Patent Publication Number: US-8995625-B2

Title: Unified interface and routing module for handling audio input

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Over the past thirty years, telephony has significantly evolved from the once-ubiquitous public switched telephone network service. Advances in technology have added an ever increasing array of features and capabilities to telecommunication devices, such as touch screens, video and still cameras, web browsing capabilities, email sending and receiving capabilities, music and video download, storing and playback capabilities, calendar and contact managing capabilities, global positioning system (GPS) location and navigation capabilities, game playing capabilities, and television capabilities, to name a few. Many of these features and capabilities are provided through specialized applications resident on the telecommunication devices. For example, many telecommunication devices allow the user to further customize the telecommunication device through custom configuration options or by adding third-party software. Such software is available for many different functions, not limited to communications. 
     In addition, traditional components have been utilized to provide new capabilities. The microphones of telecommunication devices, for example, are now used for capturing a user&#39;s audio input outside the context of a phone call between the user and another person or system. Applications, such as those mentioned above, accept and process audio input provided through a telecommunication device microphone. Such applications may utilize audio input to create recorded audio notes, voice annotations of a picture, or search queries to be executed on a remote search engine. While these numerous applications all utilize audio input, each provides a different interface and requires different user inputs to initiate the capture of audio input. The captured audio input is then processed by the application triggering the audio capture and is utilized only for the purposes of that application 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures, in which the left-most digit of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a telecommunication device configured with a unified audio interface and audio routing module, in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a network view showing a telecommunication device in communication with a remote server having audio recognition capabilities, in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a component level view of a telecommunication device, in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart showing a method of receiving and handling audio input using a telecommunication device, in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart showing a method of receiving and handling audio input using a telecommunication device while the telecommunication device is engaged in communication with another device, in accordance with various embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates example user interfaces of a telecommunication device, each rendering a dedicated key, in accordance with various embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein are telecommunication devices configured with unified audio interfaces and audio routing modules for capturing and handling audio input provided to the telecommunication devices. The unified audio interface includes a dedicated key or button, such as a physical or graphical key, which can be pressed, pressed and held, or otherwise actuated regardless of the execution context of the telecommunication device having the button/key. For example, the button/key may pressed during an audio communication (e.g., telephone call) or while interacting with an application, such as an email application, a text messaging application, instant messaging application, or any other sort of application or process of the telecommunication device. Upon detecting a press or actuation of the button/key, the unified audio interface captures audio input from a user of the telecommunication device or ambient audio in the area of the telecommunication device and provides the audio input to one or more audio recognition modules, which includes at least a speech recognition component. After audio recognition is performed, the resulting recognized audio input, such as a text translation of speech received from the user of the telecommunications device, is received by an audio routing module of the telecommunication device. The audio routing module evaluates the audio input to determine whether the audio input should be handled as an audio command, as a request of telecommunication device application(s), or as a network search request. 
     In various implementations, the audio routing module utilizes configurable rules or priorities, such as user-configurable or carrier-configurable rules or priorities, in determining how the audio input should be handled. The audio routing module may also or instead rely on a collection of recognized commands which, when encountered within the audio input, indicate that the audio input is to be handled as a command. The audio routing module may also be associated with an application programming interface (API) which enables developers of applications for the telecommunication device to register with the telecommunication device and to provide commands or macros which the audio routing module may utilize in determining how to handle the audio input. 
     In some implementations, the unified audio interface detects the press or actuation of the button/key while the telecommunication device is engaged in communication with another device. Upon detecting the press or actuation, the telecommunication device may capture, process, and evaluate the audio input. In evaluating the audio input, the audio routing module of the telecommunication device may perform the determining of how to handle the audio input based at least in part on a context or data associated with the communication with the other device. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a telecommunication device configured with a unified audio interface and audio routing module. As shown, a telecommunication device  106  receives audio input  104  from a user of the telecommunication device  106 . Capture of the audio input  104  may be triggered by the user  102  pressing or actuating a button or key  108  of the telecommunication device  106 . Once the audio input  104  is captured, an audio recognition module  110 , which includes at least a speech recognition component, may recognize the audio input  104 , performing, for example, audio to text translation. The recognized audio input  104  may then be evaluated by an audio routing module  112 , the audio routing module  112  determining whether the recognized audio input  104  should be handled as a request  114  of an application or process of the telecommunication device  106 , as a command  116 , or as a network search request  118 . Based on the evaluating, the audio routing module  112  may route the recognized audio input  104  to a telecommunication device application, OS, process, etc.  120  or to location available via a networking fabric  122  for execution or processing of the recognized audio input  104 . Results  124  of the executing or processing may then be provided to the user  102  via the telecommunication device  106 . 
     In various implementations, the audio routing module  112  performs the determining based on configurable rules or priorities which may be added or modified by the user  102  via a rules or priorities process  126  or by a carrier. Also or instead, the determining may be performed based on commands or macros stored in a term or macro data store  128 . In some implementations, commands or macros are registered with the audio routing module  112  via an API  130 . The API  130  may be utilized by developers  132  of applications or processes for the telecommunication device  106  to register with or interact with the audio routing module  112 . 
