Electronic device equipped with a voice user interface and a method in an electronic device for performing language configurations of a user interface

• US 20070073530A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Iso-Sipila, Juha, Viiki, Olli
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device, which includes a voice user interface (VUI), speech-recognition devices (SR) for implementing the voice user interface (VUI), and memory (MEM), in which language-configuration data is arranged for the user interface (VUI, UI), including several language packages (LP1-LP9), in which packages (LP1-LP9) several languages (L1-L34) are grouped, of which at least some of the languages (L1-L34) may belong to several language packages (LP1-LP9), and at least one language package (LP1) is arranged to be selected for use in the user interface (VUI, UI). In the invention, the language package (LP1-LP9) is selected by the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, which includes

a voice user interface (VUI) and a possible terminal user interface (TUI) for controlling the functions of the device,

speech-recognition devices (SR) for implementing the voice user interface (VUI), and

memory (MEM), in which language-configuration data is arranged for the user interface (VUI, UI), including several language packages (LP1-LP9), in which packages (LP1-LP9) several languages (L1-L34) are grouped, at least some of which languages (L1-L34) may belong to several language packages (LP1-LP9) and of which language packages (LP1-LP9) at least one (LP1) is arranged to be selected for use in the user interface (VUI, UI),

characterized in that the device is arranged to register at least a first language (L1/L6) for at least one user interface (VUI, UI), on the basis of which language information (L1/L6) the device is arranged to perform a selection of the language package (LP1/LP2) and, in order to perform which selection, information on the languages (L1-L34) belonging to each language package (LP1-LP9) is arranged in the device.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that, if the selected first language (L6) belongs to at least two language packages (LP1-LP7), the device is arranged to register in addition a second language (L11) for a second user interface (UI/VUI), on the basis of which first and second language information (L6, L11) the device is arranged to select the language package (LP2).

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that a native-language package is set for each language (L1-L34).

4. A device according to any of claim 1, characterized in that the said first language (L1/L6) is the voice-user-interface language (VUIL).

5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said second language (L11) is the user-interface language (UIL).

6. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the information, arranged in the memory (MEM) of the device on the languages (L1-L34) belonging to each language package (LP1-LP9), is arranged to form a look-up table, from which look-up table the selection of the language package (LP3) is arranged to be performed.

7. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that voice-user-interface language/user-interface language combinations (VUIL-UIL) are arranged in the look-up table, to each of which combinations (VUIL-UIL) a language package (LP1-LP9), suitable for selection, is linked.

8. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device is a mobile station.

16. A computer program for performing user-interface language configurations (LP1, LP2) in the electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the program is arranged

to register at least first language information (L1, L6) on at least one of the languages (VUIL) intended to be used in the device and

to select the language package (LP1) to be used in the device on the basis of the said registered language information (L1), from language-package information arranged in the device.

17. A computer program according to claim 16, characterized in that the program is arranged

to investigate the number of language packages (LP1-LP9) linked to the first language information. (L6), on the basis of which the program is arranged to additionally register the language information (L11) of a second language (UIL) and

to select the language package (LP2) to be used in the device, on the basis of the said first and second language information (L6, L11), from the said language-language package information arranged in the device.

18. A computer program according to claim 16, characterized in that the language—

language package information is arranged in the device as a look-up table from which the selection of the language package (LP1, LP3) is arranged to be execute with the computer program.

9. A method for carrying out user-interface language configurations (VUIL/UIL) in an electronic device, which user interfaces in the device can be, for example, a voice user interface (VUI) and, for example, a terminal user interface (TUI), and in which device, speech recognition (SR) is used to implement the voice user interface (VUI), the speech recognition (SR) utilizing a language package (LP3), of which there can be several in the device, and each of which language packages (LP1-LP9) belong several languages (L1-L34), some of which languages (L1-L34) can belong to several language packages (LP1-LP9), and from which language packages (LP1-LP9) one is selected for use in the user interface (VUI, TUI), characterized in that, in the method

language information (L1/L6/L11) is registered in the device and

the device selects for use the language package (LP1/LP2) to be activated on the basis of the said language information (L1/L6/L11).

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that, in the method

at least a first language (L1/L6) is registered as language information in the device for one user interface (VUI, UI) and

if the said first language (L1) belongs to a single language package (LP1) the device selects the language package (LP1) on the basis of the first language (L1).

11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that, if the selected first language (L6) belongs to several language packages (LP1-LP7), additionally in the method

a second language (L11) is registered in the device (10) for a second user interface (UI, VUI) and

the device selects the language package (LP2) on the basis of the first and second languages (L6, L11).

12. A method according to any of claim 9, characterized in that a native-language package is set for each language (L1-L34).

13. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the language-language-package information is arranged in the device to form a look-up table, from which the language package (LP1-LP3) selection is performed.

14. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the said first language (L1/L6) is the voice-user-interface language (VUIL).

15. A method according to any of claim 9, characterized in that the said second language (L11) is the user-interface language (UIL).