Method and apparatus for controlling a digital computer using oral input

• US 5,729,659 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Potter Voice Technologies LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jerry L. Potter
• Inventors: Potter, Jerry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B.
• Application Number:
  US08/471,787
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.66, 395/2.67, 395/2.4, 395/2.6, 395/2.84, 395/2.79, 364/419.08
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/193 Formal grammars, e.g. finite state automata, context free grammars or word networks

Abstract

Oral input is used to control a digital computer. Associative searching techniques of tabular data structures are used in conjunction with rules and conventions derived from natural language to facilitate the use of oral input. The method is capable of being implemented in connection with conventional sequential computers, associative single-instruction multiple data computers and parallel processors.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a digital computer using oral input, comprising:

(a) providing receiving means and a digital computer;

(b) receiving oral input comprising a plurality of words;

(c) generating input information corresponding to said oral input;

(d) associatively searching a tabular data structure comprising labels using at least a first part of said input information to locate at least a first label in such tabular data structure relating to said input information; and

(e) determining content information relating to said oral input.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises dividing said input information into word groups, using information relating to conventions of a spoken natural language to resolve ambiguities.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises dividing said input information into word groups and using information relating to usage of words in a spoken natural language to resolve ambiguities.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

(i) using said content information to identify an operation to be performed on said data; and

(ii) performing the identified operation on said data in a digital computer.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said tabular data structure is mapped onto an associative memory device and said identified operation is performed using an associative processor.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

(i) outputting a request for further input information relating to said input information.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of words comprises a verb or verb phrase and at least a first noun or noun phrase.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of words comprises a pronoun, and further comprising the step of storing a flag vector relating to said pronoun in the tabular data structure.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of words comprises a homonym, and further comprising the step of converting said homonym to a standard form relating to said homonym and storing said standard form in the tabular data structure.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of words comprises a synonym, and further comprising the step of converting said synonym to a standard form relating to said synonym and storing said standard form in the tabular data structure.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input information comprises an incorrectly recognized word and further comprising the step of converting said incorrectly recognized word to a standard form relating to said incorrectly recognized word and storing said standard form in the tabular data structure.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tabular data structure comprises a plurality of two-dimensional tabular data structures.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tabular data structure is mapped onto a sequential memory device.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tabular data structure is mapped onto an associative memory device.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital computer comprises an associative single-instruction multiple-data computer.

16. A method, as claimed claim 1, wherein said associative searching is performed using parallel processing.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said labels comprises a plurality of words.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said searching step comprises using content stored in a table in said tabular data structure to select at least a first row in said table.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said searching step comprises comparing said input information to said labels to identify the longest word group in the input information which matches a label in the tabular data structure.

20. A method for controlling a digital computer using oral input, comprising:

(a) providing receiving means and a digital computer;

(b) receiving oral input comprising a plurality of words, wherein said oral input includes a verb;

(c) generating input information corresponding to each of said plurality of words;

(d) associatively searching a tabular data structure comprising user application information using said input information to create search results;

(e) locating a data object comprising user application information stored in said tabular data structure using said search results;

(f) determining content information relating to said verb or verb phrase using command information stored in said tabular data structure;

(g) identifying an operation to be performed on said data object using said content information; and

(h) performing said operation on said data object.

21. A method, as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

(i) providing output means operatively connected to said digital computer; and

(ii) outputting information related to the results of said performing step.

22. An apparatus for using oral input to control a digital computer, comprising:

(a) receiving means for receiving oral input;

(b) word recognition means, operatively associated with said receiving means, for generating input information;

(c) a digital computer, operatively associated with said word recognition means;

(d) storage means, located within said digital computer, for storing data in a tabular data structure;

(e) search means, located within said digital computer, for associatively searching said tabular data structure, comprising means for identifying labels within said tabular data structure which relate to at least a first part of such input information;

(f) content determination means, located within said digital computer, for determining content information relating to input information; and

(g) processing means, located within said digital computer, for processing data.

23. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 22, further comprising output means operatively associated with the digital computer.

24. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:

(i) audio generator means for generating audio output information;

(ii) speech synthesizer means for generating output signals; and

(iii) audio output means for outputting audible speech.

25. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 22, wherein said digital computer comprises an associative single-instruction multiple-data computer.

26. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 22, wherein said storage means comprises an associative memory device.

27. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 22, wherein said processing means comprises a parallel processor.