     As illustrated, the telecommunication device  106  that captures the audio input  104  may be any sort of computing device known in the art. For example, the telecommunication device  106  may be a telecommunication device such as a mobile phone or a PDA, a landline phone, an Internet phones, or may be a media player, a personal computer (PC), a laptop, a netbook, a reading device or any sort of mobile or stationary computing device. As mentioned above, the telecommunication device  106  may have a button or key  108 . The button or key  108  may be disposed on a location on a shell or casing of the telecommunication device  106 , on a headset associated with the telecommunication device  106 , or rendered on a display of the telecommunication device  106 , as well as applications, OS, etc.  120 . Also, the telecommunication device  106  may be configured with or store any one or more of the audio recognition module  110 , the audio routing module  112 , the rules or priorities process  126 , the term or macro data store  128 , and/or the API  130 . An example telecommunication device  106  is illustrated in greater detail by  FIG. 3  and is described further below. 
     In some implementations, the telecommunication device  106  or an associated headset may include a microphone or some other means of capturing audio input  104 . The audio input  104  may be any sounds captured by the microphone/capturing means either while the button/key  108  is pressed/actuated and held, during a pre-determined time period following the press/actuation, or following a first press/actuation until a second press/actuation is received. In one implementation, the telecommunication device  106  is configured with a signature/identifier of the user&#39;s audio that can be used to filter audio input  104  prior to processing the audio input  104 . Such a signature/identifier may have been previously captured using the telecommunication device  106  or another device and may comprise a pre-determined string of words that the user  102  is asked to read aloud. In another implementation, rather than requiring a signature/identifier unique to the user  102 , the telecommunication device  106  may be configured with a signature/identifier for a language that can be used to filter the audio input  104  to ensure that the audio input  104  comprises spoken words belonging to a given language. In other implementations, the audio input  104  may be received as an audio file from another computing device, the other computing device acting as a proxy for the user  102 . 
     In various implementations, the button/key  108  may be a physical control disposed on a casing of the telecommunication device  106 . Such a control may be disposed on a front, side, top, bottom, or back of telecommunication device  106  and may signal that it has been pressed or actuated through traces or by contact with a capacitive surface. In one implementation, the button/key  108  may be one of a plurality of keys of a keyboard. The button/key  108  may include a physical control that is pressed towards the telecommunication devices or a switch that is slid or toggled relative to the plane of the telecommunication device  106  on which the button/key  108  is disposed. In one implementation, the button/key  108  is disposed on a removable, attachable shell which mates with the cover/casing of the telecommunication device  106 . In a further implementation, the button/key  108  may be a dedicated button/key associated with initiating an audio capture process. Such a dedicated button/key may not be re-programmable or re-assignable by the user  102 . In another implementation, the button/key  108  is disposed on a headset associated with the telecommunication device  106 . 
     In other implementations, as illustrated further in  FIG. 6 , the button/key  108  is a graphic user interface (GUI) key which is rendered to the display of the telecommunication device  106 , the display being a touch sensitive display which comprises a capacitive surface or a set of light sensors. The GUI key  108  may be rendered on each and every user interface (UI) displayed by the telecommunication device  106 , including UIs such as menus, application interfaces, and other interfaces of the telecommunication device  106 . In one embodiment, the GUI key  108  is located in the same place relative to the bounds of the telecommunication device display in each displayed UI. Thus, by making the GUI key  108  available on every display, the GUI key  108  is made available regardless of the execution context of the telecommunication device  106 . 
     The button/key  108  and the associated processes for capturing audio input  108  may comprise a unified audio interface for the capture of any commands, requests, queries, or other interactions that a user  102  may have to be executed or processed on the telecommunication device  106 . Either while the button/key  108  is pressed/actuated and held, between two presses/actuations of the button/key  108 , or for a pre-determined time period thereafter, the unified audio interface captures audio input  104 . As mentioned above, it may even filter the audio input  104 . Once the audio input is captured and stored in temporary storage (such as a buffer) or in permanent storage, the unified audio interface may provide the audio input  104  to one or more audio recognition modules  110  which includes at least a speech recognition module. In another implementation, the unified audio interface may provide the audio input  104  to an audio recognition module  110  in real time, as the audio input  104  is received. 
     In various implementations, the audio recognition module  110  may comprise any process or processes capable of receiving audio input  104  in the form of an audio file or buffer and producing a text translation of the audio input  104 , the text translation comprising “recognized” audio input  104 . The audio recognition module  110  may be a process of the telecommunication device  106 , of a remote server (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), of a telecommunication service provider, or of some other remote service provider. In one implementation, the audio recognition module  110  may comprise processes implemented on multiple devices. As mentioned above, in one implementation, the audio recognition module  110  may receive the audio input  104  in real time, as it is provided. 
     The audio recognition module  110  may utilize any technique or techniques known in the art to recognize the received audio input  104 . In some implementations, the audio recognition module  110  may utilize learning models that make progressively better translations of the audio input  104  based on results of previous translations (e.g., such as whether the user is required to choose between multiple options to disambiguate the audio input  104 ). The audio recognition module  110  may start with a learning model associated with a language or associated with a specific group sharing a language and some common trait (e.g., age). The learning model may also be selected and pre-loaded by a carrier, for example, based on a billing zip code of the user  102 . In one implementation, the audio recognition module  110  may then refine that learning model to take into account idiosyncratic patterns (i.e., voice characteristics) in the user&#39;s speech. The refined learning model can comprise a speaker profile and be associated with a user login or identifier, with a telecommunication services account, or with the telecommunication device  106 . If associated with a user login, identifier, or account, then the same refined learning model may be accessed and utilized by multiple telecommunication devices. 
     In some implementations, the audio recognition module  110  may facilitate training of the learning model based on inputs of user  102 . Either in response to the user  102  selecting a training mode or automatically at pre-determined training opportunities, the audio recognition module  110  may allow the user to speak a number of different phrases and, if necessary, select between disambiguating options. Based on the training, the audio recognition module  110  may refine and update the learning model. 
