Abstract:
A method for generating a speech-based notification on a handheld electronic device comprises detecting a triggering event, determining that a non-speech based notification of the triggering event may not be discernible, and providing a speech-based notification of the triggering event. An improved handheld electronic device implementing the method is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure relates generally to handheld electronic devices and, more particularly, to a method of generating a particular type of notification on a handheld electronic device when another type of notification may not likely be discerned by a user. 
         [0003]    2. Background Information 
         [0004]    Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Although some handheld electronic devices are stand-alone devices, many feature wireless communication capability for communication with other devices. 
         [0005]    Handheld electronic devices are generally intended to be portable. Many handheld electronic devices are small enough to fit within, for example, a jacket pocket, a belt holster, a briefcase, or a purse. These handheld electronic devices may incorporate a number of output devices (such as, for instance, a speaker, a display, an LED, or a vibrating mechanism) to notify a user of some triggering event (e.g., an incoming communication, an activated calendar entry, etc.). For example, a cellular telephone may produce both an audible tone (e.g., via a speaker) and a vibration (e.g., via a vibrating mechanism) to notify the user that an incoming call is being (or has been) received. 
         [0006]    There may be instances, however, in which these notifications may not be adequate. While driving, for example, a user may engage the handheld electronic device with a “hands-free” device. The handheld electronic device, upon receiving an incoming text message, may attempt to notify the user by, for example, outputting a signal which causes an LED on the device to flash. This notification, however, may not be discerned by the user who is busy driving the automobile and not looking at the handheld electronic device. Even if these notifications succeed in alerting the user that a new text message has been received, the user generally must disengage the handheld electronic device from the hands-free device and actuate a number of keys to retrieve the message. Undesirably, during this time, the user is distracted from the task of safely operating the automobile. 
         [0007]    As another example, the handheld electronic device may include a calendar function which allows a user to schedule a number of events (such as, and without limitation, an appointment, anniversary, reminder, task, and/or meeting) therein. When, for instance, the time for a scheduled meeting approaches, the handheld electronic device may attempt to notify the user by causing the words “reminder: meeting” to be output on the device&#39;s display. However, the user, busy with some other task, may not discern this notification. 
         [0008]    It would be desirable to provide an improved handheld electronic device which is structured to provide a particular type of notification when another type of notification may be unlikely to be discerned by a user. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A full understanding can be gained from the following Description of the Preferred Embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an improved handheld electronic device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic depiction of the handheld electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary flowchart depicting certain aspects of the speech-based notification function that can be executed on the handheld electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
       [0013]    Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]    An improved handheld electronic device  1  is indicated generally in  FIG. 1  and is depicted schematically in  FIG. 2 . The exemplary handheld electronic device  1  includes a housing  2  upon which is disposed a processor unit that includes an input apparatus  3 , an output apparatus  4 , a processor  5 , and a memory  6  for storing at least a first routine  7 . The processor  5  may be, for instance, and without limitation, a microprocessor (μP) and is responsive to input signals from the input apparatus  3  and provides output signals to the output apparatus  4 . The processor  5  also interfaces with the memory  6  and is capable of executing the at least first routine  7 . Examples of handheld electronic devices are included in U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,588, U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,317, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,950, which are incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0015]    As can be understood from  FIG. 1 , the output apparatus  4  includes a display  14 , an LED  15 , and a speaker  16 , each of which may be responsive to one or more output signals from the processor  5 . The input apparatus  3  includes a keypad  8  and a thumbwheel  9 . The keypad  8  is in the exemplary form of a full QWERTY keyboard including a plurality of keys  10  that serve as input members. The keys  10  are disposed on a front face of the housing  2 , and the thumbwheel  9  is disposed at a side of the housing  2 . The thumbwheel  9  can serve as another input member and is both rotatable, as is indicated by the arrow  11 , to provide input to the processor  5 , and also can travel in a direction generally toward the housing  2 , as is indicated by the arrow  12 , to provide other input to the processor  5 . 
         [0016]    Many of the keys  10  include a number of linguistic elements  13  disposed thereon. As employed herein, the expression “a number of” and variations thereof shall refer broadly to any non-zero quantity, including a quantity of one. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , one of the keys  10  of the keypad  8  includes as the linguistic elements  13  thereof the letter “Q” and the symbol “#”. Generally speaking, the handheld electronic device  1  is structured such that the processor  5  recognizes, as an input thereof, one of the number of linguistic elements  13  disposed on an actuated key  10 . For example, when a user is composing a message and actuates the key having the linguistic elements  13  “Q” and “#” disposed thereon, the processor  5  is structured to recognize that the user is attempting to insert the letter “Q” or the symbol “#” into the message. 
         [0017]    The memory  6  can be any one or more of a variety of types of internal and/or external storage media such as, without limitation, RAM, ROM, EPROM(s), EEPROM(s), and the like that provide a storage register for data storage such as in the fashion of an internal storage area of a computer, and can be volatile memory or nonvolatile memory. The memory  6  includes a number of routines depicted generally with the numeral  7  for the processing of data. The routines  7  can be in any of a variety of forms such as, without limitation, software, firmware, and the like. As will be explained in greater detail below, the routines  7  include a speech-based notification function as an application, as well as other routines. 
         [0018]    An operational process  30  for implementing the speech-based notification function on the handheld electronic device  1  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Operational process  30  is initiated when the handheld electronic device  1  detects a triggering event at operation  31 . A triggering event may include, for example and without limitation, an incoming communication and/or an activated calendar entry. Generally as used herein, an incoming communication could refer to a text-based message, a voice-based message, and/or a data-based message which is being received, and/or which has recently been received, by the handheld electronic device  1 . Furthermore, as used herein, an activated calendar entry can refer to, for example and without limitation, an impending appointment, anniversary, reminder, task, and/or meeting which typically generates an alarm and/or notification on the handheld electronic device  1 . 
