User identification system using improved voice print identification processing

• US 6,389,397 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Otto, Mary Rita
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks-Harold, Marsha D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N.
• Application Number:
  US09/220,254
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/273, 704/275, 704/231, 704/246
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/24 the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase

Abstract

The system for improved voice print identification divides the user identification validation process into multiple steps: presorting the prestored user identity validation data based upon a user provided voice input to produce a subset of user identity validation data, and processing the identified subset of the user identity validation data using a voice print identification system. This system implements the multiple step user identification validation process by converting a user provided voice input into a text stream, which is used to sort through the stored user identity validation data to create a subset of stored user identity validation data that comprises one or more of the data entries that likely correspond to the user provided voice input. The voice print identification system is then activated to compare a user provided voice input to the selected subset of stored user identity validation data to validate the identity of the user who is requesting access.

Claims

1. A user identification validation system that verifies the identity of a user who provides a voice input to said user identification validation system, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of user identification data entries, each of said user identification data entries serving to uniquely identifying a particular user and comprising at least one voice input segment provided by said particular user, comprising;

a memory for storing said plurality of user identification data entries, at least one for each of the users who access said user identification validation system;

means for indexing each of said plurality of user identification data entries by a sort key provided by said particular user,

means for writing in each of said plurality of user identification data entries

a prestored user provided voice input segment;

means, responsive to a service requesting user accessing said user identification validation system, for converting at least a portion of a voice input provided by said service requesting user into a text string;

means for identifying at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries stored in said means for storing that contains data matching said text string; and

a voice recognition system that is operational to compare said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries to validate the identity of said service requesting user

a memory for storing said plurality of user identification data entries, at least one for each of the users who access said user identification validation system;

means for indexing each of said plurality of user identification data entries by a sort key provided by said particular user; and

means for writing in each of said plurality of user identification data entries a prestored user provided voice input segment.

2. The user identification validation system of claim 1 wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said user identification validation system further comprising:

means, responsive to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, for directly connecting said service requesting user with said service providing system.

3. The user identification validation system of claim 1 wherein said means for identifying comprises:

means for generating data indicative of all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string.

4. The user identification validation system of claim 3 wherein said means for identifying further comprises:

means, responsive to said generated data, for presenting said voice recognition system seriatim with each of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string to enable said voice recognition system to identify a match between said voice input provided by said service requesting user with a one of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string.

5. The user identification validation system of claim 4, wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said user identification validation system further comprising:

means, responsive to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, for directly connecting said service requesting user with said service providing system.

6. The user identification validation system of claim 1 wherein said sort key provided by said particular user comprises said prestored user provided voice input segment, said means for indexing comprises:

means for converting said prestored user provided voice input segment into a text string; and

means for storing said text string as said sort key for said particular user.

7. A method of operating a user identification validation system that verifies the identity of a user who provides a voice input to said user identification validation system, comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory a plurality of user identification data entries, each of said user identification data entries serving to uniquely identifying a particular user and comprising at least one voice input segment provided by said particular user, comprising;

indexing each of said plurality of user identification data entries by a sort key provided by said particular user,

writing in each of said plurality of user identification data entries a prestored

user provided voice input segment;

converting, in response to a service requesting user accessing said user identification validation system, at least a portion of a voice input provided by said service requesting user into a text string;

identifying at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries stored in said means for storing that contains data matching said text string; and

operating a voice recognition system to compare said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries to validate the identity of said service requesting user.

8. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 7 wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said method further comprising the step of:

directly connecting, in response to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, said service requesting user with said service providing system.

9. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 7 wherein said step of identifying comprises:

generating data indicative of all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string.

10. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 9 wherein said step of identifying further comprises:

presenting, in response to said generated data, said voice recognition system seriatim with each of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string to enable said voice recognition system to identify a match between said voice input provided by said service requesting user with a one of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string.

11. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 10, wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said method further comprising the step of:

directly connecting, in response to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, said service requesting user with said service providing system.

12. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 7 wherein said sort key provided by said particular user comprises said prestored user provided voice input segment, said step of indexing comprises:

converting said prestored user provided voice input segment into a text string; and

storing said text string as said sort key for said particular user.

13. A user identification validation system that verifies the identity of a user who provides a voice input to said user identification validation system, comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of user identification data entries, each of said user identification data entries serving to uniquely identifying a particular user and comprising at least one voice input segment provided by said particular user;

means for storing a string of text as a sort key in said user identification data entry corresponding to said particular user, which sort key is provided by said particular user;

voice to text conversion means, responsive to a service requesting user accessing said user identification validation system, for converting at least a portion of a voice input provided by said service requesting user into a text string;

means for identifying at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries stored in said memory that contains a sort key that matches said text string comprising;

means for generating data indicative of all of said sort keys stored in said memory that differ from said text string by less than a predetermined amount,

means, responsive to said generated data, for presenting said voice recognition system seriatim with each of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string to enable said voice recognition system to identify a match between said voice input provided by said service requesting user with a one of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string; and

a voice recognition system that is operational to compare said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one voice input segment that is stored in said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries to validate the identity of said service requesting user.

14. The user identification validation system of claim 13 wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said user identification validation system further comprising:

means, responsive to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, for directly connecting said service requesting user with said service providing system.

15. The method of operating a user identification validation system of claim 14 wherein said user identification validation system is connected to and interconnects said user and a service providing system, said method further comprising the step of:

directly connecting, in response to said voice recognition system matching said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries, said service requesting user with said service providing system.

16. A method of operating a user identification validation system that verifies the identity of a user who provides a voice input to said user identification validation system, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of user identification data entries in a memory, each of said user identification data entries serving to uniquely identifying a particular user and comprising at least one voice input segment provided by said particular user;

storing a string of text as a sort key in said user identification data entry corresponding to said particular user, which sort key is provided by said particular user;

operating a voice to text conversion apparatus, in response to a service requesting user accessing said user identification validation system, to convert at least a portion of a voice input provided by said service requesting user into a text string;

identifying at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries stored in said memory that contains a sort key that matches said text string, comprising;

generating data indicative of all of said sort keys stored in said memory that differ from said text string by less than a predetermined amount,

presenting, in response to said generated data, said voice recognition system seriatim with each of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string to enable said voice recognition system to identify a match between said voice input provided by said service requesting user with a one of said user provided voice input segments corresponding to each of said all of said sort keys stored in said memory that substantially match said text string; and

operating a voice recognition system to compare said voice input provided by said service requesting user with said at least one voice input segment that is stored in said at least one of said plurality of user identification data entries to validate the identity of said service requesting user.