     In further implementations, rather than utilizing a learning model customized for the individual user, the audio recognition module  110  can utilize a group learning model that is refined and updated based on results of translations performed for users of the group. 
     In some implementations, the audio recognition module  110  or another process of the telecommunication device  106  may provide potential meanings of the audio input  104  to the user  102  to resolve the meaning of the audio input  104  when the audio input  104  is ambiguous. For example, if the user  102  were to say something that is recognized as “brable”, the user could either have said (or be trying to say) “stable” or “table.” The audio recognition module  110  or process could provide both of these and perhaps other suggestions to the user  102  for the user  102  to select from. Such suggestions and selections could be made and received either through a GUI or through further audio output/input. In one implementation, the audio recognition module  110  might recognize a term, but not recognize whether the user  102  intends the term as a command for an application or as a search request. If the user  102  were to say “wallpaper”, the user  102  could mean “change the wallpaper” or “show me wallpapers”, the first being a command and the second being a search request that could be fulfilled by an application or search service. Again, the audio recognition module  110  or process could provide both of these and perhaps other suggestions to the user  102  for the user  102  to select from. 
     In further implementations, audio recognition module  110  may perform the disambiguation of the audio input  104  with reference to application or context information, such as contact lists, browsing history, a call log, etc. For example, if user  102  speaks the name “Thorbjorn”, the audio recognition module  110  may have trouble understanding the input (i.e., which “Thorbjorn” is being referred to). To disambiguate the input, the audio recognition module  110  may examine the contact list and note that the name Thorbjorn Janssen is included in the list. The audio recognition module  110  may then either assume that the contact is who/what the user  102  was referring to, or may suggest the contact as one of a plurality of disambiguation suggestions for the user  102  to select from. If multiple Thorbjorns are found in the contact lists, the audio recognition module  110  may examine the call log and guess whichever Thorbjorn has been called the most as the Thorbjorn being referred to. 
     In some implementations, as mentioned above, the audio recognition module  110  may receive the audio input  104  in real time, as the user  102  is speaking it. To speed along disambiguation, the audio recognition module  110  may present to the user  102  a guess as to what the user  102  is saying as the user  102  is saying it. Such a guess may be refined repeatedly as the user  102  is speaking. In one implementation, if the audio recognition module  110  is guessing incorrectly, the user  102  may terminate the audio input  104  (by, e.g., releasing the button/key  108 ) and may again attempt to provide audio input  104 . The audio recognition module  110  may interpret such a cancellation as an incorrect guess and may refine a learning model accordingly. 
     Once the recognized audio input  104  has been generated by the audio recognition module  110 , the audio recognition module  110  may provide the recognized audio input  104  to the audio routing module  112 . In some implementations, before providing the recognized audio input  104  to the audio routing module  112 , the audio recognition module  110  may provide the recognized audio input  104  back to the user  102  to confirm that the recognized audio input  104  matches the audio input  104 . The recognized audio input  104  may be displayed to the user, or may be translated by the audio recognition module  110  from text to audio and may be played to the user  102  by the telecommunication device  106 . In one implementation, further action may not proceed until the user  102  confirms that the recognized audio input  104  is correct. 
     In various implementations, the audio routing module  112  comprises processes and rules for evaluating the recognized audio input  104  to determine how the recognized audio input  104  should be handled. The rules and processes comprising the audio routing module  112  may be implemented entirely or partially on the telecommunication device  106 , or may be implemented on another device, such as a server of a telecommunication service provider. The audio routing module  112  may be implemented as a state machine comprising a finite number of states, each state associated with a different mechanism for handling the recognized audio input  104 . Such states could be associated with mechanisms for handling the recognized audio input  104  as a request  114  made of a telecommunication device application or process, as an audio command  116 , and/or as a network search request  118 . 
     The audio routing module  112  could determine the state/mechanism based on a set of rules and/or priorities, such as the configurable rules or priorities added or modified by the rules or priorities process  126  (described further below) or by a carrier. For example, the set of rules may include a first rule that attempts to treat the recognized audio input as an audio command  116 . In accordance with this rule, the audio routing module  112  may determine whether the recognized audio input  104  includes any known commands, such as the commands stored in the terms or macros data store  128  (described further below). If the audio routing module  112  determines that the recognized audio input  104  includes one or more of the commands, then the audio routing module  112  may handle the recognized audio input  104  as an audio command  116 . If not, then the audio routing module  112  may next attempt to handle the recognized audio input  104  as a request  114  made of a telecommunication device application or process or as a network search request  118 , depending on priorities specified by the set of rules. In one implementation, the rules may give priority to first attempting to handle the recognized audio input as a request  114  made of a telecommunication device application or process. In such an implementation, the audio routing module  112  may determine whether the recognized audio input  104  is associated with any sort of macros or data indicating an association between specific inputs and an application or process. For example, a weather application may be associated with a set of terms or phrases and/or may include a macro for recognizing certain terms or phrases and invoking the weather application. Such macros and terms or phrases may also be stored in the terms or macros data store  128 . If the audio routing module  112  does not find a match or application/process capable of handling the recognized audio input  104 , then the recognized audio input  104  may be treated as a network search request  118  and sent, for example, to a search service provider, such as Google® or Yahoo®. 
