Method for expressing emotion in a text message

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, while composing a textual message, a portion of the textual message is dynamically indicated as having heightened emotional value. In one embodiment, this is indicated by depressing a key on a keyboard for a period longer than a typical debounce interval. While the key remains depressed, a plurality of text parameters for the character associated with the depressed key are accessed and one of the text parameters is chosen. Animation processing is then performed upon the textual message and the indicated portion of the textual message is visually emphasized in the animated text message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining emotion, said method comprising:
 accessing, within an electronic system, audio information;   determining a first emphasis level associated with a first portion of said audio information;   determining a second emphasis level associated with a second portion of said audio information, wherein said first emphasis level is different from said second emphasis level; and   storing said first emphasis level with a respective first portion of a textual translation of said audio information and said second emphasis level with a second respective portion of said textual translation, wherein said first emphasis level is operable for visual emphasis during display of said textual translation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first emphasis level and said second emphasis level comprise emotional values. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first emphasis level has a higher emotional value than said second emphasis level. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second emphasis level is operable to be visually de-emphasized during display of said text message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining of said first emphasis level is based on a pitch of said first portion of said audio information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining of said first emphasis level is based on a volume said first portion of said audio information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said audio information is a spoken message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first emphasis level is operable to be stored as a font parameter comprising at least one of a font size and an opacity value. 
     
     
         9 . A system for processing emotion for a text message, said system comprising:
 an audio analysis module for determining a textual translation based on accessing audio information;   an emphasis module operable for determining a first emphasis level associated with a first portion of said audio information and for determining a second emphasis level associated with a second portion of said audio information, wherein said first emphasis level is different than said second emphasis level; and   a storage module operable to store a first text parameter associated with said first emphasis level and a second text parameter associated with said second emphasis level with respective portions of said textual message.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first emphasis level and said second emphasis level comprise emotional values. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first emphasis level has a higher emotional value than said second emphasis level. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said second emphasis level is operable to be visually de-emphasized during display of said text message. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first emphasis level is determined based on a pitch of said first portion of said audio information. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first emphasis level is determined based on a volume of said first portion of said audio information. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said audio information is a spoken message. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said first emphasis level is operable to be stored as a font parameter comprising at least one of a font size and an opacity value. 
     
     
         17 . An article of manufacture including a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 accessing, within an electronic system, audio information;   determining a first emphasis level associated with a first portion of said audio information;   determining a second emphasis level associated with a second portion of said audio information, wherein said first emphasis level is different from said second emphasis level; and   storing said first emphasis level with a respective first portion of a textual translation of said audio information and said second emphasis level with a second respective portion of said textual translation, wherein said first emphasis level is operable for visual emphasis during display of said textual translation.   
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 17 , wherein said first emphasis level and said second emphasis level comprise emotional values. 
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 17 , wherein said first emphasis level has a higher emotional value than said second emphasis level. 
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 17 , wherein said second emphasis level is operable to be visually de-emphasized during display of said text message.