Modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu in dependence upon speech command frequency

• US 20060287866A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Pike, Hilary A., Wintermute, David W., Lewis, Benjamin D., Jablokov, Igor R., Smith, Daniel M., Hollinger, Michael C., Zaitzeff, Michael A., Cross, Charles W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/183 using context dependencies, e.g. language models
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/197 Probabilistic grammars, e.g. word n-grams

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu that include monitoring a user invoking a speech command in a first tier grammar, and adding the speech command to a second tier grammar in dependence upon the frequency of the user invoking the speech command. Adding the speech command to a second tier grammar may be carried out by adding the speech command to a higher tier grammar or by adding the speech command to a lower tier grammar. Adding the speech command to a second tier grammar may include storing the speech command in a grammar cache in the second tier grammar.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu, the method comprising:

monitoring a user invoking a speech command in a first tier grammar; and

adding the speech command to a second tier grammar in dependence upon the frequency of the user invoking the speech command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein adding the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprises adding the speech command to a higher tier grammar.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein adding the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprises maintaining a use count for the speech command;

and

including the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count counter exceeds a maximum value of a use threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adding the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprises adding the speech command to a lower tier grammar.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein adding the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprises maintaining a use count for the speech command;

and

including the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count is below a minimum value of a use threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein adding the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprises storing the speech command in a grammar cache in the second tier grammar.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein first tier grammar is associated with a first GUI menu and the second tier grammar is associated with a second GUI menu;

and

further comprising adding a GUI object associated with the speech command to the second GUI menu.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating an action with the speech command.

9. A system for modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu, the system comprising:

a computer processor;

a computer memory coupled for data transfer to the processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions comprising;

a grammar modification module;

the grammar modification module capable of;

monitoring a user invoking a speech command in a first tier grammar; and

adding the speech command to a second tier grammar in dependence upon the frequency of the user invoking the speech command.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the grammar modification module is further capable of maintaining a use count for the speech command, and

including the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count exceeds a maximum value of a use threshold.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the grammar modification module is further capable of maintaining a use count for the speech command;

and

including the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count is below a minimum value of a use threshold.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the grammar modification module is further capable of storing the speech command in a grammar cache in the second tier grammar.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the grammar modification module is further capable of associating an action with the speech command.

14. A computer program product for modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu, the method comprising:

the computer program product disposed upon a recording medium, the computer program product comprising;

computer program instructions that monitor a user invoking a speech command in a first tier grammar; and

computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar in dependence upon the frequency of the user invoking the speech command.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprise computer program instructions that add the speech command to a higher tier grammar.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprise computer program instructions that maintain a use count for the speech command;

and

computer program instructions that include the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count exceeds a maximum value of a use threshold.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprise computer program instructions that add the speech command to a lower tier grammar.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprise maintaining a use count for the speech command;

and

computer program instructions that include the speech command in the second tier grammar if the value of the use count is below a minimum value of a use threshold.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein computer program instructions that add the speech command to a second tier grammar further comprise computer program instructions that store the speech command in a grammar cache in the second tier grammar.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising computer program instructions that associate an action with the speech command.