International Business Machines Corporation

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Harvey M Ruback

Peter J Guasti

Amado Nassiff

Steven Gary Woodward

Frank Fado

Gary Robert Hanson

Daniel E Badt

Ronald Van Buskirk

Huifang Wang

Ronald E Vanbuskirk

John W Eckhart

Edwin A Rodriguez

Carl A Smith

Mario Ernesto De Armas

Lisa Abbott

Ronald E VanBuskirk

Roberto Vila

Oscar J Blass

Francis Fado

Keith P Loring

Michael Florio

Werayuth T Charoenruengkit

William Russell Whitehead

A method for processing speech audio in a network connected client device can include selecting a speech grammar for use in a speech recognition system in the network connected client device; characterizing the selected speech grammar; and, based on the characterization, determining whether to process the speech grammar locally in the network connected client device, or remotely in a speech server in the network. In one aspect of the invention, the selecting step can include establishing a communications session with a speech server; and, querying the speech server for a speech grammar over the established communications session. Additionally, the selecting step can further include registering the speech grammar in the speech recognition system.

Selective enablement of speech recognition grammars

A speech processing method can automatically and dynamically adjust speech grammar weights at runtime based upon usage data. Each of the speech grammar weights can be associated with an available speech command contained within a speech grammar to which the speech grammar weights apply. The usage data can indicate a relative frequency with which each of the available speech commands is utilized.

Dynamically adjusting speech grammar weights based on usage

A speech recognition system or method can include a speech input device and a processor coupled to the speech input device. The processor can be programmed to identify a plurality of words that are members of confusable pairs of words where each pair includes a target word and a substituted word. The processor can degrade a pronunciation of the substituted word to provide a worse pronunciation of the substituted word. The processor can further compare the pronunciation of the target word with the worse pronunciation to the substituted word. The processor can be further programmed to reduce confusion between the substituted word and other words in a recognition grammar of the speech recognition engine and can also narrow the scope within which the substituted word is recognized.

Method and system for improved speech recognition by degrading utterance pronunciations

An in-vehicle system that shares speech processing resources among multiple applications located within a vehicle. The system can include one or more software applications, each associated with different functionally independent in-vehicle consoles. Each application can have a console specific user interface. The system can also include a single in-vehicle speech processing system implemented separately from the in-vehicle consoles. The speech processing system can execute speech processing tasks responsive to requests received from the applications. That is, the in-vehicle speech processing system can provide speech processing capabilities for the applications. The provided speech processing capabilities can include text-to-speech capabilities and speech recognition capabilities.

Supporting multiple speech enabled user interface consoles within a motor vehicle

A method for implementing speech focus in a speech processing system can include the step of establishing a default focus receiver as a first entity to request speech focus of a speech processing system having multiple applications that share speech resources based upon speech focus. An event occurrence can be detected. An event handler of the default speech receiver can previously define behavior for the event occurrence and where default system behavior can be implemented within the speech processing system for the event occurrence. The default system behavior can be utilized when speech focus is not assigned during the event occurrence. Responsive to the event occurrence, at least one programmatic action can be performed in accordance with machine readable instructions of the event handler. The default system behavior is not implemented responsive to the event occurrence.

Overriding default speech processing behavior using a default focus receiver

A method for processing speech audio in a network connected client device can include selecting a speech grammar for use in a speech recognition system in the network connected client device; characterizing the selected speech grammar; and, based on the characterization, determining whether to process the speech grammar locally in the network connected client device, or remotely in a speech server in the network. Selecting can include establishing a communications session with a speech server; and, querying the speech server for a speech grammar over the established communications session. Selecting can further include registering the speech grammar in the recognition system.

An automatic gain control method in accordance with the inventive arrangements can include the following steps. Initially, an audio signal can be provided to an audio device which has a range of permissible signal level settings and a signal level controller for establishing a particular signal level setting. In addition, an actual signal level can be measured for the audio signal at an established signal level setting. The measured actual signal level further can be stored in a volume map along with the corresponding established signal level setting. Following the storage of the measured actual signal level in the volume map, a different signal level setting can be established using the signal level controller. Subsequently, the actual signal level can be re-measured and the re-measured actual signal level and corresponding established different signal level setting can be stored in the volume map. Finally, the volume map can be used during an audio processing session to determine a signal level setting for the audio device, wherein the signal level setting corresponds to a desired actual audio signal level. In one aspect of the present invention, the method can also include detecting a hysteresis condition in the volume map.

