Abstract: A hands-free circuit (10) and method produces audio information (90) corresponding to voice tag information (60) stored either in the hands-free circuit (10) or in a wireless device (320). The hands-free circuit includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver (20), memory (40) and a speech processor (30). For example, the wireless local area network transceiver (20) may be a Bluetooth transceiver that communicates with the wireless device (320) and receives wireless device information (80). The wireless device information (80) may represent caller identification information, call processing information relating to the status of a call, phone status information or any suitable information. The speech processor (30) produces audio information (90) corresponding to the voice tag information (60). According to one embodiment, the speech processor (30) produces speech synthesized wireless device information (80), in-band ring tone information or any suitable information.

Abstract: A wireless unit or hub for a vehicle includes a wireless communication interface, such as a Bluetooth® interface. The hub stores profiles for wireless devices that can actively interact with the hub. The wireless devices, which can be cellular phones, headsets, portable music players, and Personal Digital Assistants, are capable of providing audio data, visual data, or both to the hub. The hub monitors for wireless devices in a personal area network of the hub. Based on the profiles, the hub establishes wireless connections with the wireless devices. Using an arbitration scheme, the hub controls the delivery of audio and/or visual data provided by the wireless devices to one or more modules communicatively coupled to the hub. The modules, which can be a user interface module, audio module, visual modules, navigation system, and vehicle entertainment system, are capable of delivering audio, visual, or audio-visual data in the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for enhancing a handheld communication device via a telematics system in a vehicle is disclosed. Audio received at the handheld device is transferred to the telematics system in the vehicle. The received audio is then analyzed to determine whether it contains speech, and if so, an audio present signal is generated and the received audio is recorded into a memory coupled to the telematics system. The user can then engage the user interface of the telematics system to replay the recorded audio. Bluetooth protocol is preferably used to establish a channel between the handheld device and the telematics system, which can occur automatically when the two are in proximity. Analysis of the received audio preferably comprises use of a voice detector as part of a speech recognition system otherwise used by the telematics system to assess spoken commands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assisting a user in the dialing of a telephone call using voice nametags. A first step includes inputting a telephone number with text. The next steps automatically create a voice nametag from the text for each telephone number using grapheme-to-phoneme conversion. Upon initiation of dialing, a next step enters a spoken phrase, which is then compared to the stored voice nametags. A next step determines a confidence level score of a match between the spoken phrase data and the representations of the stored voice nametags against at least one threshold. A next step selects the stored voice nametag with the best match to the spoken phrase data. A next step provides feedback to the user dependent upon the confidence level of the match, which can include automatically dialing the call if the confidence level is high enough. As part of this last step, an audio feedback tag is generated and stored based on the recognition result passing a confidence threshold criterion.

Abstract: A hands-free circuit (10) and method produces audio information (90) corresponding to voice tag information (60) stored either in the hands-free circuit (10) or in a wireless device (320). The hands-free circuit includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver (20), memory (40) and a speech processor (30). For example, the wireless local area network transceiver (20) may be a Bluetooth transceiver that communicates with the wireless device (320) and receives wireless device information (80). The wireless device information (80) may represent caller identification information, call processing information relating to the status of a call, phone status information or any suitable information. The speech processor (30) produces audio information (90) corresponding to the voice tag information (60). According to one embodiment, the speech processor (30) produces speech synthesized wireless device information (80), in-band ring tone information or any suitable information.