Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Stephen Russell Falcon

Dan Banay

David Michael Miller

Clement Chun Pong Yip

Richard St Clair Bailey

Timothy David Sharpe

Kirk Shoop

Vellore T Vetrivelkumaran

Raju Gulabani

Neel Malik

Clement Yip

Jeffrey Scott Croyle

Michael C Miller

Systems and methods are described for systems that utilize an interaction manager to manage interactions&#x2014;also known as requests or dialogues&#x2014;from one or more applications. The interactions are managed properly even if multiple applications use different grammars. The interaction manager maintains a priority for each of the interactions, such as via an interaction list, where the priority of the interactions corresponds to an order in which the interactions are to be processed. Interactions are normally processed in the order in which they are received. However, the systems and method described herein may provide a grace period after processing a first interaction and before processing a second interaction. If a third interaction that is chained to the first interaction is received during this grace period, then the third interaction may be processed before the second interaction.

Management and prioritization of processing multiple requests

Systems and methods are described for a speech system that manages multiple grammars from one or more speech-enabled applications. The speech system includes a speech server that supports different grammars and different types of grammars by exposing several methods to the speech-enabled applications. The speech server supports static grammars that do not change and dynamic grammars that may change after a commit. The speech server provides persistence by supporting persistent grammars that enable a user to issue a command to an application even when the application is not loaded. In such a circumstance, the application is automatically launched and the command is processed. The speech server may enable or disable a grammar in order to limit confusion between grammars. Global and yielding grammars are also supported by the speech server. Global grammars are always active (e.g., 'call 9-1-1') while yielding grammars may be deactivated when an interaction whose grammar requires priority is active.

Systems and methods for managing multiple grammars in a speech recognition system

Systems and methods are described for speech systems that utilize an interaction manager to manage interactions&#x2014;also known as dialogues&#x2014;from one or more applications. The interactions are managed properly even if multiple applications use different grammars. The interaction manager maintains an interaction list. An application wishing to utilize the speech system submits one or more interactions to the interaction manager. Interactions are normally processed in the order in which they are received. An exception to this rule is an interaction that is configured by an application to be processed immediately, which causes the interaction manager to place the interaction at the front of the interaction list of interactions. If an application has designated an interaction to interrupt a currently processing interaction, then the newly submitted application will interrupt any interaction currently being processed and, therefore, it will be processed immediately.

Systems and methods for managing interactions from multiple speech-enabled applications

Methods and arrangements are provided to verify if a requesting computer application is authorized to change a controlled parameter associated with a computer controlled device and/or function. To accomplish this, one or verification functions are employed to analyze a security code or absence thereof, as identified by a requesting application. If the security code, which may be encrypted, matches a known or calculated valid security code, then the requesting application is deemed to be authorized to change the controlled parameter and/or modify certain limitations associated with an acceptable range for the controlled parameter. If the security code does not match a known or calculated valid security code, then the requesting application is deemed to be unauthorized to change the controlled parameter outside of a previously established acceptable range for the controlled parameter. The verification function can be implemented in a ROM to increase the security and to thwart attempts to circumvent the authorization scheme. Several independent verification functions can be arranged to support the verification of a plurality of authorized applications.

Methods and arrangements for limiting access to computer controlled functions and devices

Systems and methods are described for providing a standard list function to create a graphical user interface list and list manager while allowing the graphical user interface to vary by appearance. An application developer can include a list manager control in an application. Properties are set that link the list manager to display controls, a data source and a scrolling behavior source. The list manager provides the appropriate content to the display controls in response to user selections of the display controls. The display controls and a user interface that contains them may vary without altering the basic functionality of the list manager.

Systems and methods for creating and managing graphical user interface lists

Systems and methods are described for a speech system that includes one or more speech controls incorporated into one or more speech-enabled applications that run on the speech system. The controls allow applications to be developed with minimal programming effort to incorporate common speech-enabled application functions. A question control provides a customizable template for requesting information from a user. An announcer control allows a speech-enabled application to provide a user with information without having to re-create an entire announcer process each time it is used. A command control provides a simple way to attach command and control functions to speech-enabled applications. A word trainer control provides a way to associate user-selected voice tags with certain information. Providing the controls for use with speech-enabled applications ensures standardized user interfaces across multiple speech-enabled applications.

Speech controls for use with a speech system

In accordance with one aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a user desires to input oral data to a system through one or more microphones of the system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by one or more speakers of the system is automatically adjusted. In accordance with another aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a communications source is about to output data through one or more speakers of a system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by the one or more speakers is automatically adjusted based at least in part on a current volume setting. The volume level for the audible signals can be determined based on one or more of a variety of different parameters.

Dynamic volume control

A method for exposing speech engine features to one or more independent applications wherein the features relate to word training and/or wherein the method optionally exposes the speech engine features without invoking a user interface. A word training interface to expose speech engine features to one or more independent applications wherein the interface is optionally an application programming interface.

Word training interface

Systems and methods for controlling the number of clients that can access a server in a server-client network are described. A communications filter driver resides on the server and monitors network communications to determine a unique network address of each client that attempts to access the server. When a client attempts to access the server, the server allows the client to access the server if the network address of the client is listed in a table. If the network address of the client is not listed in the table, the server determines if a client limit has been met or exceeded. If the limit has been reached, the server determines if the client is a client that has previously accessed the server under a different network address. This is accomplished by sending a signal to each network address listed in the table and requesting a response.

Systems and methods for controlling the number of clients that access a server

A portable electronic device that automatically detects its mode of use and alters a characteristic of its user interface to match the mode of use. A mobile telephone is described as an example of a portable electronic device. The telephone is equipped with a proximity sensor that may indicate whether the telephone is held close or far from the user's face. Based on the proximity to the user's face, gains in the audio interface are adjusted. The gain is reduced when the device is held close to a user's face and increased when the device is moved away from the user's face. This approach is well suited for use in connection with portable devices that use voice command interfaces.

Method and apparatus for proximity sensing in a portable electronic device

Systems and methods for controlling the number of clients that can access a server in a server-client network are described. A communications filter driver resides on the server and monitors network communications to determine a unique network address of each client that attempts to access the server. A table of clients that have accessed the server is stored at the server. When a client attempts to access the server, the server allows the client to access the server if the network address of the client is listed in the table. If the network address of the client is not listed in the table, the server determines if a client limit has been met or exceeded. If the limit has not been met, the client is allowed to access the server and the Internet address of the client is added to the table.

Methods and arrangements are provided that allow for a gradual visual correction between a user's input and a selected object within a graphical user interface (GUI) environment. For example, if an offset exists between a user's input and an object's preferred contact area, then, as the user manipulates the object (e.g., moves the object within the GUI environment) the magnitude of the offset is selectively and incrementally altered in a manner that is nearly imperceptible to the user. This corrective process is continued, until the user's input and the object's preferred contact area falls within a defined tolerance. Consequently, the correction process tends to be more pleasing and in some instances more realistic than an immediate correction or maintenance of a continued offset.

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Woodinville, WA, United States of America

Stephen Russell Falcon