Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments include a method, system, and storage medium for implementing voice-initiated computer functions. The method includes translating a voice command into a machine-readable format. The voice command requests implementation of a function. The method also includes executing the function requested in the voice command, and acknowledging whether the function was successfully completed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to communications services, and more particularly, to methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing voice-initiated computer functions. 
   Computer-based systems and applications are becoming more sophisticated over time as advancements are made in the associated hardware/software technologies such as communications protocols, systems standardization, and networks. As the costs of computers and processor-enabled devices decrease, more consumers are acquiring a number of these devices and creating home networks for their personal and/or business use. Additionally, a significant portion of the day may be spent in front of these devices performing, for example, tasks such as word processing, web surfing, messaging, etc. Studies have shown that the more time an individual spends at a computer, particularly without taking regular breaks, the greater the likelihood that this individual will develop muscle strains, poor circulation, eye strain, and similar types of injuries that can lead to more serious health issues and result in diminished productivity. Unfortunately, however, it is often the case that such individuals have little recourse in that their jobs or businesses require that many hours be spent on the computer. 
   What is needed, therefore, is way to perform the various computer functions needed or desired without requiring that individuals maintain a stationary position. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   Exemplary embodiments of the invention include methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing voice-initiated computer functions. Methods include translating a voice command into a machine-readable format. The voice command requests implementation of a function. The method also includes executing the function requested in the voice command, and acknowledging whether the function was successfully completed. 
   Exemplary systems for implementing voice-initiated computer functions include a computer device executing an operating system, a voice recognition application, and at least one user application. Systems also include a speech/text interface application executing on the computer device. The speech/text interface application translates a voice command received at the computer device into a machine-readable format. The voice command requests implementation of a function. The speech/text interface application also executes the function requested in the voice command. Systems also include a text-to-speech engine executing on the computer device. The speech/text interface application provides an acknowledgement message to the text-to-speech engine. The acknowledgement message indicates whether the function was successfully completed. 
   Storage mediums encoded with machine-readable program code for implementing voice-initiated computer functions are also provided. The program code includes instructions for causing a computer to implement a method. The method includes translating a voice command into a machine-readable format. The voice command requests implementation of a function. The method also includes executing the function requested in the voice command, and acknowledging whether the function was successfully completed. 
   Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to embodiments will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system upon which the speech/text interface may be implemented in exemplary embodiments; and 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram describing a process for implementing the speech/text interface in exemplary embodiments. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In accordance with exemplary embodiments, the speech/text interface includes an application programming interface (API) that enables individuals to perform a wide variety of computer-based tasks while enjoying more freedom of movement than what is currently required with existing systems. The speech/text interface receives voice commands from a wireless digital headset via a base unit. The voice commands relate to the performance of computer-based tasks such as word processing, messaging, web functions, and similar types of activities. The voice commands are translated into signals recognized by the computer applications receiving the voice commands. The commands are executed and the results of the execution are acknowledged to the user via a text-to-speech synthesizer. These functions may be completed without the requirement that the user be at the computer. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary system for implementing the speech/text interface will now be described. The system of  FIG. 1  includes a cordless digital headset  102 , a base unit  104 , computer device  106  and laptop  108 . Cordless digital headset  102 , base unit  104 , computer device  106 , and laptop  108  may comprise a home network or small office/home office (SOHO). The cordless (i.e., wireless) digital headset  102  includes a microphone and receiver for sending and receiving voice communications to and from base unit  104 . Cordless digital headset  102  may include a processor for executing an application for performing all or a portion of the speech/text interface features described herein. Additionally, cordless digital headset  102  may include physical controls for executing commands in furtherance of the features provided by the speech/text interface as described further herein. Cordless digital headset  102  communicates with base unit  104  over a limited range using, e.g., radio wave technology. For example, the range may be 100-300 feet at a rate of 900 MHz (and may increase to 2.4 GHz using, e.g., Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS) technology). Cordless digital headset  102  may employ, e.g., a telephone feature that enables a user to place telephone calls over a circuit-switched telephone network via the base unit  104 . 
   In exemplary embodiments, base unit  104  receives voice signals from cordless digital headset  102 , converts them to electrical signals, and sends the signals to computer  106  via, e.g., a wireline cable. The wireline cable may terminate at a sound card on computer  106 , or alternatively, an adaptor  103  may be installed between the base unit  104  cable and the computer  106  whereby the adapter  103  is terminated on a universal serial bus (USB) port on computer  106 . The adaptor  130  eliminates the requirement of compatibility between the sound card and the base unit  104 . 
