Voice processing unit and system, and voice processing method

• US 20070143102A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Eiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A client (10) transmits a service request signal to a Web server (20). The Web server which has received the service request signal generates an ID for each session, and transmits the ID to the client together with window information. The client then transmits input voice information to a voice processing server (30) together with the ID. The voice processing server which has received the voice information and the ID processes the voice information, and transmits the processing result to the Web server together with the ID. The Web server prepares information reflecting the voice processing result obtained by the voice processing server in correspondence with the ID from the voice processing server, and transmits the information to the client. Letting the client, Web server, and voice processing server share an ID for each session in this manner allows the server side to comprehend the relationship between the information downloaded from the Web server to the client and the voice information transmitted from the client to the voice processing server. As a consequence, even if the Web server and the voice processing server receive access from a plurality of clients, proper information reflecting the voice processing result can be downloaded.

Claims

1. A voice processing system characterized by comprising:

a terminal which transmits input voice information and outputs received information;

a voice processing unit which performs voice processing on the basis of voice information from said terminal; and

an information providing unit which receives a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing unit and transmits information reflecting the voice processing result to said terminal,

wherein one of said information providing unit and said voice processing unit generates processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed by said by said voice processing unit and said information providing unit on the basis of the voice information, and said terminal, said voice processing unit, and said information providing unit share the processing identification information.

2. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said voice processing unit comprises voice processing executing means for performing at least one of voice recognition processing, interaction processing, and collation processing as the voice processing.

7. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing identification information is unique identification information of said terminal.

8. A voice processing system according to claim 7, characterized in that said terminal comprises

unique identification information output means for outputting the unique identification information, and

communication means for transmitting the unique identification information from said unique identification information means as the processing identification information to said voice processing unit and said information providing unit.

9. A voice processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that said unique identification information output means outputs, as the unique identification information without any change, terminal identification information held in advance by said terminal.

10. A voice processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that said unique identification information output means comprises means for generating and outputting the unique identification information on the basis of terminal identification information held in advance by said terminal.

11. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said terminal comprises communication means for transmitting the processing identification information to said voice processing unit together with the input voice information, and

said voice processing unit comprises

reception means for receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from said terminal,

voice processing executing means for executing voice processing for the received voice information, and

transmission means for transmitting the processing identification information to said information providing unit upon containing the information in a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing executing means.

12. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said terminal comprises communication means for transmitting a transmission packet having the processing identification information stored in a header portion to said voice processing unit.

13. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said information providing unit comprises

reception means for receiving, together with the processing identification information, a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing unit,

information management means for preparing resultant information reflecting the voice processing result, in correspondence with the processing identification information, and

transmission means for transmitting the resultant information to said terminal, and

said terminal comprises output means for outputting the resultant information from said information providing unit.

14. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said information providing unit comprises

reception means for receiving, together with the processing identification information, a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing unit,

information management means for preparing content information reflecting the voice processing result, in correspondence with the processing identification information, and

transmission means for transmitting the content information to said terminal, and

said terminal comprises output means for outputting the content information from said information providing unit.

15. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said information providing unit comprises

first reception means for receiving, together with the processing identification information, a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing unit, and

information management means for placing content information reflecting the voice processing result in a place represented by URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information containing the processing identification information, and

first transmission for transmitting the content information corresponding to the URL information designated by said terminal to said terminal.

16. A voice processing system according to claim 15, characterized in that said information providing unit further comprises

second transmission means for transmitting recognition resultant information corresponding to input voice which reflects the voice processing result to said terminal,

third transmission means for transmitting, to said terminal, the content information corresponding to the URL information designated by said terminal which has received the recognition resultant information.

17. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the voice information is at least one of digitalized voice data, compressed voice data, and a feature vector.

18. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said terminal, said voice processing unit, and said information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other,

said client comprises

first transmission means for transmitting a service request signal to said information providing server when a service request is issued,

reception means for receiving the processing identification information transmitted from said information providing server as a response to the service request signal, and

second transmission means for transmitting the input voice information to said voice processing server together with the processing identification information,

said voice processing server comprises

reception means for receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from said client,

voice processing executing means for executing voice processing for the received voice information, and

transmission means for transmitting a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing executing means and the processing identification information to said information providing server, and

said information providing server comprises

reception means for receiving the service request signal from said client and the voice processing result and the processing identification information from said voice processing server,

said identification information generating means for generating the processing identification information when the service request signal is received,

information management means for generating information to be presented to said client on the basis of the processing identification information generated by said identification information generating means, and generating information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information from said voice processing server, and

transmission means for transmitting the generated processing identification information and the information to said client.

19. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said terminal, said voice processing unit, and said information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other,

said client comprises

unique identification information output means for outputting unique identification information of said client as the processing identification information,

first transmission means for transmitting a service request signal and the processing identification information to said information providing server when a service request is issued, and

second transmission means for transmitting the input voice information to said voice processing server together with the processing identification information,

said voice processing server comprises

reception means for receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from said client,

voice processing executing means for executing voice processing for the received voice information, and

transmission means for transmitting a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing means and the processing identification information to said information providing server, and

said information providing server comprises

reception means for receiving the service request signal and the processing identification information from said client and the voice processing result and the processing identification information from said voice processing server,

information management means for generating information to be presented to said client on the basis of the processing identification information from said client, and generating information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information from said voice processing server, and

transmission means for transmitting the information generated by said information management means to said client.

20. A voice processing system according to claim 19, characterized in that said unique identification information output means uses, as the unique identification information, terminal identification information held in advance by said client.

21. A voice processing system according to claim 19, characterized in that said unique identification information output means comprises means for generating the unique identification information on the basis of terminal identification information held in advance by said client.

22. A voice processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that

said terminal, said voice processing unit, and said information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other,

said client comprises

first transmission means for transmitting a service request signal to said information providing server when a service request is issued,

second transmission means for transmitting a voice processing request signal to said voice processing server,

reception means for receiving the processing identification information transmitted from said voice processing server as a response to the voice processing request signal,

third transmission means for transmitting the received processing identification information to said information providing server, and

fourth transmission means for transmitting the input voice information to said voice processing server together with the processing identification information,

said voice processing server comprises

first reception means for receiving the voice processing request signal from said client,

said identification information generating means for generating the processing identification information when the voice processing request signal is received,

first transmission means for transmitting the generated processing identification information to said client,

second reception means for receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from said client,

voice processing executing means for executing voice processing for the voice information from said client, and

transmission means for transmitting a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing executing means and the processing identification information from said client to said information providing server, and

said information providing server comprises

reception means for receiving the service request signal and the processing identification information from said client and the voice processing result and the processing identification information from said voice processing server,

information management means for generating information to be presented to said client on the basis of the service request signal from said client and generating information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information from said voice processing server, and

transmission means for transmitting the information generated by said information management means to said client.

3. (canceled)

4. A voice processing system according to claim 3, characterized in that one of said information providing unit and said voice processing unit further comprises communication means for transmitting the generated processing identification information to said terminal.

5. A voice processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that said terminal comprises communication means for receiving the processing identification information generated by one of said information providing unit and said voice processing unit and transmitting the received processing identification information to the other of said information providing unit and said voice processing unit.

6. A voice processing system according to claim 4, wherein said terminal comprises communication means for receiving the processing identification information generated by said identification information generating means of said information providing unit and transmitting the received processing identification information to said voice processing unit together with the input voice information.

23. A voice processing method characterized by comprising the steps of:

causing a terminal to transmit input voice information to a voice processing unit;

causing the voice processing unit to perform voice processing for the voice information from the terminal;

transmitting a voice processing result to an information providing unit; and

causing the information providing unit to prepare information reflecting the voice processing result obtained by the voice processing unit, and the step of transmitting the prepared information to the terminal,

wherein one of said information providing unit and said voice processing unit generates Processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed by said voice processing unit and said information providing unit on the basis of the voice information, and said terminal, said voice processing unit, and said information providing unit share the processing identification information.

