Selection of a link in a received message for speaking reply, which is converted into text form for delivery

Abstract

A link, called an X-Link™ and is placed in a message (SMS, MMS, email etc.) that is sent to a user and displayed on their device (e.g. mobile telephone). When the link is selected by the user, it connects the user's device to a conversion system, enabling the user to speak a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message; the reply message is then sent to the original message sender (and/or another appropriate recipient). This approach enables a text message to be responded to by voice: it is an example of an asymmetric communication. There are many circumstances where this approach is very useful—for example if the message is a SMS and the recipient does not know how to respond using SMS, or is in an environment where it is difficult (perhaps when walking or driving).

1 . A method of replying to an electronically-received message which has been sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the message using electrical hardware, the method including the steps of:
 (a) displaying a link in the received message;   (b) the user selecting the link;   (c) the user being connected to a conversion system;   (d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and   (e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the electronically-received message contains a text message in any one or more of the formats. SMS, MMS, IM, e-mail. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  in which the electronically-received message is generated by conversion from a voice message using a conversion system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the electronically-received message contains a sound message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , in which the user is notified that a voice mail has been received, and the electrical hardware displays a link to listen to it. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  in which the electronically-received message contains an image file. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  in which the electronically-received message contains a document file. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  in which the reply message which is sent to the original sender, or to another party, is in a text format specified by the original message sender. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the formats of the original message, such as SMS, MMS, IM or email, and of the reply message are the same. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the formats of the original message, such as SMS, MMS, IM or email, and of the reply message are different. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the reply message appears to come from the user when displayed on hardware operated by the original message sender. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the link is to an electronic address. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the original sender has a setting which can be used to specify that the reply should be sent to more than one electronic address. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , in which one electronic address is used for the purpose of backing up all received messages. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the electronic address is a telephone number, email address, IP address, IM address, or VoIP address. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the electronic address is a service number, for accessing the conversion system, and a unique identifier, which acts to identify the intended recipient. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the electronic address includes an element which can be stored in an address book of the electrical hardware. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the link as displayed is clickable text that, when clicked, opens a voice channel to enable the reply to be stored for use by the conversion system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the link is a virtual number, i.e. a full number that terminates in a communications network that links the electrical hardware to other communications devices and is then mapped by the network to real numbers associated with end user equipment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the user has his own list of links, each link being associated with the unique MSISDN of a person that has sent a text to that user. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , in which individual links may be deleted by the user. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the link can be saved to an address book. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , in which selecting a link causes a communications application to launch. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the method is network based and uses conventional network services/technologies. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , in which users who are not subscribers to the conversion system can reply to a message by selecting the link and then speaking a message which is then converted. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , in which any voice-enabled device is capable of being used to cause a reply message to be displayed on a display screen of a device operated by the reply message recipient. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , which enables a voicemail system to be turned into full two-way push messaging system. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , in which new, incremental revenues are generated by the performance of the method. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the user is given an option for a spoken text message to be saved to an intermediary device, for sending on later at a specific time. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the presence of the link may be de-selected by the original message sender. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , in which a link is included to enable the user to subscribe to the conversion system. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the link is present in a blog. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the link is present in a closed user group. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said electrical hardware is a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         35 . A system for providing a reply to an electronically-received message which has been sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the message using electrical hardware, the system adapted to:
 (a) place a link in the received message,   (b) make the link selectable by the user,   (c) upon link selection, connect the user to a conversion system,   (d) convert a spoken reply by the user to a text based reply message using the conversion system, and   (e) send the reply message from the conversion system to the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  adapted to enable the method of the steps:
 (a) displaying a link in the received message; 
 (b) the user selecting the link; 
 (c) the user being connected to a conversion system; 
 (d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and 
 (e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message to be performed. 
 
     
     
         37 . A system as in  claim 35  wherein said electrical hardware is a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         38 . An electronic message sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the electronic message using electrical hardware, the electronic message enabling a method including the steps of:
 (a) displaying a link in the electronic message;   (b) the user selecting the link;   (c) the user being connected to a conversion system;   (d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and   (e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message.