Speech recognition system using shared speech models for multiple

Abstract

A method of operating a speech recognition system. The method loads a speech model from a storage facility into a memory accessible by a processor. This loading step includes two steps. A first of these steps loads process-independent state data representative of a plurality of states of the speech model. A second of these steps loads process-specific state data representative of the plurality of states of the speech model. The speech recognition system then performs a first speech recognition process with the processor by accessing the process-independent state data and a first portion of the process-specific state data. The speech recognition system also performs a second speech recognition process with the processor, where the second process also accesses the process-independent state data but further accesses a second portion of the process-specific state data different than the first portion of the process-specific state data. The speech model data may be the states, transitions, and scores of a Hidden Markov Model or pointers to the model may be loaded. In response to a third recognition process, loading a third portion of process-specific data invalidates the first portion.