     In another implementation, the rules may give priority to first attempting to handle the recognized audio input as a network search request  118 . The audio routing module  112  may submit the recognized audio input  104  as a query to search service. If the search results indicate, however, that no matches were found for the recognized audio input  104 , then the audio routing module  112  may handle the recognized audio input as a request  114  made of a telecommunication device application or process. As described above, handling the recognized audio input  104  as a request  114  may involve comparing the recognized audio input  104  to terms or phrases associated with an application or to macros for interacting with an application, such as macros for invoking and passing the recognized audio input  104  to the application. Such terms or macros may be stored in the terms or macros data store  128 . 
     In some implementations, the audio routing module  112  may determine how to handle the audio input  104  based on the interaction of the user  102  with the button/key  108 . For example, if the user  102  presses and holds the button/key  108  for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 3 seconds), the audio routing module  112  may handle audio input  104  as a query made of telecommunication device applications  114 . If the user  102  presses and quickly releases the button/key  108 , however, the audio routing module  112  may handle the same audio input  104  as a network search request  118 . To enable this differential handling based on button/key  108  pressing behavior, different pressing behaviors may be associated with different rules or priorities. 
     In further implementations, the audio routing module  112  or an associated process may gather context information about the telecommunication device, such as location information, date/time, contacts, call log, browsing history, application execution context, etc., and perform the evaluating based at least in part on the context information. For example, if the user  102  is engaged in a phone call with another user and, while engaged in the phone call, provides as recognized audio input  104  the command “send calendar”, the audio routing module  112  may determine that the user  102  wishes to send his or her calendar to the other user based on the fact that the user is engaged in a phone call with the other user. As mentioned above, to provide audio input  104  while engaged in another activity, including an activity that also involves providing audio input, the user  102  may press the button or key  108 , which will cause the audio input  104  received during or after the press to be treated as the audio input  104  that is to be evaluated by the audio routing module  112 . In other implementations, the execution context may indicate that the user  102  is involved in a chat session, an instant messaging session, or an email message exchange by writing the communication, speaking the communication, reading the communication, and/or listening to the communication. Such other execution contexts may each be taken into account by the audio routing module  112  in determining how to handle the recognized audio input  104 . In one implementation, the context may provide a default that may be overridden by the contents of the recognized audio input  104 . For example, if the user  102  were to say “send calendar”, the audio routing module  112  may interpret the recognized audio input  104  as a command  116  to send the calendar to the other user with whom the user  102  is currently communicating. If, on the other hand, the user  102  specifies a name in the audio input  104 , such as the name of a contact of the user  102  stored in a contact list, the audio routing module  112  may ignore the context. Thus, if the user  102  were to say “send calendar to Eric Smith” while engaging in a phone call with Betty Crocker, the audio routing module  112  may send the calendar to Eric Smith rather than Betty Crocker. In one implementation, the audio routing module  112  may be configured (by rules or priorities) to, for example, send the calendar to both the name specified and the current communication partner. 
     In some implementations, while engaged in communication with another user and while providing audio input  104 , the audio input  104  may, by default, not be relayed to the other user. In such embodiments, the default may be associated with a rule or priority which may be configured by user  102  or a carrier. Thus, for example, the user  102  may change the rule or priority to provide the audio input  104  by default. Also, in one implementation, words such as “private” or “public”, when included in the audio input  104 , may be used to override a default. 
     In a further example, if the gathered context information is location information and the audio routing module  112  determines that the recognized audio input  104  should be handled as a network search request  118 , the audio routing module  112  may include the location information as part of the network search request  118 . 
     In some implementations, the audio commands  116  may include both commands executed on the telecommunication device  106  and commands executed on a remotes server. Such commands  116  may include commands related to telecommunication device settings, telecommunication device personalizations, and/or on telecommunication device applications, such as applications, OS, etc.  120 . For example, the audio routing module  112  may determine that the recognized audio input  104  matches a command associated with an airplane mode setting of the telecommunication device  106 , and the audio routing module  112  may handle the command  116  by setting the airplane mode according to the recognized audio input  104  (e.g., turn airplane mode on or off). The audio routing module  112  may be configured to execute the command  116  or invoke an application or process to execute the command  116 . 
     In another example, the audio routing module  112  may determine that the recognized audio input  104  matches a command associated with a query of a service provider for account information. Upon making the determination, the audio routing module  112  may provide the recognized audio input  104  to the service provider, which may comprise a remote server, as a query for account information. 
     In further implementations, the recognized audio input  104  may be handled as a command  116  that is simultaneously executed on multiple applications or settings. If the audio routing module  112  determines that the recognized audio input  104  matches terms or phrases associated with multiple applications, then the audio routing module  112  may handle the recognized audio input as a command  116  to be executed on each of those applications or settings. For example, if the recognized audio input  104  is determined to include the words “turn on away message”, which match phrases associated with each of an email application and a text messaging application, then the audio routing module  112  may handle the input by executing (or invoking the applications to execute) the command  116  on both applications simultaneously. In one implementation, whether the recognized audio input  104  is executed on both applications simultaneously or only on one prioritized application may be determined by the user-configurable rules and priorities discussed above and below. 
     In some implementations, the recognized audio input  104  may be handled as a set of audio commands  116  associated with a macro. For example, if the recognized audio input  104  is “tell my wife that I will be home late for dinner”, the audio routing module  112  may locate a macro associated with the term “tell” which launches an email, call, or message with the contents “home late for dinner”. Those contents are then communicated to the person named in the recognized audio input  104 . 
