Speech-Enhanced Email Processing for Selective Playback and Pronunciation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voice assistants struggle with efficiently converting HTML-based email content into speech, often resulting in lengthy and non-meaningful audio output, and lack the ability to optimize pronunciation of sender names and subject lines.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating speech-enhanced email clients that utilize speech markup and binary encoded audio within MIME parts to provide optimized audio playback, including pronunciation instructions and audio files for sender names and subject lines, while allowing user control over content selection through whitelists and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional text to speech technology is used to convert HTML email content directly into speech, then the email content can be rendered as audio, but the audio output becomes lengthy and non-meaningful because the system cannot skim or selectively read content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments email content into distinct parts with different speech enhancement levels. The HTML body is divided into sections that can be selectively converted to speech, while alternative speech content provides pre-processed audio versions. This allows the system to play only relevant segments rather than converting entire lengthy emails, directly reducing audio playback duration while maintaining conversion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-processing email content into alternative speech versions during email composition or pre-send. Speech-enhanced email clients prepare optimized audio content in advance using speech markers and synthesis, so when the email is delivered, the recipient receives ready-to-play audio segments rather than requiring real-time conversion of entire content, significantly reducing playback time.
2Ease of manufacture
If HTML email content is converted directly to speech from top to bottom, then the conversion process is simple, but the output is not meaningful because HTML visual arrangement using Cascading Style Sheets does not reflect logical speech order
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces speech markers as an intermediary layer between HTML content and speech synthesis. These markers (such as <speech:start>, <speech:end>, <speech:skip>) act as mediators that guide the speech engine through the HTML structure, indicating which sections should be spoken and in what order. This preserves meaningful content structure without requiring complex HTML-to-speech mapping logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of content representation by creating alternative speech versions of email content. Instead of directly synthesizing from HTML structure, the system transforms content into speech-optimized formats with explicit pronunciation and structure markers, changing how the content is parameterized for speech output while maintaining the simplicity of the conversion process.
3Loss of information
If speech markers are embedded within email body parts to aid conversion, then certain elements like signature blocks can be excluded from speech, but the system still cannot optimize pronunciation or provide alternate speech versions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the alternative speech content mechanism universal by applying it to multiple email components beyond just the body. Speech-enhanced subject lines, sender names, and other email parts can all include alternative speech versions with optimized pronunciation. This multi-functional approach allows selective rendering optimization across the entire email while maintaining the ability to exclude inappropriate content like signatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes pronunciation by changing the parameter of text representation into phonetically annotated speech content. Alternative speech versions include pronunciation guides and phonetic transcriptions that enable accurate speech synthesis of proper nouns, company names, and specialized terms. This transforms plain text parameters into speech-optimized parameters with explicit pronunciation instructions.
4Loss of information
If voice assistants read entire email content as speech, then all information is conveyed, but the user experience deteriorates due to lengthy audio playback and inability to skip to relevant sections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments email content into speech-enhanced and non-speech-enhanced portions, allowing the voice assistant to selectively process different sections. Alternative speech content provides pre-processed audio segments that can be played independently or in sequence, enabling users to listen to specific sections without hearing the entire email, thus improving user experience while maintaining information completeness through selective playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by converting only the necessary portions of email content to speech rather than the entire content. Alternative speech versions provide optimized audio for key information sections, allowing the voice assistant to perform partial conversion that delivers essential information without the overhead of converting and playing back every section, balancing information completeness with user experience.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to provide email content within a separate part of an email, where the content is optimized for speaking and audio playback. Embodiments of the invention are methods for a speech-enabled email client to identify and use substitute speech content when outputting audio or reading to a user instead of the regular HTML or text parts of an email.