Device and method for authenticating a user of a voice user interface and selectively managing incoming communications

Abstract

A receiver coupled to a processor for receiving an electronic communication from a separate computing device, a local storage medium coupled to the processor, the local storage medium storing an identification system for identifying the electronic communication received from the separate computing device, and a voice user interface coupled to the processor for receiving a voice communication from the user without a physical interaction between the user and the computing device is provided. Associated methods are also provided.

1 . A computing device comprising:
 a receiver coupled to a processor for receiving an electronic communication from a separate computing device;   a local storage medium coupled to the processor, the local storage medium storing an identification system for identifying the electronic communication received from the separate computing device, wherein the processor notifies a user of the identified information of the electronic communication; and   a voice user interface coupled to the processor for receiving a voice communication from the user in response to the notifying of the identified information, without a physical interaction between the user and the computing device;   wherein the processor determines an action based on the voice communication.   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein notifying the user includes at least one of displaying the identified information on a display of the computing device, and audibly notifying the user through one or more speakers of the computing system. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic communication is at least one of a SMS message, a MMS message, and a phone call over a cellular network. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the action determined by the processor includes establishing a live communication channel between the computing device and the separate computing device, and denying the live communication channel between the computing device and the separate computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device and the separate computing device is a cellular phone. 
     
     
         6 . A computing device comprising:
 a receiver coupled to a processor for receiving an electronic communication from a separate computing device; and   a local storage medium coupled to the processor, the local storage medium storing an identification system for identifying the electronic communication received from the separate computing device, and a priority database that contains a priority level specific to the identified electronic communication;   wherein, in response to the receiving the electronic communication from the separate computing system, the processor accesses the priority database, and if the priority level equals or exceeds a pre-determined value, a user is notified by the processor that the electronic communication is being received, and if the priority level is below the pre-determined value, the user is not notified that the electronic communication is being received from the separate computing device.   
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein not notifying the user results in automatically sending the electronic communication to a voicemail system of the computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the priority level is pre-determined by the user based on data input by the user, the data including a hierarchy of known contacts. 
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor determines whether an updated priority level is present, the updated priority level being a value determined by a content of the electronic communication in addition to the priority level stored in the priority database. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the content of the electronic communication is determined by parsing, by the processor, the electronic communication for keywords. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 6 , wherein the user does not physically interact with the computing system. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device comprising:
 a voice user interface coupled to a processor for receiving a voice communication from a user and converting the voice communication into a computer readable data, without a physical interaction between the user and the computing device;   a local storage medium coupled to the processor, the local storage medium storing an authentication system for analyzing the computer readable data to authenticate a voice signature of the user communication with the computing device; and   a transmitter for transmitting the computer readable data to a separate computing device if the voice signature is authenticated.   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the authentication system compares the computer readable data received from the user with a database storing one or more authenticated voice signatures.