Audio device characterization for accurate predictable volume control

A method and a system for improving recall of speech data in a computer speech system can include a plurality of speech cache management steps including providing a speech cache, receiving a speech system input and identifying a speech event in the received speech system input, the speech event comprising speech data. Subsequently, the speech data can be compared to pre-determined speech cache entry criteria; and, if the speech data meets one of the pre-determined entry criteria, at least one entry can be added to the speech cache, the at least one entry corresponding to the speech data. Additionally, the speech data can be compared to pre-determined speech cache exit criteria; and, if the speech data meets one of the pre-determined exit criteria, at least one entry can be purged from the speech cache, the at least one entry corresponding to the speech data. The entry criteria can include frequently used speech data, recently used speech data, and important speech data. Similarly, the exit criteria can include least frequently used speech data associated with each entry in the speech cache, least recently used speech data associated with each entry in the speech cache and least important speed data associated with each entry in the speech cache.

Method of managing a speech cache

A computer system has a notification manager for playing a message to a user by selecting one of a plurality of audio notifications. The method includes the step of setting a priority level for each notification arriving into a queue. The notification is inserted into a position in the queue based upon the priority level of the notification, such that the audio notifications at the queue top have a generally higher priority than audio notifications at the queue bottom. The notification at the top of the queue can be selected if the priority level of the notification is greater than a predetermined gate level. Once a notification is selected, a message corresponding to the selected notification is played to the user.

Audio notification management system

A method for enabling a user to proactively reduce the likelihood of audio feedback in an application requiring audio input and output, comprising the steps of: generating a graphical user interface (GUI) display screen including a first area for displaying information about preventing audio feedback and a second area for user selections and controls; displaying a list of available audio outputs in the second area; prompting the user to select one of the audio outputs from the list; prompting the user to select one of a plurality of muting options for each selected one of the audio outputs; and, displaying in the GUI display screen an explanation for each one of the plurality of muting options, whereby muting selections for proactively reducing the likelihood of audio feedback can be made based on user experience and knowledge. Only one of the muting option explanations is displayed at a time, responsive to the user selection of one of the muting options.

Preventing audio feedback

A method for guiding a user through trouble shooting a wrong audio source among a plurality of audio sources, comprises the steps of: (a) generating a GUI display screen including a first area for displaying information about testing an audio input device, a second area for displaying instructions and status information and for providing dynamic feedback and a third area for user selections and controls; (b) displaying a list of available audio sources in said third area; (c) prompting said user to select an audio source from said list; (d) prompting said user to test said selected audio source; (e) in the event said test is unsuccessful, prompting said user to select any other audio source identified in said third area; (f) prompting said user to test said any other audio source in said list; and, (g) repeating steps (e) and (f) until one of said audio sources is tested successfully or each of said audio sources is tested unsuccessfully.

Trouble shooting a wrong audio source

A method for connecting and optimizing audio input devices, comprises the steps of: determining an audio input type; generating a first GUI display screen for prompting and enabling user selection of an audio input device; generating a second GUI display screen for prompting and enabling user connection of the audio input device; testing the connected audio input device; configuring audio settings of the connected audio input device; and, storing for later retrieval an association of the connected audio input device and the configured audio settings. The audio settings are configured and the association is stored only if the testing step is successful. The second GUI display screen can include a device specific image and device specific instructions.

Connecting and optimizing audio input devices

In a computer system adapted for text-to-speech playback, a method for instructing a user in performing a task having a plurality of steps can include retrieving a textual instruction from a location in an electronic storage device of the computer system. The textual instruction can correspond to one or more of the steps in the task. The textual instruction can be displayed in a task automation user interface, and a text-to-speech (TTS) conversion of the textual instruction can be executed. The steps can be repeated until all textual instructions corresponding to each step in the task have been retrieved and TTS converted.

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Loxahatchee, FL, United States of America

Harvey M Ruback