Alan L Higgins

Title: The Innovative Mind of Alan L. Higgins

Introduction

Alan L. Higgins, based in San Diego, California, is a prolific inventor with an impressive portfolio of 11 patents. His work primarily focuses on advancements in speech processing technologies, contributing significantly to the fields of automatic speech recognition and voice verification systems.

Latest Patents

One of Higgins' notable patents is a novel method for speech processing involving whole-utterance modeling. This innovation relates to a speech verification process, which enhances the comparison between enrollment and test speech data. By analyzing segmented frames of speech jointly, rather than independently, Higgins' method provides a robust framework for feature extraction, focusing on deriving fixed-length feature vectors. The application of linear discriminant analysis allows for efficient comparison of the data without depending on the order of words spoken or the speaking rate. This mathematical approach achieves simultaneous diagonalization of the between-speaker and between-channel covariances of the enrollment and test data, even under high dimensionality.

Another significant patent is the automated confirmation of personal notifications. In this system, the recipient of a notification speaks part or all of the message to confirm receipt. Utilizing an automatic speech recognition algorithm, the system evaluates whether the spoken words match the initial notification. Furthermore, an automatic speaker recognition algorithm can be applied to verify if the voice characteristics align with those of the intended recipient. The system also allows for recording the recipient's response for future verification, should any disputes arise regarding the confirmation.

Career Highlights

Throughout his career, Alan L. Higgins has worked with esteemed organizations, including ITT Corporation and ITT Defense, Inc. His contributions to these companies have been pivotal in the development of innovative technologies that leverage his expertise in speech processing.

Collaborations

In his journey as an inventor, Higgins has collaborated with notable professionals in the field, such as Lawrence G. Bahler and Robert E. Wohlford. These partnerships have further enriched his work and contributed to the successful development of his pioneering inventions.

Conclusion

Alan L. Higgins stands out as a prominent figure in the realm of speech processing innovations. With a keen focus on creating efficient and reliable systems, his patents reflect a deep understanding of both technology and user needs. As a result, Higgins has made lasting contributions that will continue to shape the future of communication technologies.