   If devices  102 - 108  comprise a home or business network, then base unit  104  may also receive from (and send to) laptop  108  signals via, e.g., a gateway router (not shown) employed by computer  106  and a network card  109  coupled to laptop  108 . Base unit  104  may include telephone capabilities whereby cordless digital headset  102  initiates telephone calls, base unit  104  receives the signals, and forwards the signals to a plain old telephone service (POTS) line via a telephone jack installed on base unit  104 . Additionally, if computer device  106  is Internet-telephony enabled, base unit  104  may forward the telephone signals from cordless digital headset  102  to computer  106 , whereby computer  106  converts the signals and sends them over a packet-switched network such as network  110 . 
   In exemplary embodiments, computer device  106  refers to a personal computer or desktop system that includes a processor, memory, input/output interfaces, and applications. Computer device  106  may subscribe to an Internet service, one or more messaging services, and may employ a web browser for performing web functions. Additionally, computer device  106  may include networking software and hardware for communicating with other network nodes such as laptop  108  via local area network (LAN). Similarly, laptop  108  may employ the same features as described above with respect to  106 . Laptop  108  may communicate wirelessly with computer device  106  via the LAN. 
   Network  110  may comprise any packet-switched network including an Internet, Extranet, Virtual Private Network, etc. 
   In exemplary embodiments, an application executing on computer device  106  executes the speech/text interface as described herein. In alternate embodiments, all or a portion of the speech/text interface application  118  may be executed on computer device  106 . The speech/text interface may reside between an operating system  114  and an application layer (third layer) that includes applications such as a word processing application  122 , an email application  124 , a web browser  126 , and messaging applications  128 , to name a few. The text/speech interface application  118  may form part of a second layer that includes a voice recognition software application  116  and a text-to-speech synthesizer  120 . These applications are collectively referred to as applications  112 . The text/speech interface application  118  may include an application programming interface for communicating with applications  112 . Further, speech/text interface application  118  may include a database of predefined user prompts and responses that are utilized for communicating command functions, information, and execution results of activities conducted between a user on cordless digital headset  102  and the applications being executed. The speech/text interface application  118  may also employ communications protocols for implementing the voice-initiated activities of the user. For example, if a web search command is issued by a user, the speech/text interface application  118  may implement protocols developed by, e.g., Speech Application Language Tags (SALT), a communication protocol developed by the Speech Application Language Tags (SALT) Forum for executing web-based functions for voice using HTML. In another example, if a user executes a voice telephone call to be implemented over the Internet, the speech/text interface application  118  may employ VoIP for facilitating Internet telephony communications. 
   As indicated above, a user may perform a variety of computer-related tasks via the speech/text interface application, such as sending and receiving email messages, creating and editing word processing documents, performing Web activities (e.g., searching web sites/pages, making a purchase, researching a subject, etc.), sending/receiving instant messages/text messages, and other activities. An exemplary process for performing a task utilizing the speech/text interface application  118  will now be described with respect to  FIG. 2 . For illustrative purposes, it is assumed that a user is performing an email function. 
   At step  202 , the speech/text interface application  118  is activated. This may be accomplished by, e.g., manually opening the application  118  on the computer device  106 , activating a switch or control provided on the cordless digital headset  102 , or by a voice command issued by the user and defined for this purpose. The speech/text application  118  initializes the voice recognition software  116  and text-to-speech engine  120  at step  204  so that these applications are prepared to receive input. At step  206 , a voice command (e.g., open email) is issued by the user from cordless digital headset  102  and received at the computer device  106 . 
   Voice recognition software  116  translates the voice command at step  208 . The speech/text interface application  118  receives the translated voice command and accesses the application (e.g., email application  124 ) at step  210 . The speech/text interface application  118  retrieves a database text correlating to the function executed in step  210  (e.g., when email opens, acknowledge the successful execution and prompt the user with options for retrieving, creating, sending, etc. a message). Accordingly, at step  212 , the speech/text interface application  118  acknowledges the execution of the command (e.g., opening the email application  124 ). The acknowledgement is converted to speech via text-to-speech engine  120  and transmitted to the user on cordless digital headset  102 . Likewise, the speech/text interface application  118  prompts the user for the next command by converting the prompts to speech as described above. 
   At step  214 , the speech/text interface application  118  receives the next voice command (e.g., open new email messages). The command is translated by voice recognition software  116  at step  216 . The speech/text interface application  118  checks each voice command to determine whether it is a termination command such as, e.g., ‘exit’ at step  218 . If the command is a termination command, the speech/text interface application  118  closes at step  220 . Otherwise, the process returns to step  210 , whereby the command is executed. 
   As described above, the speech/text interface enables individuals to perform a wide variety of computer-based tasks while enjoying more freedom of movement than what is currently required with existing systems. The speech/text interface receives voice commands from a wireless digital headset that relate to the performance of computer-based tasks such as word processing, messaging, web functions, and similar types of activities. The voice commands are translated into signals recognized by the computer applications receiving the voice commands. The commands are executed and the results of the execution are acknowledged to the user via a text-to-speech synthesizer. These functions may be completed without the requirement that the user be at the computer. 
   As described above, the present invention can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. 
   While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.