a telephone network through which a user interacts with said reader;a memory for storing data representing an e-mail text document to be processed;a text-to-speech engine for generating synthesized speech;a state machine operable by the user through said telephone interface to switch between a play mode and a record mode;a text processor coupled to said state machine and to said memory and to said text-to-speech engine, said text processor having an associated data store containing at least one canned e-mail reply message and being responsive to said state machine such that:(a) when said state machine is in said play mode said data is supplied to said text-to-speech engine for playback as synthesized speech through said telephone interface, and(b) when said state machine is in said record mode said text processor receives input signals supplied by the user through said telephone interface and selectively loads said canned message into said memory and selectively edits the content of said canned message based on said input signals;said text processor having a user-controllable cursor indexing mechanism to selectively identify plural positions within said canned e-mail reply message such that words and characters can be inserted and deleted from any point within said message when said state machine is in said record mode.