Application Server Mediating Voice and Visual Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current multimodal applications on wireless communication devices face interoperability and security issues due to the lack of standard protocols for synchronizing voice and visual presentation over networks, leading to the use of non-standard modifications to the VoiceXML platform.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where communication devices coordinate with a voice server through an application server using standard network protocols like HTTP, allowing the voice server and application server to communicate via HTTP posts, thereby avoiding the need for new custom protocols and ensuring interoperability and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If proprietary standards and custom protocols are used for multimodal applications, then device-specific functionality can be achieved, but interoperability and security are compromised due to firewall restrictions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice-specific functionalityVSAvoidinteroperability and security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an application server as an intermediary component that mediates between the mobile communication device and the voice recognition server. This intermediary uses standard HTTP protocols to communicate with both parties, enabling proprietary multimodal functionality while maintaining interoperability and firewall compatibility through standardized communication interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If non-standard protocols are implemented to enable multimodal synchronization, then voice and visual presentation can be coordinated, but network security is compromised requiring firewall modifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice and visual synchronizationVSAvoidnetwork security vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The application server acts as a secure intermediary that handles the complex synchronization of voice and visual presentations using standard HTTP protocols. This approach maintains network security by avoiding the need to modify firewalls, as the intermediary translates proprietary synchronization requirements into standard web communication that existing firewall rules can handle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If custom protocols are used for speech recognition communication, then specific application requirements can be met, but latency increases due to non-standard traffic handling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication-specific communicationVSAvoidnetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces proprietary communication protocols with standard HTTP web protocols for all server-to-server and server-to-device communication. This substitution leverages the widespread optimization and efficiency of standard web infrastructure, reducing latency while maintaining the ability to meet specific application requirements through the application server's coordination capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS7751431B2Method and apparatus for distributed speech applications

Publication Date: 2010.07.06 GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A communication unit (105) includes a communication interface, for transmitting and receiving communications when operably connected to a first communication network; and a processor cooperatively operable with the communication interface. Responsive to receipt of an utterance, the communication unit (105) can perform a fetch (109) over the communication interface and can transmit a first message (107) having the utterance over the communication interface. The communication unit (105) can receive a second message (113) having a result (111) of a recognition of the utterance from the communication interface in response to the fetch (109).