COMBINED SPEECH AND TOUCH INPUT FOR OBSERVATION SYMBOL MAPPINGS

• US 20100250248A1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Willins, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/142 Hidden Markov Models [HMMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/20 Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech G10L21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/24 Speech recognition using non-acoustical features
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/226 using non-speech characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

The invention relates to systems and or methodologies for enabling combined speech and touch inputs for observation symbol mappings. More particularly, the current innovation leverages the commonality of touch screen display text entry and speech recognition based text entry to increase the speed and accuracy of text entry via mobile devices. Touch screen devices often contain small and closely grouped keypads that can make it difficult for a user to press the intended character, by combining touch screen based text entry with speech recognition based text entry the aforementioned limitation can be overcome efficiently and conveniently.

Claims

1. A system for mobile device text entry, comprising:

a text recognition component that obtains a set of inputs from a text entry component, and produces a set of observations based on the inputs;

a voice recognition component that obtains audio data from an audio capture component, and produces a set of observations based on the audio data; and

a predictive component that combines the observations from the text recognition component and the voice recognition component into a concatenated observation sequence, and generates a textual output based on the concatenated observation sequence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the text entry component is a touch screen display.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the touch screen displays provides a virtual set of keys for a user to input a set of characters.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive component employs a Hidden-Markov Model to generate the textual output.

5. The system of claim 4,wherein the predictive component includes a Viterbi decoder that processes the concatenated observation sequence.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the text entry component obtains the inputs concurrently as the audio capture component obtains the audio data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user triggers an input via the text entry component that enables a secondary input mode, wherein the secondary input mode includes speech recognition.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence component that facilitates automation of one or more features of the system.

9. A method for mobile device text entry, comprising:

generating a first set of observations based on user inputs obtained via a first input device;

generating a second set of observations based on user inputs obtained via a second input device;

combining the first set of observations and the second set of observations to produce a set of combined observations; and

producing a textual output based at least in part on the combined observations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first or second input device is a touch screen display that provides a graphical key wedge which enables users to select at least one character by touching the character on the display.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first or second input device is an audio capture device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a Hidden-Markov Model to produce the textual output.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising processing the combined observations via a Viterbi decoder.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising obtaining the inputs via the first and second input devices virtually concurrently.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising triggering an input that enables a alternative input mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the alternative input mode includes speech recognition.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the user to access inputs via the alternative input mode that are not currently available.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising automating one or more features of the system via artificial intelligence.

19. A system for mobile device text entry, comprising:

means for generating a first set of observations based on user inputs obtained via a touch screen display that provides a graphical key interface, wherein users select at least one character by pressing the character on the interface;

means for generating a second set of observations based on user inputs obtained via an audio capture device; and

means for combining the first set of observations and the second set of observations to produce a set of concatenated observations; and

means for producing a textual output based on the concatenated observations by using at least one of a Viterbi decoder, or a Hidden-Markov Model.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising at least one of:

obtaining the user inputs via the touch screen display and audio capture device almost simultaneously, or triggering an input that enables an alternative input mode, wherein the alternative input mode provides the user with input options that are not presently available.