SPEECH RECOGNITION ADJUSTMENT BASED ON MANUAL INTERACTION

• US 20090248419A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Clark, Jason W., Spaulding, Jeremy M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A method of operating a speech recognition system on a vehicle having a visual display and manually-operated input device that includes initiating a speech recognition system, controlling menu selections on a visual display using a manually-operated input device, receiving a notification from the manually-operated input device indicating that the user is manipulating the device in conjunction with the menu selections on the visual display, and adjusting operation of the speech recognition system based on input received by the manually-operated input device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a speech recognition system, comprising:

(a) providing a list of menu choices that can be inputted verbally by a user via a speech recognition system;

(b) displaying menu choices from the list on a visual display; and

(c) starting a listening period during which the speech recognition system listens for verbal input of one of the menu choices, wherein the method further comprises selecting the timing of the listening period based on data related to the size of the list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the timing further comprises lengthening the duration of the listening period in response to detecting that a user is interacting with the display of menu choices on the visual display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the timing further comprises delaying the start of the listening period in response to detecting that a user is interacting with the display of menu choices on the visual display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein only some of the menu choices in the list are displayed on the visual display at any one time, and wherein the method further comprises using a manually-operated input device to move through the list of menu choices by changing which menu choices are displayed in response to manipulation of the input device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending signals each time a user manipulates the manually-operated input device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the starting point of the listening period by counting the number of signals sent from the physical input device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the input device further comprises a rotary knob that allows the user to scroll through and select menu choices.

8. A method of operating a speech recognition system on a vehicle having a visual display and manually-operated input device, comprising:

(a) initiating a speech recognition system;

(b) controlling menu selections on a visual display using a manually-operated input device;

(c) receiving a notification from the manually-operated input device indicating that the user is manipulating the device in conjunction with the menu selections on the visual display; and

(d) adjusting operation of the speech recognition system based on input received by the manually-operated input device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the speech recognition system is part of a multi-modal system controlled by a shared visual/manual interface and a voice interface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further comprises beginning a listening period during which the speech recognition system receives speech input from the user.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) further comprises receiving signals sent from the manually-operated input device to a vehicle telematics device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of sending signals each time the user manipulates the manually-operated input device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the manually-operated input device in step (c) comprises a rotary knob that allows the user to scroll through and select menu items.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further comprises adjusting the length of a listening period of the speech recognition system based on the number of physical manipulations of the manually-operated device.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further comprises initiating a listening period at a point in time that is determined using the input received by the manually-operated input device.

16. A method of operating a speech recognition system, comprising:

(a) providing a visual display in a vehicle that shows user menu choices related to vehicle operation;

(b) providing a manually-operated input device that allows a user to move through a list of the menu choices shown on the visual display;

(c) sending a signal from the manually-operated input device to a vehicle telematics unit each time the user manipulates the device to move through the list;

(d) initiating a listening window during which the speech recognition system waits for verbal input of one of the menu choices; and

(e) changing the timing of the listening window in response to receiving signals sent from the manually-operated input device and received at the telematics unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (e) further comprises changing the length of the listening window when a predetermined number of signals have been sent from the manually-operated input device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein step (e) further comprises delaying the start of the listening window in step (d) when a predetermined number of signals have been sent from the manually-operated input device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein step (e) further comprises changing the timing based on a predetermined elapsed time during which no input is received from the input device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (e) further comprises extending the duration of the listening window until after the predetermined elapsed time.