     In various implementations, the applications, OS, etc.  120  comprises any executing instructions on the telecommunication device  106 . Such instructions include, for example, an OS of the telecommunication device  106 , drivers for hardware components of the telecommunication device  106 , applications providing interfaces to settings or personalizations of the telecommunication device  106 , applications made specifically for the telecommunication device  106 , and third party applications. Collectively these applications/processes are hereinafter referred to as applications, OS, etc.  120 . Such applications, OS, etc.  120  may be entirely or partially implemented on the telecommunication device  106 . In some implementations, the applications, OS, etc.  120  may be implemented partially on another device or server. 
     In some implementations, as mentioned above, the applications, OS, etc.  120  may be invoked by the audio routing module  120  to execute a command  116  or a request  114 . Such commands  116  may ask the applications, OS, etc.  120  to perform some task, such as initiate a call to a person specified in the recognized audio input  104  or change a setting of an application, OS, etc.  120 . The requests  114  may ask the applications, OS, etc.  120  to return some data, such as the weather at a specified location, or pictures taken on a specified date. To execute both the commands  116  and requests  114 , the audio routing module  112  must initialize an executing instance of the application, OS, etc.  120 —or discover such an instance—and invoke a function of the application, OS, etc. for receiving and processing recognized audio input  104  and associated commands  116  and requests  114 . Such recognized audio input  104  and an indication of the sort of request  114  or command  116  may be passed as parameters to the function of the application, OS, etc.  120 . To initialize and invoke the application, OS, etc.  120 , the audio routing module  112  may make use of telecommunication-device-level macros stored in the terms or macros data store  128 . For the OS and for applications  120  that come loaded on the telecommunication device  106  at the time of its sale to the user  102 , the macros may also be provided and stored. For third party applications  120  installed by the user  102  on the telecommunication device  106 , the macros may be received and stored at the time of installation, or at some later time. In some implementations, described further below, macros may be built for the telecommunication device  106  by application developers  132  of third party applications  120  using the interfaces provided by the API  130  associated with the telecommunication device  106 . 
     In further implementations, the application, OS, etc.  120  invoked by the audio routing module  112  may also be being used by the user  102  to enable communication with another user of another device. For example, the application, OS, etc. may be a telephony application  120  providing a local endpoint of a phone call. In such an example, the received command  116  may be a command  116  to conference in a third party. In response to receiving the command  116 , the telephony application  120  may call and conference in the third party. In other implementations, the user  102  may be interacting with one application, OS, etc.  120 , and the audio routing module  112  may invoke a different application, OS, etc.  120 . For example, the user  102  may be using the telephony application  120  to engage in a phone call with another user, and the audio routing module  112  may initialize and invoke an email application  120  to, for example, email a calendar to another user, such as the other user conversing with the user  102  through the phone call. 
     In various embodiments, rather than executing a command or request contained in the recognized audio input  104  locally, the audio routing module  112  may send the determined command  116  or network search request  118  to a remote computing device via a networking fabric  122 . The networking fabric  122  represents any one or more networks known in the art, such as cellular networks and/or data networks, including wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), personal area networks (PANs), and/or the Internet. For example, telecommunication device  106  could be connected to both cellular and data networks and the remote computing device could be connected exclusively to data networks. A connection between one of the telecommunication devices  106  and the remote computing device may be through a number of routers, base stations, and/or telecommunication devices acting as bridges between cellular and data networks. Communications between the remote computing device and telecommunication device  106  utilize any sort of communication protocol known in the art for sending and receiving messages, such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and/or the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). 
     The remote computing device, in some implementations, may be associated with a search engine of a search service provider. Such a search engine may receive the recognized audio input  104  in the form of network search request  118  and may handle the network search request  118  as a search query. The search engine may then provide the search results to the telecommunication device  106  via the networking fabric  122 . In other implementations, the remote computing device may be associated with the telecommunication service provider and may provide account information in response to receiving the recognized audio input  104  as a command/request for the account information. In yet other implementations, the remote computing device may be any sort of computing device known in the art, such as a web server, database server, or any other sort of server or device and may have any sort of application or data known in the art which may be the object of a command  116  or request  118  by the audio routing module  112  of the telecommunication device  106 . 
     In various implementations, the results  124  of the execution of the request  114 , command  116 , or network search request  118  may be received by the telecommunication device  106  from the application, OS, etc.  120  or from a remote computing device via the networking fabric  122 . The results  124  may then be provided to the user  102  in some form, such as via a UI or audio output. If the recognized audio input  104  was handled as a command  116  by the audio routing module  112 , the results  124  may simply comprise an indication that the command  116  was executed successfully or an error message indicating that the command  116  did not execute successfully. In one implementation, no results  124  may be provided in response to execution of a command  116 . If the recognized audio input was handled as a request  114 / 118 , then the information that was the object of the request  114 / 118  may comprise the results  124  that are provided to the user  102 . In one implementation, if the user is engaged in communication with another user of another device, the results  124  may be provided to both users. Whether the results  124  are provided only to the user  102  or to the user  102  and other users may be determined with reference to the rules or priorities set by the rules or priorities process  126 . 
     In various embodiments, as mentioned above, the audio routing module  112  may perform the evaluation of recognized audio input  104  based on configurable rules or priorities. Of those configurable rules or priorities, the user-configurable rules or priorities may be accessed, modified, added, or deleted by a rules or priorities process  126 . The rules or priorities process  126  may be implemented on the telecommunication device  106 , on another remote device or devices, or partially on both. In some implementations, the rules or priorities process  126  may include an audio and/or visual interface enabling users to have read and write access to the rules and priorities utilized by the audio routing module  112 . In one implementation, the user  102  may be given only read access to some portion of the rules or priorities, or no access at all. The user  102  may add to, modify, or delete any one or more of the rules or priorities by providing audio input, text entry, and/or by selection of one or more UI controls. 
