Method and apparatus for robustly locating user barge-ins in voice-activated command systems

• US 20060020471A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ju, Yun-Cheng, Ollason, David G., Bhatia, Siddharth
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system is provided. The method includes generating command prompt phrases during which the user can select items on the list. The command prompt phrases include an item on the list and an index for another item on the list. In some embodiments, each command prompt phrase also includes a period of silence between item on the list and the index for another item on the list. If a user selecting barge-in is received during a particular command prompt phrase, the corresponding item on the list is selected.

Claims

1. A method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system, the method comprising:

generating a command prompt phrase, the command prompt phrase including an item on the list and an index for another item on the list; and

selecting the item on the list if a user selecting barge-in is received during the command prompt phrase which includes the item on the list and the index for another item on the list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the command prompt phrase is a first command prompt phrase, the item on the list is a first item on the list, and the another item on the list is a second item on the list, such that the first command prompt phrase includes the first item on the list and the index for the second item on the list.

3. The method of claim 2, and if the user selecting barge-in is not received during the first command prompt phrase, the method further comprising:

generating a second command prompt phrase, the second command prompt phrase including the second item on the list and an index for a third item on the list; and

selecting the second item on the list if the user selecting barge-in is received during the second command prompt phrase which includes the second item on the list and the index for the third item on the list.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating the first command prompt phrase further comprises including in the first command prompt phrase a period of silence between the first item on the list and the index for the second item on the list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of generating the second command prompt phrase further comprises including in the second command prompt phrase a period of silence between the second item on the list and the index for the third item on the list.

6. The method of claim 2, and before generating the first command prompt phrase, the method further comprising generating an introduction command prompt phrase, the introduction command prompt phrase including an introductory statement and an index for the first item on the list.

7. The method of claim 2, and further comprising:

receiving a verbal navigation command from the user;

re-generating the first command prompt phrase, in response to the verbal navigation command received from the user, such that it includes the index for the first item on the list, the first item on the list, and the index for the second item on the list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the verbal navigation command is received during the first command prompt phrase and is an instruction to repeat the first command prompt phrase.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the verbal navigation command is received before the first command prompt phrase and is an instruction to move to a next command prompt phrase.

10. A method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system, the method comprising:

breaking a prompt of the list into a plurality of individual prompt phrases, with individual prompt phrases including an item from the list, wherein individual prompt phrases also include as a postfix to the item an index of a next item included in a next individual prompt phrase; and

playing a next of the plurality of individual prompt phrases.

11. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

determining whether a user barge-in has been detected;

if it is determined that a user barge-in has been detected, then determining the corresponding item from the list; and

if it is determined that a user barge-in has not been detected, then repeating the steps of playing and determining for additional individual prompt phrases.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein breaking the prompt of the list into the plurality of individual prompt phrases further comprises generating the individual prompt phrases such that they include a period of silence between the corresponding item from the list and the index of the next item on the list.

13. The method of claim 12, and further comprising generating an introduction prompt phrase, the introduction command prompt phrase including an introductory statement and an index for a first item on the list.

14. The method of claim 13, and further comprising:

receiving a verbal navigation command from the user;

re-defining one of the individual prompt phrases for a particular item from the list, in response to the verbal navigation command received from the user, such that it also includes the index for the particular item from the list as a prefix to the particular item.

15. A voice command system comprising:

a voice prompt generator configured to generate a prompt phrase, the prompt phrase including an item on a list and an index for another item on the list;

a input for receiving a user barge-in; and

a barge-in locating component configured to select the item on the list if the user barge-in is received during the prompt phrase which includes the item on the list and the index for another item on the list.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the prompt phrase is a first prompt phrase, the item on the list is a first item on the list, and the another item on the list is a second item on the list, such that the first prompt phrase includes the first item on the list and the index for the second item on the list as a postfix to the first item on the list.

17. The system of claim 16, and if the user selecting barge-in is not received during the first prompt phrase, the voice prompt generator being further configured to generate a second prompt phrase, the second prompt phrase including the second item on the list and an index for a third item on the list.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the input comprises a speech recognition engine configured to receive audible user barge-ins and verbal navigation commands.

19. The system of claim 18, and further comprising a navigation control component, the navigation control component being configured to control the voice prompt generator, in response to receipt of a verbal navigation command from the user, to re-generate the first prompt phrase such that it includes the index for the first item on the list, the first item on the list, and the index for the second item on the list.