Focused language models for improved speech input of structured documents

• US 20030050778A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Junqua, Jean-Claude, Rigazio, Luca, Nguyen, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 6,901,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1815 Semantic context, e.g. disambiguation of the recognition hypotheses based on word meaning
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications

Abstract

An e-mail message process is provided for use with a personal digital assistant which allows for the use of input speech messaging which is converted to text using a focused language model which is downloaded by a cellular phone connection to an Internet server which provides the focused language model based upon a topic for the intended e-mail message. The text that is generated from the input speech method can be summarized by the e-mail message processor and can be edited by the user. The generated e-mail message can then be transmitted again via cellular connection to an Internet e-mail server for transmitting the e-mail message to a recipient.

Claims

1. A speech recognition processor for processing input speech and converting to text, comprising:

topic determination means for determining a topic of the input speech;

speech input means for allowing a user to input a speech message;

a language model retrieval section for retrieving a focused language model based upon said topic;

a speech recognition module which uses said retrieved focused language model to convert said speech message to text; and

a display section for displaying said text.

2. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, wherein said topic determination means is a keypad user interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

3. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, wherein said topic determination means is a speech recognition interface device that allows a user to verbally input said topic.

4. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, wherein said topic determination means derives said topic from a prestored text message.

5. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, wherein said language model retrieval section accesses a server via an internet connection to retrieve said language model.

6. The speech recognition processor according to claim 5, wherein said language model retrieval section accesses said server via a wireless connection.

7. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, further comprising a text summarizing section for summarizing said text.

8. The speech recognition processor according to claim 1, wherein said display section uses an e-mail template for displaying said text.

9. A personal digital computer device, comprising:

a housing including a display screen and an input keypad disposed on an outer surface thereof;

a microphone unit disposed in said housing;

a transmitter/receiver device disposed in said housing;

a processor for processing input speech, including topic determining means for determining a topic of the input speech, speech input means for allowing a user to input a voice message via said microphone, a language model retrieval section adapted for accessing an internet server via said transmitter/receiver device for retrieving a language model from the internet server based upon said topic, a speech recognition module which uses said retrieved language model to convert said speech message to text, and a display section for displaying said text on said display screen.

10. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said topic determining means is at least one of a keypad user interface device and a touch-based user interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

11. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said topic determining means is a voice recognition interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

12. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said topic determining means derives said topic from a prestored text message.

13. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said language model retrieval section accesses said server via a wireless connection.

14. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said processor includes a text summarizing section for summarizing said text.

15. The personal digital computer device according to claim 9, wherein said display section uses an e-mail template for displaying said text.

16. A personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor, comprising:

topic determining means for determining a topic of an outgoing e-mail message;

speech input means for allowing a user to input a voice message;

a language model retrieval section for retrieving a language model based upon said topic;

a speech recognition section which uses said retrieved language model to convert said voice message to text;

a display section for displaying said text in an e-mail template; and

a transmission section for transmitting said e-mail template via a cellular-internet connection.

17. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 16, wherein said topic determining means is at least one of a keypad user interface device and a touch-based user interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

18. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 16, wherein said topic determining means is a speech recognition interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

19. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 16, wherein said topic determining means derives said topic from a received e-mail message.

20. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 16, wherein said language model retrieval section accesses said server via a cellular phone connection.

21. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 16, wherein said processor includes a text summarizing section for summarizing said text.

22. A personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor, comprising:

register determining means for determining a register of an outgoing e-mail message;

speech input means for allowing a user to input a voice message;

a language model retrieval section for retrieving a language model based upon said register;

a speech recognition section which uses said retrieved language model to convert said voice message to text;

a display section for displaying said text in an e-mail template; and

a transmission section for transmitting said e-mail template via a cellular-internet connection.

23. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 22, wherein said register determining means is at least one of a keypad user interface device and a touch-based user interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

24. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 22, wherein said register determining means is a speech recognition interface device that allows a user to input said topic.

25. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 22, wherein said register determining means derives said register from a received e-mail message.

26. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 22, wherein said language model retrieval section accesses said server via a cellular phone connection.

27. The personal computer implemented voice recognition e-mail processor according to claim 22, wherein said processor includes a text summarizing section for summarizing said text.