24. A voice processing method according to claim 23, characterized in that

the terminal, the voice processing unit, and the information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other, and

the method comprises the steps of

causing the client to transmit a service request signal to the information providing server,

causing the information providing server to generate the processing identification information when receiving the service request signal, generating information to be presented to the client on the basis of the processing identification information, and transmitting the generated processing identification information and the information to the client,

causing the client to transmit the input voice information to the voice processing server together with the processing identification information from the information providing server,

causing the voice processing server to perform voice processing for the voice information from the client, and transmitting a voice processing result and the processing identification information from the client to the information providing server, and

causing the information providing server to prepare, in correspondence with the processing identification information from the voice processing server, information reflecting the voice processing result obtained by the voice processing server, and transmitting the prepared information to the terminal.

25. A voice processing method according to claim 23, characterized in that

the terminal, the voice processing unit, and the information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other, and

the method comprises the steps of

causing the client to transmit a service request signal and the processing identification information to the information providing server,

causing the information providing server to generate information to be presented to the client on the basis of the processing identification information when receiving the service request signal and the processing identification information, and transmitting the generated information to the client,

causing the client to transmit the input voice information to the voice processing server together with the processing identification information after receiving the information from the information providing server,

causing the voice processing server to perform voice processing for the voice information from the client, and transmitting a voice processing result and the processing identification information from the client to the information providing server, and

causing the information providing server to prepare, in correspondence with the processing identification information from the voice processing server, information reflecting the voice processing result obtained by the voice processing server, and transmitting the prepared information to the terminal.

26. A voice processing method according to claim 25, characterized by further comprising the step of causing the client to output unique identification information of the client,

wherein the step of causing the client to transmit the processing identification information comprises the step of transmitting the unique identification information of the client as the processing identification information.

27. A voice processing method according to claim 26, characterized in that the step of outputting comprises the step of using terminal identification information held in advance by the client as the unique identification information.

28. A voice processing method according to claim 26, characterized in that the step of outputting comprises the step of generating the unique identification information on the basis of terminal identification information held in advance by the client.

29. A voice processing method according to claim 23, characterized in that

the terminal, the voice processing unit, and the information providing unit are respectively a client, a voice processing server, and an information providing server which are communication-connected to each other, and

the method comprises the steps of

causing the client to transmit a service request signal to the information providing server,

causing the information providing server to generate information to be presented to the client when receiving the service request signal, and transmitting the generated information to the client,

causing the client to transmit a voice processing request signal to the voice processing server,

causing the voice processing server to generate the processing identification information when receiving the voice processing request signal, and transmitting the processing identification information to the client,

causing the client to receive the processing identification information from the voice processing server and transmit the processing identification information to the information providing server, and transmitting the input voice information to the voice processing server together with the processing identification information,

causing the voice processing server to perform voice processing for the voice information from the client, and transmitting a voice processing result and the processing identification information from the client to the information providing server, and

causing the information providing server to prepare, in correspondence with the processing identification information from the voice processing server, information reflecting the voice processing result obtained by the voice processing server, and transmitting the prepared information to the terminal.

30. An information providing server unit characterized by comprising:

first reception means for receiving a service request signal from a client;

identification information generating means for generating processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed on the basis of voice information from said client when the service request signal is received;

means for generating first information to be presented to said client on the basis of the processing identification information;

first transmission means for transmitting the processing identification information and the first information to said client;

second reception means for receiving a voice processing result and the processing identification information from a voice processing server which performs voice processing upon receiving the voice signal and the processing identification information from said client;

means for generating second information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information from the voice processing server; and

second transmission means for transmitting the second information to said client.