         [0019]    After a triggering event is detected in operation  31 , a determination is made at operation  32  as to whether a non-speech based notification (e.g., an illuminated LED  15 , a prompt on display  14 , etc.) may be discernible by the user. The non-speech based notification may be deemed to not be discernible if, for example and without limitation, it is detected that the handheld electronic device  1  is engaged with a holster, a cradle, a charging device, or a hands-free device, among others. For example, the handheld electronic device  1  may detect engagement with a charging device when the presence of an AC power source is sensed by the handheld electronic device  1 . The non-speech based notification may also be deemed to not be discernible, for example and without limitation, if it is detected that the handheld electronic device  1  has been stationary for a predetermined time or if it is detected that the input apparatus  3  of said handheld electronic device  1  has not been actuated for a predetermined time. 
         [0020]    If it is determined in operation  32  that the non-speech based notification may be discernible, operational control branches “YES” and passes to operation  34  which provides the non-speech based notification of the triggering event. If it is determined in operation  32  that the non-speech based notification may not be discernible, operational control branches “NO” and passes to operation  33  which provides a speech-based notification of the triggering event as an alternative to the non-speech based notification. More specifically, a speech-based notification is output via speaker  16 . Although discussed as an alternative to the non-speech based notification in the current embodiment, it should be recognized that the speech-based notification may be provided in addition to the non-speech based notification. 
         [0021]    The speech-based notification may be, for example and without limitation, a predetermined message stored within memory  6  or may be based on the incoming communication. When an incoming email is received, for instance, the predetermined message “incoming email received” may be audibly output as the speech-based notification via speaker  16 . Alternatively, the incoming email may be converted from a text-based format to an audible speech-based output which is output as the speech-based notification via speaker  16 . 
         [0022]    The functioning of operational process  30  may be readily comprehended from the following examples. In the first example, the handheld electronic device  1  is engaged with a holster such as the type worn on a user&#39;s belt. An incoming text-based message (e.g., email, SMS, IM, etc.) is received by the handheld electronic device  1 . For example, the email “What time is dinner tonight?” is received. Receipt of this email is a triggering event, the detection of which initiates operational process  30  (i.e., at operation  31 ). Because the handheld electronic device  1  is engaged with the holster, operation  32  determines that the typical non-speech based notification (e.g., a flashing LED  15 ; a prompt on display  14 ) may not be discernible by the user. For instance, the flashing LED  15  and prompt on display  14  may not be discerned by the user when the device is in the holster worn on his belt. Accordingly, a speech-based notification is provided (i.e., at operation  33 ). For example, a predetermined speech-based notification such as “You have received an email” is output through speaker  16 . Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the text-base message “What time is dinner tonight?” may be converted to an audible, speech-based message and output through speaker  16  as the spoken words, “What time is dinner tonight?” Additional information, such as the name of the email sender or other information, may also be included in the speech-based notification. 
         [0023]    If, however, the handheld electronic device  1  is disengaged from the holster (e.g., the user is holding the handheld electronic device  1 ) when the email is received, operation  32  may determine that the non-speech based notification (e.g., a flashing LED  15 ; a prompt on display  14 ) may be discernible by the user (i.e., the flashing LED  15  or display prompt may be seen by the user). Accordingly, only the non-speech based notification is provided to the user (i.e., at operation  34 ) in this instance. 
         [0024]    As another example, assume that the handheld electronic device  1  is engaged with a charging device on the user&#39;s desk. An activated calendar entry (e.g., an entry that a scheduled meeting is about to begin) is detected by the handheld electronic device  1  (i.e., at operation  31 ). Because the handheld electronic device  1  is engaged with the charging device, it is determined at operation  32  that the non-speech based notification (e.g., a prompt on display  14 ) may not be discernible by the user. For instance, it might be assumed that the device, while being recharged, is out of the user&#39;s direct line of sight. Accordingly, a speech-based notification is provided to the user (i.e., at operation  33 ). For example, a predetermined speech-based notification such as the spoken words “You have a meeting in ten minutes” is output through speaker  16 . In one embodiment, the non-speech based notification (e.g., the prompt on display  14 ) may also be provided with the speech-based notification. 
         [0025]    In the current embodiment, the memory  6  ( FIG. 2 ) includes a number of user selectable profiles stored therein. For example, the user may establish a number of profiles which select whether the non-speech based notification and speech-based notification functions are activated/deactivated. More specifically, and without limitation, the user may establish a profile in which the non-speech based notification function is activated and the speech-based notification function is deactivated; the non-speech based notification function is deactivated and the speech-based notification function is activated; both the non-speech based notification and speech-based notification functions are deactivated; or both the non-speech based notification and speech-based notification functions are activated. 
         [0026]    Each of the number of profiles may include additional settings therein. Where both non-speech based notification and speech-based notification functions are activated, for example, the user may select additional profile settings such that (without limitation) only a non-speech based notification is provided when it is determined that a non-speech based notification may be discernible by the user and only a speech-based notification is provided when it is determined that a non-speech based notification may not be discernible by the user. Alternatively, the profile settings may be selected such that (without limitation) only a non-speech based notification is provided when it is determined that a non-speech based notification may be discernible by the user and both a non-speech based notification and a speech-based notification are provided when it is determined that a non-speech based notification may not be discernible by the user. 
         [0027]    While specific embodiments have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed and claimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.