Natural Language Interface Control System

• US 20080059188A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: KONOPKA, Courtney, ALMSTRAND, Lars
• Application Number:
  US11/932,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1815 Semantic context, e.g. disambiguation of the recognition hypotheses based on word meaning
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10

Abstract

A search is performed in a network for an attention word based on a first context including a first set of models, grammars, and lexica. Upon finding the attention word, a switch is performed to a second context to search for an open-ended user request. The second context includes a second set of models, grammars, and lexicons and the open-ended user request does not follow a predetermined format.

Claims

1. A method of speech recognition in a network comprising:

receiving a communication in a network, the communication including an attention word;

searching for an attention word based on a first context including a first set of models, grammars, and lexica; and

switching, upon finding the attention word, to a second context to search for an open-ended user request, wherein the second context includes a second set of models, grammars, and lexicons and wherein the open-ended user request does not follow a predetermined format.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein searching for an attention word comprises applying speech recognition to the open-ended user request.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein applying the speech recognition comprises applying hidden Markov models to the open-ended user request.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the attention word is received via a microphone array.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising subsequently searching for a device identifier subsequent to the attention word.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is selected from a group consisting of a home network, an office network, and a personal network.

7. A speech recognition device used in a network comprising:

an interface for receiving received speech including an attention word; and

a controller coupled to the interface, the controller being configured and arranged to search for the attention word based on a first context including a first set of models, grammars, and lexica, the controller being further configured and arranged to switch, upon finding the attention word, to a second context to search for an open-ended user request, wherein the second context includes a second set of models, grammars, and lexicons and wherein the open-ended user request does not follow a predetermined format.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured and arranged to search for an attention word by applying speech recognition to the open-ended user request.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the speech recognition includes the application of hidden Markov models to the open-ended user request.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the speech recognition includes application of N gram grammars to the open-ended request.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein interface comprises a three-dimensional microphone array.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the three-dimensional microphone array comprises a linear microphone array.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the three-dimensional microphone array comprises a planar microphone array.

14. The device of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured and arranged to subsequently search for a device identifier subsequent to receiving the attention word.

15. The device of claim 7 wherein the interface is configured and arranged to receive wireless commands.