System and method for improving accuracy of signal interpretation

• US 20040101198A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justin Santa Barbara
• Original Assignee: Justin Santa Barbara
• Inventors: Barbara, Justin Santa
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/32 Multiple recognisers used in sequence or in parallel; Score combination systems therefor, e.g. voting systems

Abstract

An interpretation system for interpreting electronic signals. The system comprising a central processor for receiving an electronic signal from a user terminal; software for (a) interpreting the signal electronically to reduce errors and (b) identifying parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically. In the event that there are parts of the signal that cannot be interpreted, the system is operable to present at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically. The operator terminal is such as to allow an operator to interpret the signal and make any corrections that are deemed necessary. Once this is done, the correct interpretation is sent to the user terminal or another pre-determined electronic destination. Also provided are means for automatically adapting the electronic signal-interpretation process when operator assisted interpretation is employed, so as to extend the range of signals that can be accurately interpreted electronically. In this way, the accuracy of the system is continuously and dynamically up-dated.

Claims

1. An interpretation system comprising:

means for receiving an electronic signal via a telecommunications system from a user terminal;

processing means for interpreting the signal electronically;

means for identifying a part or parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for presenting at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for allowing the operator to interpret at least said part of signal, and

means for sending a further signal including the interpretation of the signal to the user terminal or another predetermined electronic destination.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for automatically adapting the processing means when operator assisted interpretation is employed, so that the processing means is able to interpret signals that are identified by the operator, thereby to extend the range of signals that can be accurately interpreted electronically.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for interpreting the signal comprise means for cleaning up an included image to remove unwanted marks.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for interpreting comprise means for identifying a block, preferably a single character, within an included image.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein means are provided for comparing the block with known blocks already stored in a library, thereby to identify the block.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein, in the event that a block cannot be identified, the means for presenting are configured to display at the operator terminal the unidentified block either alone or as part of a sequence of blocks, so that the operator is able to identify the block.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for automatically adapting the processing means when operator assisted interpretation is employed, so that the processing means is able to interpret signals that are identified by the operator, thereby to extend the range of signals that can be accurately interpreted electronically;

wherein the means for interpreting comprise means for identifying a block, preferably a single character, within an included image;

wherein, in the event that a block cannot be identified, the means for presenting are configured to display at the operator terminal the unidentified block either alone or as part of a sequence of blocks, so that the operator is able to identify the block and wherein the means for processing include a library of known blocks and means are provided for adding to the library any block that is identified by the operator, so that the library is dynamically up-dated.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal includes text derived from an electronic scanner that is operable to scan documents and provide an electronic version of the text.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal includes text captured from a keyboard located at the user terminal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal includes text derived from voice recognition software that is operable to convert spoken words into electronic text.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein recording means are provided for including an audio version of the spoken phrase in the signal.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the operator terminal is adapted to play back at least a part of the audio recording to allow the operator to hear what was said;

thereby assisting the operator in interpretation of the signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the interpretation includes a command operable to control equipment at the user location, such as domestic appliances.

16. An electronic signal including an interpretation as derived from the system defined in claim 1.

14. A user terminal adapted for use with an interpretation system comprising:

means for receiving an electronic signal via a telecommunications system from a user terminal;

processing means for interpreting the signal electronically;

means for identifying a part or parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for presenting at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for allowing the operator to interpret at least said part of signal, and

means for sending a further signal including the interpretation of the signal to the user terminal or another pre-determined electronic destination.

15. A method of providing an interpretation of electronic signals comprising transmitting to a user terminal interpretations from an interpretation system comprising:

means for receiving an electronic signal via a telecommunications system from a user terminal;

processing means for interpreting the signal electronically;

means for identifying a part or parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for presenting at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted by the processing means;

means for allowing the operator to interpret at least said part of signal, and

means for sending a further signal including the interpretation of the signal to the user terminal or another pre-determined electronic destination.

17. A method of interpreting electronic signals comprising:

receiving the electronic signal via a telecommunications system from a user terminal;

processing the signal electronically to interpret it;

identifying parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically;

presenting at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically;

correcting errors in the presented signal interpretation by allowing human intervention, and

sending a further signal including the interpretation to the user terminal or another pre-determined electronic destination.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, comprising automatically adapting the electronic signal-interpretation process when operator assisted interpretation is employed, so as to extend the range of signals that can be accurately interpreted electronically.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein interpreting the signal involves cleaning up an included image to remove unwanted marks.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein interpreting the signal involves identifying a block, preferably a single character, within an included image.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising comparing the block with known blocks already stored in a library, thereby to identify the block.

22. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein, in the event that a block cannot be identified, the step of presenting includes displaying at the operator terminal the unidentified block either alone or as part of a sequence of blocks, so that the operator is able to identify the block.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising adding to the library of known blocks any block that is identified by the operator, so that the library is dynamically up-dated.

24. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the signal includes text derived from an electronic scanner that is operable to scan documents and provide an electronic version of the text.

25. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the signal includes text captured from a keyboard located at the user terminal.

26. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the signal includes text derived from voice recognition software that is operable to convert spoken words into electronic text.

27. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the signal includes an audio version of the spoken phrase.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, comprising playing back at least a part of the audio recording to allow the operator to hear what was said, thereby assisting the operator in interpretation of the signal.

29. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the interpretation includes a command operable to control equipment at the user location, such as domestic appliances.

30. A computer program, preferably on a data carrier or a computer readable medium, for controlling a method of interpreting electronic signals, the computer program comprising instructions for:

receiving the electronic signal via a telecommunications system from a user terminal;

processing the signal electronically to interpret it;

identifying parts of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically;

presenting at an operator terminal the part of the signal that cannot be accurately interpreted electronically;

correcting errors in the presented signal interpretation by allowing human intervention, and

sending a further signal including the interpretation to the user terminal or another pre-determined electronic destination.

31. A computer program as claimed in claim 30, comprising automatically adapting the electronic signal-interpretation process when operator assisted interpretation is employed, so as to extend the range of signals that can be accurately interpreted electronically.

32. A method of providing information to a user comprising:

receiving a signal that includes a request for information from a user terminal;

processing the signal to identify the request;

searching a store that includes further questions associated with the user request;

sending a signal to the user terminal that includes a further question;

receiving a signal that includes an answer from the user;

determining whether an answer to the user'"'"'s initial query is provided in an electronic answer store and, if not, presenting the user query at an expert operator terminal, providing an answer to the user and storing the answer to query in the electronic answer store, thereby to dynamically extend the electronic answer store.