Voice processing apparatus, voice processing method and memory medium

• US 20020055845A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shibayama, Shigeki, Ikeda, Yuji, Ueda, Takaya, Kosaka, Tetsuo
• Application Number:
  US09/970,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055845A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/32 Multiple recognisers used in sequence or in parallel; Score combination systems therefor, e.g. voting systems

Abstract

The invention is to achieve highly precise voice recognition in efficient manner utilizing plural voice recognition apparatuses connected to a network. A communication terminal device executes voice recognition on the voice of the user, utilizing highly precise plural voice recognition apparatuses connected to a network. Then the communication terminal device compares the scores of the results of recognition obtained respectively from the voice recognition apparatuses and selects one of the results.

Claims

1. A voice processing apparatus comprising:

voice input means for entering voice;

transmission means for transmitting the voice entered by said voice input means to external plural voice recognition apparatuses; and

selection means for selecting a result of recognition obtained from one of said plural voice recognition apparatuses, based on the plural reliabilities obtained from said plural voice recognition apparatuses.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

voice recognition means for executing voice recognition on the voice entered by said voice input means; and

discrimination means for discriminating the confidence of the result of recognition obtained by said voice recognition means, wherein said selection means is selected in case said discrimination means identifies that the confidence is equal to or larger than the predetermined value.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plural voice recognition apparatuses has a grammar rule different from that of other voice recognition apparatuses.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reception means for receiving the reliabilities obtained from said plural voice recognition apparatuses.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing means for informing the user of plural results of recognition in case such plural results of recognition have reliabilities equal to or larger than a predetermined value;

wherein selected is a result of recognition selected by the user from the plural results of recognition informed by said informing means.

6. A voice processing method comprising:

a voice input step of entering voice;

a transmission step of transmitting the voice entered by said voice input means to external plural voice recognition apparatuses in case said discrimination step identifies that the confidence is less than a predetermined value; and

a selection step of selecting a result of recognition obtained from one of said plural voice recognition apparatuses, based on the plural reliabilities obtained from said plural voice recognition apparatuses.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

a voice recognition step of executing voice recognition on the voice entered by said voice input step; and

a discrimination step of discriminating the confidence of the result of recognition obtained by said voice recognition step, wherein said selection step is selected in case said discrimination step identifies that the confidence is equal to or larger than the predetermined value.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said plural voice recognition apparatuses has a grammar rule different from that of other voice recognition apparatuses.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising a reception step of receiving the reliabilities obtained from said plural voice recognition apparatuses.

10. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

an informing step of informing the user of plural results of recognition in case such plural results of recognition have reliabilities equal to or larger than a predetermined value;

wherein selected is a result of recognition selected by the user from the plural results of recognition informed by said informing step.

11. A memory medium storing a program for executing a voice processing method according to any of claims 6 to 10.