Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Cynthia DuVal

Sarah E Zuberec

Benjamin N Rabelos

A speech recognition system having a user interface that provides both visual and auditory feedback to a user is described. In one aspect, a response time in which to receive an audible utterance is initiated. A graphic representing the response time is displayed. A first sound is played when an audible utterance is recognized. The graphic is changed to indicate passage of the response time such that the graphic diminishes in size from an original size with the passage of time. Responsive to recognizing an utterance, the graphic is presented in the original size. Responsive to expiration of the response time before the audible utterance has been recognized, a second sound is emitted to indicate that the speech recognition system has entered a dormant state.

Speech recognition user interface

A speech recognition system having a user interface that provides both visual and auditory feedback to a user. The user interface includes an audio sound or speech generator that produces three distinct sounds: an 'on' sound signifying that the speech recognition system is on and actively awaiting vocal input; an 'off' sound indicating that the speech recognition system is off and in a sleep mode; and a &#x201c;confirm&#x201d; sound noting that an utterance has been recognized. The &#x201c;on&#x201d; sound is triggered by a key &#x201c;wake up&#x201d; command or by depression of button. Once awake, the speech recognition engine expects to receive an utterance within a predetermined response time. The &#x201c;confirm&#x201d; sound signals the start of the response time. If the response time lapses before a recognizable utterance is entered, the &#x201c;off&#x201d; sound is played. The user interface further includes a visual component in the form of a graphic that changes with the tolling of the response period. In one implementation, the count graphic is a progress bar that counts down or shortens in proportion to the passage of the response period. When the response time runs out, the progress bar disappears entirely. On the other hand, if the speech engine recognizes an utterance within the response period, the user interface plays the &#x201c;confirm&#x201d; sound and restarts the countdown graphic. The user interface may also change the color of the graphic elements briefly to reflect a correct voice entry.

An electronic device has a small-area screen to display items from a navigatable set of items and an input mechanisms (e.g., keys, joystick, spin dial, etc.) that enable a user to navigate through the navigatable items. An operator interface includes a navigation glyph having multiple elements that correspond to actions of the input mechanism. Different sets of the navigation glyph elements are illuminated to indicate which user-actions on the input mechanism are presently available to navigate from a current location to another location in the navigatable set of items.

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Cynthia DuVal