     In some embodiments, the rules or priorities may include one or more of a priority for attempting to handle the recognized audio input  104  as a command  116  before handling it as a request  114 / 118 , a priority for attempting to handle the recognized audio input  104  as a request  114  of a telecommunication device application  120  before handling it as a network search request  118 , or a priority for attempting to handle the recognized audio input  104  as a network search request  118  before handling it as a request  114  of a telecommunication device application  120 . Additional rules or priorities may include a priority for one search service over another, a priority for simultaneous submission of a command  116  or request  114 / 118  to multiple applications  120  or remote devices, a priority for one application  120  over another if the command  116  or request  114  could be executed by either, or a priority for providing results  124  to only the user  102  or to both the user  102  and other user(s) in communication with the user  102 . Also, any other sort of rules or priorities which may prioritize one course of action over another may be utilized. In some implementations, the rules or priorities may be stored in a rules or priorities data store (not shown). 
     In various implementations, as mentioned above, the audio routing module  112  may also or instead perform the evaluation of recognized audio input  104  based on commands or macros stored in a terms or macros data store  128 . The terms or macros data store may, in some embodiments, comprise a database, such as a relational database, a structured database, an unstructured database, or an unstructured file. In addition to storing the terms or macros, the terms or macros data store  128  may also store metadata associated with the terms or macros. For example, the data store  128  may store metadata identifying the application associated with a given macro. Such a terms or macros data store  128  may be implemented locally on the telecommunication device  106  or remotely on another device, such as a server of a telecommunication service provider, or may be implemented in part locally and in part remotely. Further, the terms or macros data store  128  may respond to requests from the audio routing module  112  by providing the contents sought by the audio routing module  112 . 
     In some embodiments, the terms stored in the terms or macros data store  128  may include terms or phrases recognized as commands or requests associated with telecommunication device settings, personalizations, or applications (e.g., local or remote applications). The terms or phrases may come pre-loaded with the telecommunication device  106  when it is purchased or may be provided with a third party application at the time of installation or some later time. In one implantation, the telecommunication device  106  may provide an interface which allows a user to add to, modify, or delete terms or phrases in the terms or macros data store  128 . 
     Also, in some implementations, the macros may comprise executable instructions for initializing an application, such as an application  120 , for invoking the application, and for passing the recognized audio input  104  and other information to the application as parameters. The macros may also come pre-loaded with the telecommunication device  106  when it is purchased or may be provided with a third party application at the time of installation or some later time. 
     In further implementations, the rules or priorities process  126  and/or the terms or macros data store  128  may be accessible via a user interface. Such a user interface may enable the user  102  to see a list of commands, to edit that list, to see rules or priorities, and to edit those rules or priorities. The user interface could also be associated with the audio routing module  112  and/or the audio recognition module  110  and could, for instance, display a list of frequent queries. In one implementation, such a user interface may be associated with an icon, such as an icon on a main menu of the telecommunication device  106  which, when clicked on, pressed, or actuated may launch the user interface. 
     In various implementations, the terms, phrases, or macros may be registered with the telecommunication device  106  via an API  130  associated with the audio routing module  112 . The API  130  may comprise a set of interfaces, such as a set of callable functions, which may be utilized by application developers  132  in building applications  120  for the telecommunication device  106  and other such devices. The callable functions may include functions for registering terms or phrases that are to be recognized as command or requests associated with the application  120 , functions for notifying the audio routing module  112  of the ability of the application  120  to receive commands or requests, and functions for requesting more information from the audio routing module  112 . Any other number of functions useful for making available the functionalities of the application  120  and for enabling communication between the audio routing module  112  and the application  120  may also be provided by API  130 . In some implementations, the macros, applications  120 , and/or installer application(s) associated with the applications  120  may be capable of calling the functions of API  130 . The API  130  may be implemented entirely or partially on the telecommunication device  106 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a network view showing a telecommunication device in communication with a remote server having audio recognition capabilities including at least a speech recognition component. As shown, a telecommunication device  106  may be in communication with a remote server, such as remote server  202 , via the networking fabric  122 . Both the telecommunication device  106  and networking fabric  122  are described above in greater detail above. As further shown, the remote server  202  may implement the audio recognition module  110  and a remote storage  204 . 
     In various implementations, the remote server  202  may be any sort of computing device known in the art, except for the audio recognition module  110  and remote storage  204 . The remote server  202  may be a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a workstation, a server system, a mainframe, a telecommunication device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a set-top box, or any other computing device known in the art. In other implementations (not shown), the remote server  202  may represent a plurality of computing devices each implementing some portion of the functionality represented by the audio recognition module  110  and remote storage  204 . For example, remote server  202  could include a database server storing the remote storage  204  and a web server implementing the audio recognition module  110 , as well as other devices. In one implementation, remote server  202  may refer to a first server device associated with a carrier (telecommunication service provider) and a second server device associated with an audio recognition service provider. In such an embodiment, the first server device may store the remote storage  204  and communicate with both the telecommunication device  106  and the second server device, and the second server device may include the audio recognition module  110  and communicate with the first server device, receiving the audio input  104  through the first server device. 
