Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

1.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Apr 21st, 2008 @ 7:47pm

   
   

   Wow, what an amazing idea.
   I'm positive that absolutely no one has ever thought of this before.
   
   This is poster child for the patent system.

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

2.  

   

   Jake, Apr 21st, 2008 @ 8:14pm

   
   

   There's just one flaw in the idea that I can see. If one can understand moderately complex sentences in another language, it's probably not that hard to be understood in turn. Unless IBM have made a really radical breakthrough in speech-synthesis technology -i.e. something that deserves a patent under the system as it's supposed to be- it would have to be a really dire connection before Stephen Hawking would be harder to comprehend than someone with an East European or South-East Asian accent. [Full disclosure: I am really rather good at comprehending such accents, since expats from those regions sell nearly all the decent fast food in this country.]

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

3.  

   

   Colg, Apr 21st, 2008 @ 9:28pm

   
   

   "If one can understand moderately complex sentences in another language, it's probably not that hard to be understood in turn."
   
   Thats a really bad assumption.

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

4.  

   

   Shohat, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 1:48am

   
   

   DEFENSIVE

   IBM are the good guys now. And most their patents are defensive, because sometimes you need to launch those missles when attacked.
   
   I think Sun Microsystems set a fine example when it retaliated with full and unproportional force against NetApp, claiming that the 3billion revenue company has no right to exist, and every single NetAPP product is covered by Sun's patents.
   It was cute, entertaining, and effective.
   IBM is just stockpiling against trolls.

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

5.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 4:54am

   
   

   Hmmmm...Calypso Wireless has a similar patent...I wonder if we will see these two in court.

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

6.  

   

   Susabelle, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 6:00am

   
   

   Like it's not been done before...

   Uhm. Maybe I should point out that adaptive technology used by disabled persons already does this...I can name a dozen products off the top of my head that do this, including JAWS, Zoomtext, WYNN, Read and Write Gold, Open Book, Scan and Read....it is a huge list.
   
   Not a new idea at all.

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

7.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 6:07am

   
   

   I remember playing with a text-to-speech card for the TSR-80. That had to be what 20 years ago?

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

8.  

   

   angry dude, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 7:08am

   
   

   IBM's patents

   Greg Aharonyan did a study of IBM's patent portfolio some time ago and concluded that most of IBM's patents are junk despite the fact that IBM's technology is actually pretty good
   
   I agree 100% with his findings (after I did my own study of IBM's patents in some very narrow field)
   
   BTW, IBM's voice engine is one of the best
   
   Heck, I run MisterHouse home automation program and use IBM's voice engine - sounds fantastic, almost like a sci-fi movie
   
   "Welcome home, Sir, I'm Mister House"
   "The cold beer is in the fridge, the sauna room is heating up, enjoy your evening, Sir"
   
   Still, IBM is the biggest "patent troll" on Earth and everybody knows it

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

9.  

   

   oregonnerd, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 9:42am

   
   

   typing-to-voice

   Be a real problem if they couln't spell, eh??
   --Glenn
   [and if they ...eh...couln't spell or type either one, boy]

    

   [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

10.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Apr 22nd, 2008 @ 6:44pm

    
    

    Re: IBM's patents

    And I thought "patent troll" defined an entity which collects patents, files law suits and does not produce a product.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

11.  

    

    kpo, Apr 4th, 2010 @ 7:42pm

    
    

    re: IBM Seeks Patent On Typing-To-Speech In A Call Center

    Pretty interesting patent. I guess, IBM has many patents and such an innovator company.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

Add Your Comment