Speech-Recognition System for Location-Aware Applications

• US 20110066423A1
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Skiba, David Joseph, Erhart, George William, Matula, Valentine C.
• Application Number:
  US12/561,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and associated methods are disclosed that enable a speech-recognition system to perform functions related to the geo-locations of wireless telecommunications terminal users. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a geo-spatial grammar is employed that comprises rules concerning the geo-locations of users, and a speech-recognition system uses the geo-spatial grammar to estimate the geo-locations of wireless telecommunications terminal users and generate actions in location-aware applications, in addition to its usual function of identifying words and phrases in spoken language. The present invention is advantageous in a variety of location-aware applications, such as interactive voice response (IVR) systems, voice-activated navigation systems, voice search, and voice dialing.

Claims

1. A speech-recognition system comprising:

a feature extractor for extracting features from an electromagnetic signal that represents speech; and

a decoder for generating output in a language based on;

(i) output from said feature extractor,

(ii) the contents of a lexicon for said language, and

(iii) a first grammar that is for said language; and

WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES;

said decoder is also for generating actions for a location-aware application based on a second grammar; and

wherein said second grammar comprises one or more rules concerning the geo-locations of one or more users.

2. The speech-recognition system of claim 1 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on the current geo-location of one or more users.

3. The speech-recognition system of claim 2 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on the proximity of a first user to a second user.

4. The speech-recognition system of claim 2 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on the proximity of a user to a given geo-location.

5. The speech-recognition system of claim 2 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on whether one or more users are in a given area.

6. The speech-recognition system of claim 1 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on one or more prior geo-locations of one or more users.

7. The speech-recognition system of claim 1 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that is based on the current geo-location of a user and the calendrical time at the current geo-location of said user.

8. The speech-recognition system of claim 1 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that compares a geo-location of a user to an entry in a calendar.

9. The speech-recognition system of claim 1 wherein said location-aware application comprises handling calls based on the geo-locations of callers.

10. A speech-recognition system comprising:

a feature extractor for extracting features from an electromagnetic signal that represents speech; and

a decoder for generating output in a language based on;

(i) output from said feature extractor,

(ii) the contents of a lexicon for said language, and

(iii) a first grammar that is for said language; and

WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES;

said decoder is also for estimating a geo-location of a user U of a wireless telecommunications terminal T based on a second grammar; and

wherein said second grammar comprises one or more rules concerning the geo-locations of one or more users.

11. The speech-recognition system of claim 10 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that is for said user U.

12. The speech-recognition system of claim 10 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that is for a plurality of users.

13. The speech-recognition system of claim 10 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that predicts a geo-location of a user based on a prior geo-location of said user.

14. The speech-recognition system of claim 10 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that predicts a geo-location of a user of based on calendrical time.

15. The speech-recognition system of claim 10 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that predicts a geo-location of a user based on an entry in a calendar.

16. A method comprising:

receiving at a speech-recognition system an electromagnetic signal that represents speech;

generating at said speech-recognition system output in a language, wherein said output is based on said electromagnetic signal and a first grammar for said language;

receiving at said speech-recognition system one or more signals concerning the geo-location of one or more users; and

generating at said speech-recognition system an action for a location-aware application based on a second grammar;

wherein said second grammar comprises one or more rules concerning the geo-locations of one or more users.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said one or more signals are from a Global Positioning System receiver.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on the current geo-location of one or more users.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule for generating an action for said location-aware application based on one or more prior geo-locations of one or more users.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said second grammar comprises a rule that compares a geo-location of a user to an entry in a calendar.