     In some implementations, the remote server  202  may be a server associated with an audio recognition service or with the telecommunication provider service. The remote server  202  may, in an implementation, receive audio input from the telecommunication device  106 , such as audio input  104 , and, utilizing the audio recognition module  110 , may perform audio to text translation of the audio input, recognizing the audio input. The operations of the audio recognition module  110  are described above in greater detail. In one implementation, if the audio input is ambiguous, the remote server  202  may present optional meanings of the audio input to the user of the telecommunication device  106 , either through an interface of the remote server  202  provided over the networking fabric  122  or through an interface provided by the telecommunication device  106 . 
     In performing the speech recognition, the remote server  202  may rely on data stored in a remote storage  204 , such as the learning models described above. Such a remote storage  204  may, in some embodiments, comprise a database, such as a relational database, a structured database, an unstructured database, or an unstructured file. The remote storage  204  may store data/learning model(s) associated with login identifiers, with service accounts, or with telecommunication devices. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a component level view of a telecommunication device, in accordance with various embodiments. As shown, the telecommunication device  106  may include a memory  302 , the memory storing modules/processes  304 , applications, OS, etc.  120 , and data  306 . The telecommunication device  106  may further include processor(s)  308 , a power supply  310 , a display  312 , a transceiver  314 , sensors  316 , output device(s)  318 , input devices  320 , and drive unit  322 . Also, as shown, the input devices may include a button or key  108 , and the drive unit  322  may include a machine readable medium  324 . 
     In various implementations, memory  302  may generally include both volatile memory and non-volatile memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash Memory, miniature hard drive, memory card, or the like). Additionally, in some implementations, memory  302  may include a SIM (subscriber identity module) card, which is a removable memory card used to identify a user of the telecommunication device  106  to a telecommunication service provider. The modules/processes  304  of memory  302  may, in some embodiments, include modules and/or processes such as one or more of the above-described audio capture process, the audio recognition module  110 , the audio routing module  112 , the rules or priorities process, process(es) associated with API  130 , and/or any other modules or processes known in the art. Also, as shown, memory  302  may store the above described applications, OS, etc. Further, memory  302  may store data  306 . Data  306  may, in some embodiments, include data such as one or more of the above-described user-configurable rules or priorities, the terms or macros data store  128 , and/or any other modules or processes known in the art. 
     In some implementations, the processor(s)  308  may be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both CPU and GPU, or other processing unit or component known in the art. 
     In further implementations, the power supply  310  may be implemented as one or more batteries. The power supply  310  might further include an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking cradle for supplementing or recharging the batteries. 
     In various implementations, the display  312  may be a liquid crystal display or any other type of display commonly used in telecommunication devices. For example, display  312  may be a touch-sensitive touch screen, and can then also act as an input device or keypad, such as for providing a soft-key keyboard, navigation buttons, or the like, as well as key  108  as a GUI key.  FIG. 6  illustrates such a touch-sensitive touch screen in further detail. 
     In some implementations, the transceiver(s)  314  may include any sort of transceivers known in the art. For example, transceiver(s)  314  may include a radio transceiver and interface that performs the function of transmitting and receiving radio frequency communications via an antenna. The radio interface facilitates wireless connectivity between the telecommunication device  106  and various cell towers, base stations and/or access points. Transmissions to and from the radio interface may conducted under control of the OS  120 . For example, communications received by the radio interface may be disseminated to application programs  304 / 120  via the operating system  120 , and vice versa 
     Transceiver(s)  314  may also include a near field interface that performs a function of transmitting and receiving near field radio communications via a near field antenna. For example, the near field interface may be used for functions, as is known in the art, such as communicating directly with nearby devices that are also, for instance, Bluetooth® or RFID enabled. A reader/interrogator may be incorporated into telecommunication device  106 . 
     Also, transceiver(s)  314  may include a wireless LAN interface that performs the function of transmitting and receiving wireless communications using, for example, the IEEE 802.11, 802.16 and/or 802.20 standards. For example, the telecommunication device  106  can use a Wi-Fi interface to communicate directly with a nearby wireless access point such as for accessing the Internet directly without having to perform the access through the telecommunication service provider&#39;s network. 
     In various embodiments, sensors  316  may include any sort of sensors known in the art. For example, sensors  316  may include a global positioning system (GPS) transponder for endowing telecommunication device  106  with various GPS capabilities such as navigation, mapping, or the like. Further, telecommunication device  106  may include a motion sensor, such as an accelerometer for determining position, altitude and/or movement of telecommunication device  106 , such as for adjusting display orientation, or the like. 
     In some implementations, the output device(s)  318  may include any sort of output devices known in the art, such as a display (already described as display  312 ), speakers, or vibrating mechanism, or tactile feedback mechanisms. Output device(s)  318  may also include ports for one or more peripheral devices, such as headphones, peripheral speakers, or a peripheral display. 
     In various implementations, input devices  320  may include the button or key  108  and any sort of input devices known in the art. For example, input devices may include a microphone (such as a microphone for receiving audio input  104 ), a keyboard/keypad, or a touch-sensitive display (such as the touch-sensitive touch screen described above). A keyboard/keypad may be a push button numeric dialing pad (such as on a typical telecommunication device), a multi-key keyboard (such as a conventional QWERTY keyboard), or one or more other types of keys or buttons, and may also include a joystick-like controller and/or designated navigation buttons, or the like. Button/key  108  has already been described above in great detail and, accordingly, will not be described further herein. 
