Read a draft aloud

What it does

Read aloud speaks your draft so that you can listen to it while you walk, cook or rest your eyes. The voice is the one built into your iPhone. The text is read from the original draft: Field, Background, Summary, Detailed Description, Abstract and Claims, in that order.

How to use it

1. Open a draft and tap the speaker button (Read aloud) in the toolbar.
2. While it speaks, the toolbar shows Pause reading and Stop reading buttons. Tap pause, and the button becomes Resume reading.
3. When something interrupts the audio, for example a phone call, reading pauses. It continues afterwards if iOS (the iPhone operating system) allows it.
4. You can also ask Siri to read your latest draft. See "Use Patentomania with Siri".

Settings that affect it

Settings > Read Aloud has a Speech rate slider and a Voice picker (English and Russian system voices, or System default).

Limits and honest caveats

• The Speech rate and Voice settings are saved, but they do not change the reader yet. Reading currently uses the default voice and speed. This is a known gap in the beta.
• The language is chosen from the draft: Russian for a Russian draft, English for all others. For a draft in another language the English voice is used, so pronunciation may be poor.
• It reads the original text. A translation is not read. See "Translate a draft".
• It reads the draft as text. It does not read audit verdicts.

FAQ

Can I pause and carry on later? Yes. Use Pause reading and Resume reading in the toolbar.

Why did the speed not change? The speed setting is not connected to the reader yet.

Does reading cost anything? It uses your iPhone's own voice and is free during the beta.