Method and apparatus for directing an audio file to a speech recognition program that does not accept such files

• US 6,421,643 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Custom Speech USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Custom Speech USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahn, Jonathan, Qin, Charles, Linden, Nicholas A., Sells, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAN, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/430,144
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 704/200, 704/270, 704/251-255, 704/231-243, 704/270.1, 704/278, 704/275, 345/709, 333/32
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/0631 Creating reference templates; Clustering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for directing a pre-recorded audio file to a speech recognition program that does not normally accept such files, such as IBM Corporation'"'"'s Via Voice™ speech recognition program. The method includes: (a) launching the speech recognition program to accept speech as if the speech recognition program were receiving live audio from a microphone; (b) finding a mixer utility associated with the sound card; (c) opening the mixer utility, the mixer utility having settings that determine an input source and an output path; (d) changing the settings of the mixer utility to specify a line-in input source and a wave-out output path; (e) activating a microphone input of the speech recognition software; and (f) initiating a media player associated with the computer to play the pre-recorded audio file into the line-in input source. The method may additionally save and restore the original configuration settings of the mixer utility.

Claims

1. A method for directing a pre-recorded audio file to a speech recognition program that does not accept such files, the speech recognition program being stored on a computer that has a sound card, said method comprising:

(a) launching the speech recognition program to accept speech as if the speech recognition program were receiving live audio from a microphone;

(b) finding a mixer utility associated with the sound card;

(c) opening the mixer utility, the mixer utility having settings that determine an input source and an output path;

(d) changing the settings of the mixer utility to specify a line-in input source and a wave-out output path;

(e) activating a microphone input of the speech recognition software; and

(f) initiating a media player associated with the computer to play the pre-recorded audio file into the line-in input source.

2. The invention according to claim 1 further including changing the mixer utility settings to mute audio output to speakers associated with the computer.

3. The invention according to claim 1 further including:

saving the settings of the mixer utility before changing the settings of the mixer utility to specify a line-in input source and a wave-out output path; and

restoring the saved sound card mixer settings after the media player finishes playing the pre-recorded audio file.

4. A system for directing a pre-recorded audio file to a speech recognition program that does not accept such files, said system comprising:

a computer having a sound card with an associated mixer utility, said computer executing said speech recognition program;

a media player operably associated with said computer, said media player capable of playing said pre-recorded audio file; and

means for changing settings of said associated mixer utility, such that said mixer utility receives an audio stream from said media player and outputs a resulting audio stream to said speech recognition program as a microphone input stream.

5. The invention according to claim 4 further including means for automatically opening said speech recognition program and activating said changing means.

6. The invention according to claim 5 further including means for saving and restoring an original configuration of said mixer utility.

7. The invention according to claim 4 further including means for saving and restoring an original configuration of said mixer utility.