     The machine readable medium  324  stores one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the memory  302  and within the processor  308  during execution thereof by the telecommunication device  106 . The memory  302  and the processor  308  also may constitute machine readable media  324 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart showing a method of receiving and handling audio input using a telecommunication device. As shown, a telecommunication device, such as telecommunication device  106 , may receive an indication that a dedicated key, such as button or key  108 , of the unified audio interface has been pressed or actuated, block  402 , the dedicated key being reserved for invoking an audio capture process. In one implementation, the dedicated key may be a GUI key, such as GUI key  602 , available on each UI screen rendered by the telecommunication device. In response to receiving the indication, the telecommunication device may then invoke the audio capture process, block  404 . Next, the telecommunication device may receive the captured audio input, block  406 . 
     The telecommunication device may then process, by an audio recognition module such as audio recognition module  110 , the audio input to translate the audio input from audio to text, block  408 . The telecommunication device can also learn, by the audio recognition module, voice characteristics of a speaker to improve audio recognition, block  410 . Such voice characteristics belong to a speaker profile that is stored on a server and associated with a user login and/or user service agreement. The translating can both be based on the learning and cause occurrence of the learning. 
     In some implementations, the meaning of the audio input may be ambiguous. In response to detecting ambiguity, the telecommunication device may provide potential meanings of the audio input to resolve the meaning of the audio input, block  412 . 
     Once the audio input has been processed, the telecommunication device may evaluate the audio input to determine whether to handle the audio input as a command, as a request of a telecommunication device application, or as a network search request, block  414 , the determining being based on one or more user-configurable rules or priorities. Such evaluating may be performed, for example, by audio routing module  112  and may determine whether to handle the audio input as a command  116 , as a request  114  of a telecommunication device application, or as a network search request  118 . 
     In determining how to handle the audio input, block  414 , the telecommunication device may determine whether the audio input comprises one or more recognized command words or one or more words associated with telecommunication-device-level macros, such as the terms or macros stored in terms or macros data store  128 . 
     Also, the user-configurable rules or priorities used in performing the determining, block  414 , such as the rules or priorities that are manageable through the rules or priorities process  126 , may include one or more of a priority for attempting to handle audio input as a command before handling it as a request, a priority for attempting to handle audio input as a request of a telecommunication device application before handling it as a network search request, or a priority for attempting to handle audio input as a network search request before handling it as a request of a telecommunication device application. 
     Before or while performing the determining, block  414 , the telecommunication device may also gather context information about the telecommunication device, block  416 . The telecommunication device may then perform the determining, block  414 , based at least in part on the context information or may submit the context information with a command or with a request. 
     After determining how to handle the audio input, block  414 , the telecommunication device may execute the determined command, request of the telecommunication device application, or network search request or may provide the determined command, request of the telecommunication device application, or network search request to a system or application for execution, block  418 . The telecommunication device application may include applications and processes such as applications, OS, etc.  120 , and the network search request may be provided to remote computing devices via a networking fabric such as networking fabric  122 . Also, block  418  may include carrying out the commands on telecommunication device settings, telecommunication device personalizations, and/or on telecommunication device applications. Further, the commands may include commands that are executed simultaneously on multiple telecommunication device applications and queries of service providers for account information. 
     Following execution/carrying out, block  418 , the telecommunication device may receive results of the execution or carrying out of the command, request of the telecommunication device application, or network search request, block  420 . Such results may include results  124 . 
     At any point during, preceding, or following the execution of operations  402 - 420 , the telecommunication device may expose an API, such as API  130 , that enables telecommunication device applications to register with and/or interact with an audio routing module of the telecommunication device which performs the determining, block  422 . In some implementations, the API may enable function call-based interaction between the telecommunication device applications and audio routing module while the audio routing module is performing the determining. Also, the API may enable a telecommunication device application to provide recognized commands or macros for use by the audio routing module in performing the determining. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart showing a method of receiving and handling audio input using a telecommunication device while the telecommunication device is engaged in communication with another device. As shown, a user of a telecommunication device, such as telecommunication device  106 , may be engaged in communication with another user of another device, block  502 . In some implementations, the communication with the other device may be one of a phone call, a chat session, an instant messaging session, or an email message and engaging in the communication, block  502 , may include writing the communication, speaking the communication, reading the communication, and/or listening to the communication. 
     While engaged in the communication, block  502 , the telecommunication device may receive an actuation of a dedicated key, such as button or key  108 , associated with a unified audio interface for audio commands and requests, block  504 . The telecommunication device may then process audio input provided with the actuation, such as audio input  104 , as an audio command or request, such as a command  116  or a request  114 / 118 . After processing the audio input, the telecommunication device may evaluate the audio input to determine whether to handle the audio input as an audio command, as a request of a telecommunication device application, or as a network search request, block  508 , the determining being based at least in part on a context or data associated with the communication with the other device. Next, the telecommunication device may provide results of the command or request to the telecommunication device and the other device, block  510 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates example user interfaces of a telecommunication device, each rendering a dedicated key, in accordance with various embodiments. As shown, the telecommunication device  106  is capable of rendering a plurality of UI displays, each including a dedicated GUI key  602 . UI displays  604  and  606  are illustrative of the multiple different displays each including the GUI key  602 . 
     In various implementations, the dedicated GUI key  602  may have the same functionality as the button or key  108  described above. The telecommunication device  106  may either interact with each application or process associated with UI displays  604  and  606  to have those applications render the GUI key, or may provide an overlay UI in which the GUI key  602  is the only visible portion of the overlay. 
     UI displays  604  and  606  can be any sort of UI displays rendered by any applications or processes of the telecommunication device  106 . In  FIG. 6 , UI display  604  is apparently a smiley-face picture or wallpaper and UI display  606  is an icon for an email or messaging application. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claims.