Word competition models in voice recognition

• US 20060058996A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barker, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/231
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method relate to voice recognition software, and more particularly to voice recognition tutoring software to assist in reading development.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing speech patterns, the method comprising:

segmenting a word into a string of consecutive phonemes;

storing a plurality of sequences of the phonemes, at least one of the sequences omitting at least one phoneme that is preceding a last one of the phonemes in the string and succeeding a first one of the phonemes in the string;

comparing an utterance with the plurality of sequences of phonemes; and

determining if a match exists between the utterance and a particular one of the sequences of phonemes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the plurality of sequences of the phonemes includes storing a sequence including all the phonemes for the word.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the plurality of sequences of the phonemes includes storing a truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the plurality of sequences of the phonemes includes storing a sequence of phonemes associated with a mispronunciation of the word.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a correctness indication with at least some of the sequences of the phonemes.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining an accuracy of the utterance based on the determined match and the correctness indication.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing a plurality of levels wherein the correctness indication varies based on the level.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of levels includes at least one of loose, medium, and strict.

9. A method comprising:

segmenting a word into a string of consecutive phonemes;

categorizing the word according to predefined levels of pronunciation by associating certain sequences of the phonemes with a pronunciation level for the word the sequences being different for the plurality of levels.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of levels includes loose, medium, and strict pronunciation levels.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of levels are based on pronunciation of the words.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes a complete sequence of phonemes for the word.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes a truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes a sequence of phonemes for the word with at least one omitted phoneme.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the words include at least 3 phenomes.

16. A speech-recognizing device configured to:

segment a word into a string of consecutive phonemes;

store a plurality of sequences of the phonemes, at least one of the sequences omitting at least one phoneme that is preceding a last one of the phonemes in the string and succeeding a first one of the phonemes in the string;

compare an utterance with the plurality of sequences of phonemes; and

determine if a match exists between the utterance and a particular one of the sequences of phonemes.

17. The speech-recognizing device of claim 16 further configured to store a sequence of all the phonemes for the word.

18. The speech-recognizing device of claim 16 further configured to store a truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

19. A device configured to:

segment a word into a string of consecutive phonemes; and

categorize the word according to predefined levels of pronunciation by associating certain sequences of the phonemes with a pronunciation level for the word the sequences being different for the plurality of levels.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the plurality of levels are based on pronunciation of the words.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes a complete sequence of phonemes for the word.

22. The device of claim 19 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

23. The device of claim 19 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes sequence of phonemes for the word with at least one omitted phoneme.

24. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for executing instructions on a processor, the computer program product being operable to cause a machine to:

segment a word into a string of consecutive phonemes;

store a plurality of sequences of the phonemes, at least one of the sequences omitting at least one phoneme that is preceding a last one of the phonemes in the string and succeeding a first one of the phonemes in the string;

compare an utterance with the plurality of sequences of phonemes; and

determine if a match exists between the utterance and a particular one of the sequences of phonemes.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising instructions to cause a machine to store a sequence of all the phonemes for the word.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising instructions to cause a machine to store a truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

27. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for executing instructions on a processor, the computer program product being operable to cause a machine to:

segment a word into a string of consecutive phonemes;

categorize the word according to predefined levels of pronunciation by associating certain sequences of the phonemes with a pronunciation level for the word the sequences being different for the plurality of levels.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the plurality of levels are based on pronunciation of the words.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes a complete sequence of phonemes for the word.

30. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes truncated sequence of phonemes for the word.

31. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the sequences of phonemes includes sequence of phonemes for the word with at least one omitted phoneme.