31. A client unit characterized by comprising:

unique identification information output means for outputting unique identification information of the client unit as processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed by a voice processing server which performs voice processing for voice information from the client unit and an information providing server which transmits information reflecting a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing server to the client unit;

first transmission means for transmitting a service request signal and the processing identification information to said information providing server when a service request is issued; and

second transmission means for transmitting the input voice information to said voice processing server together with the processing identification information.

32. A client unit according to claim 31, characterized in that said unique identification information output means uses, as the unique identification information without any change, terminal identification information held in advance by the client unit.

33. A client unit according to claim 31, characterized in that said unique identification information output means comprises means for generating the unique identification information on the basis of terminal identification information held in advance by the client unit.

34. A voice processing server unit characterized by comprising:

first reception means for receiving a voice processing request signal from a client;

identification information generating means for generating processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed on the basis of voice information from said client when the voice processing request signal is received;

first transmission means for transmitting the processing identification information to said client;

second reception means for receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from said client;

voice processing executing means for performing voice processing for the voice information from said client; and

transmission means for transmitting, to an information providing server, a voice processing result obtained by said voice processing executing means and the processing identification information from said client, while generating information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information.

35. A program which causes a computer serving as an information providing server unit to implement:

a first reception function of receiving a service request signal from a client;

an identification information generating function of generating processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed on the basis of voice information from the client when the service request signal is received;

a function of generating first information to be presented to the client on the basis of the processing identification information;

a first transmission function of transmitting the processing identification information and the first information to the client;

a second reception function of receiving the voice signal and the processing identification information from the client and receiving a voice processing result and the processing identification information from a voice processing server which performs voice processing;

a function of generating second information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information from the voice processing server; and

a second transmission function of transmitting the second information to the client.

36. A program which causes a computer serving as a client unit to implement:

a unique identification information output function of outputting unique identification information of the client unit as processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed by a voice processing server which performs voice processing for voice information from the client unit and an information providing server which transmits information reflecting a voice processing result to the client unit;

a first transmission function of transmitting a service request signal and the processing identification information to the information providing server when a service request is issued; and

a second transmission function of transmitting the input voice information and the processing identification information to the voice processing server.

37. A program according to claim 36, wherein as the unique identification information output function, the program implements a function of using terminal identification information held in advance by the client unit as the unique identification information without any change.

38. A program according to claim 36, wherein as the unique identification information output function, the program implements a function of generating the unique identification information on the basis of terminal identification information held in advance by the client unit.

39. A program which causes a computer serving as a voice processing server unit to implement:

a first reception function of receiving a voice processing request signal from a client;

an identification information generating function of generating processing identification information corresponding to a series of processes performed on the basis of voice information from the client when the voice processing request signal is received;

a first transmission function of transmitting the processing identification information to the client;

a second reception function of receiving the voice information and the processing identification information from the client;

a voice processing execution function of executing voice processing for the voice information from the client; and

a transmission function of transmitting, to an information providing server, a voice processing result obtained by the voice processing execution function and the processing identification information from the client, while generating information reflecting the voice processing result in correspondence with the processing identification information.

40. An information processing system characterized by comprising a client and a plurality of servers,

wherein a series of processes (A), (B), and (C):

(A) in association with processing executed by at least one of said plurality of servers on the basis of a request from said client, processing is performed by another server in accordance with the request,

(B) exchanging a processing result between said another server and said one server, and

(C) causing said one server to generate response information in response to the request on the basis of the processing result are managed by common processing identification information shared by said client, said one server, and said another server, and the processing identification information is generated by one of said one server and said another server.

42. An information processing system according to claim 40, characterized in that as the processing identification information, unique identification information of said client is used.

43. An information processing system according to claim 40, characterized in that

said one server comprises a Web server, and said another server comprises a voice processing server which performs voice processing, and

voice uttered by a user which is input to said client is managed by the processing identification information.

41. (canceled)