METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROOFREADING AND CORRECTING DICTATED TEXT

• US 20020002459A1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: HANSON, GARY R., ORTEGA, KERRY A., BALLARD, BARBARA E., KELLER, ARTHUR, LEWIS, JAMES R., VANBUSKIRK, RONALD E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,611,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A method of proofreading and correcting dictated text contained in an electronic document comprises the steps of: selecting proofreading criteria for identifying textual errors contained in the electronic document; playing back each word contained in the electronic document; and, marking as a textual error each played back word in nonconformity with at least one of the proofreading criteria. The method can further comprise the step of editing each the marked textual error identified in the marking step. In particular, the editing step can include reviewing each the marked textual error identified in the marking step; accepting user specified changes to each marked textual error reviewed in the reviewing step; and, unmarking each marked textual error corrected by the user in the accepting step. Also, the reviewing step can include highlighting each the word in the electronic document corresponding to the marked textual error marked in the marking step; and, displaying an explanation for each marked textual error in a user interface. Moreover, the reviewing step can further include suggesting a recommended change to the marked textual error; displaying the recommended change in the user interface; and, accepting a user specified preference to substitute the recommended change for the marked textual error.

Claims

1. A method for proofreading and correcting user dictated text contained in an electronic document, comprising the steps of:

selecting proofreading criteria for identifying textual errors contained in said electronic document;

playing back each word contained in said electronic document; and

,

marking as a textual error each said played back word in nonconformity with at least one of said proofreading criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises the steps of:

specifying a low confidence word threshold below which any word will be identified as a textual error;

enabling homonym and confusable word criteria whereby any homonym and confusable word will be identified as a textual error; and

,

specifying a word grade level above which any word will be identified as a textual error.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises the steps of:

generating a grammar rules check list for reference by a grammar checker; and

,

enabling grammar checking whereby any word or phrase inconsistent with said grammar rules will be identified as a textual error.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said playing back step comprises the steps of:

highlighting each said word contained in said electronic document; and

,

visually displaying each said highlighted word in a user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said displaying step further comprises:

visually displaying immediately before said visually displayed highlighted word at least one word preceding said highlighted word in said electronic document; and

,

visually displaying immediately after said visually displayed highlighted word at least one word succeeding said highlighted word in said electronic document.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said playing back step further comprises the steps of:

providing user voice audio playback using user voice data corresponding to each said highlighted word in said electronic document in coordination with said visually displaying step;

generating text-to-speech audio playback for each said highlighted word in said electronic document not having corresponding user voice data; and

,

providing said text-to-speech audio playback in coordination with said visually displaying step.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said marking step comprises manually marking as a textual error each said replayed word suspected of violating at least one of said proofreading criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said marking step comprises automatically marking as a textual error each said replayed word inconsistent with said proofreading criteria.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said marking step further comprises manually marking as a textual error each said replayed word suspected of violating at least one of said proofreading criteria, said manually marking step occurring simultaneous to said automatic marking step.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of editing each said marked textual error identified in said marking step.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said editing step comprises:

reviewing each said marked textual error identified in said marking step;

accepting user specified changes to each marked textual error reviewed in said reviewing step; and

,

unmarking each marked textual error corrected by said user in said accepting step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said reviewing step comprising the steps of:

highlighting each said word in said electronic document corresponding to said marked textual error marked in said marking step; and

,

displaying an explanation for each said marked textual error in a user interface.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said reviewing step further comprises the steps of:

suggesting a recommended change to said marked textual error;

displaying said recommended change in said user interface; and

,

accepting a user specified preference to substitute said recommended change for said marked textual error.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of unmarking each said marked textual error corresponding to a user command to unmark said marked textual error.

15. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text in an electronic document, wherein said electronic system comprises:

a proofreading tool for identifying and correcting textual errors in said electronic document;

a proofreading options interface for storing proofreading criteria for use with said proofreading tool; and

,

a control panel for interacting with said proofreading tool.

16. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text in an electronic document according to claim 15 further comprising a voice command processor for controlling said user interface.

17. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 15, wherein said proofreading tool comprises:

a playback system for playing back said dictated text;

a marking tool for identifying and marking textual errors contained in said dictated text; and

,

a mark processor for editing said marked textual errors identified by said marking tool.

18. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 17, wherein said playback system comprises:

a highlighter for sequentially distinguishing each word contained in said dictated text;

means for providing user voice audio playback for said distinguished words having corresponding user voice data; and

,

a text-to-speech generator for producing audio playback for distinguished words not having corresponding user voice data required by said user voice audio playback means.

19. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 17, wherein said marking tool is an automated marking tool for automatically identifying and marking textual errors exceeding thresholds specified in said proofreading criteria.

20. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 17, wherein said marking tool is a manual marking tool for manually identifying and marking textual error in response to a user command to mark said textual error.

21. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 20, wherein said marking tool further comprises an automated marking tool for automatically identifying and marking textual errors exceeding thresholds specified in said proofreading criteria, whereby said automated marking tool can operate concurrent to said manual marking tool.

22. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 19, wherein said marking tool further comprises a grammar checker for identifying grammatically errors contained in said electronic document.

23. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 17, wherein said mark processor comprises:

a highlighter for sequentially distinguishing each word contained in said dictated text identified and marked as a textual error by said marking tool;

an explanation engine having explanations for each said textual error;

messaging means for transmitting said explanations to said control panel; and

,

means for editing said textual error.

24. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 23, wherein said mark processor further comprises:

a suggestion engine having suggested corrections to each textual error; and

,

messaging means for transmitting said suggested corrections to said control panel.

25. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 15, wherein said proofreading options interface comprises:

a low confidence word control for specifying a low confidence word threshold below which any word will be identified as a textual error;

a homonyms and confusable words switch for enabling the marking of homonyms and confusable words; and

,

a word grade level control for specifying a word grade level above which any word will be identified as a textual error.

26. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 15, wherein said proofreading options interface comprises:

a grammar rules control interface containing grammar rules for reference by a grammar checker; and

,

a grammar rules switch for enabling marking of words or phrases inconsistent with said grammar rules by said grammar checker.

27. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 17, wherein said control panel comprises:

a mark problems view for controlling said marking tool; and

,

a work with marks view for controlling said mark processor.

28. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 27, wherein said mark problems view comprises:

a playback speed control for prescribing a rate of playback by said playback system;

a pause button for accepting a command to pause said playback of said dictated text;

a mark button for accepting a user command to manually mark said displayed word as a textual error; and

,

message transmitting means for transmitting said mark command to said marking tool;

message transmitting means for transmitting said prescribed rate and said pause command to said playback system;

message receiving means for receiving each word played back by said playback system; and

,

a current-word text box for displaying each word received by said message receiving means.

29. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 27, wherein said work with marks view comprises:

message receiving means for receiving data from said mark processor; and

,

a status line for displaying an explanation generated by an explanation engine and received by said message receiving means.

30. An electronic system for proofreading and correcting dictated text according to claim 29, wherein said work with marks view further comprises:

a suggestion panel for displaying a suggested correction generated by a suggestion engine and received by said message receiving means;

a suggestion button for accepting a user specified preference to substitute said suggested correction for said marked textual error; and

,

message transmitting means for transmitting said substitution preference to said mark processor.