System and method for transmitting speech activity in a distributed voice recognition system

• US 20030061036A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc., Speechworks International
• Original Assignee: Speechworks International
• Inventors: Garudadri, Harinath, Phillips, Michael Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/208
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting speech activity in a distributed voice recognition system. The distributed voice recognition system includes a local VR engine in a subscriber unit and a server VR engine on a server. The local VR engine comprises a feature extraction (FE) module that extracts features from a speech signal, and a voice activity detection module (VAD) that detects voice activity within a speech signal. Indications of voice activity are transmitted ahead of features from the subscriber unit to the server.

Claims

1. A subscriber unit, comprising:

a feature extraction module configured to extract a plurality of features of a speech signal;

a voice activity detection module configured to detect voice activity within the speech signal and provides an indication of the detected voice activity; and

a transmitter coupled to the feature extraction module and the voice activity detection module and configured to transmit the indication of detected voice activity ahead of the plurality of features.

3. The subscriber unit of claim 1, further comprising a means for combining the plurality of features with the indication of detected voice activity, wherein the indication of detected voice activity is ahead of the plurality of features.

2. A subscriber unit, comprising:

means for extracting a plurality of features of a speech signal;

means for detecting voice activity with the speech signal and providing an indication of the detected voice activity; and

a transmitter coupled to the feature extraction means and the voice activity detection means and configured to transmit the indication of detected voice activity ahead of the plurality of features.

4. The subscriber unit of claim 2, further comprising a means for combining the plurality of features with the indication of detected voice activity, wherein the indication of detected voice activity is ahead of the plurality of features.

5. A method of transmitting speech activity, comprising:

extracting a plurality of features of a speech signal;

detecting voice activity within the speech signal and providing an indication of the detected voice activity; and

transmitting the indication of detected voice activity ahead of the plurality of features.

6. A method of transmitting speech activity, comprising:

extracting a plurality of features of a speech signal;

detecting voice activity with the speech signal and providing an indication of the detected voice activity; and

combining the plurality of features with an indication of the detected voice activity, thereby creating a combined indication of detected voice activity and features, wherein the indication of detected voice activity is ahead of the plurality of features.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting the combined indication of detected voice activity and features.