User interface for speech recognition system grammars

• US 6,456,972 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ScanSoft, Inc. n/k/a Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Baptista, Rafael, Gladstein, Brian, Armstrong, John III
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Application Number:
  US09/410,213
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 704/200, 704/270, 704/272, 704/275, 704/276, 704/257, 704/9, 704/10, 704/251, 704/252, 704/255
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/222 Barge in, i.e. overridable guidance for interrupting prompts
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A graphical user interface allows a speech recognition system user to browse available grammars and their topics. A dialog box interface displays the currently active grammar, grammar searching mode, and a current input. A list of valid word phrases of at least one word also is generated and displayed. Using the interface, a user additionally may select an active grammar and a method of searching and displaying valid examples from the grammar based on the current input.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for use in a speech recognition system, for user interaction with at least one grammar of valid vocabulary and usage for an application that is accessible to the speech recognition system, the interface comprising:

an interactive dialog box in a portion of a display screen;

a grammar identifier displayed within the dialog box which describes an active grammar;

a search identifier displayed within the dialog box which describes a grammar search mode for determining valid inputs according to the active grammar;

a current input displayed within the dialog box which describes a spoken input; and

a valid grammar list displayed within the dialog box which lists examples of valid vocabulary and usage according to the grammar search mode for the active grammar.

2. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the active grammar is interactively selectable using the dialog box.

3. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the grammar search mode is interactively selectable using the dialog box.

4. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein one of the examples displayed in the valid grammar list is interactively selectable as an input to the application of the active grammar.

5. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the grammar search mode determines all word phrases of at least one word which are valid in the active grammar.

6. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the grammar search mode determines word phrases of at least one word which contain the current input and which are valid in the active grammar.

7. A graphical user interface as in claim 6, wherein the word phrases begin with the current input.

8. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, further including an active grammar display within the dialog box which displays the active grammar.

9. A graphical user interface as in claim 8, wherein the current input is interactively selectable using the active grammar display.

10. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the examples displayed in the valid grammar list are biased towards shortness by use of a matrix-based algorithm.

11. A graphical user interface as in claim 10, wherein the matrix-based algorithm determines an average generated example length to bias the examples towards shortness.

12. A graphical user interface as in claim 1, wherein the valid vocabulary includes a set of commands applicable to the application.

13. A method of user interaction via a graphical user interface with at least one grammar of valid vocabulary and usage for an application accessible to a speech recognition system, the method comprising:

creating an interactive dialog box in a portion of a display screen;

displaying within the dialog box;

a grammar identifier which describes an active grammar,

a search identifier which describes a grammar searching mode for determining valid inputs according to the active grammar, and

a current input which describes a spoken input; and

generating and displaying within the dialog box a valid grammar list which lists examples of valid vocabulary and usage according to the grammar search mode for the active grammar.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the active grammar is interactively selected using the dialog box.

15. A method as in claim 13, wherein the grammar search mode is interactively selected using the dialog box.

16. A method as in claim 13, wherein the method further includes selecting one of the examples displayed in the valid grammar list as an input to the application of the active grammar.

17. A method as in claim 13, wherein the grammar search mode determines all word phrases of at least one word which are valid in the active grammar.

18. A method as in claim 13, wherein the grammar search mode determines word phrases of at least one word which contain the current input and which are valid in the active grammar.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the word phrases begin with the current input.

20. A method as in claim 13, wherein the step of displaying within the dialog box further includes displaying the active grammar.

21. A method as in claim 20, wherein the current input is interactively selected using the display of the active grammar.

22. A method as in claim 13, wherein the examples displayed in the valid grammar list are biased towards shortness by use of a matrix-based algorithm.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the matrix-based algorithm determines an average generated example length to bias the examples towards shortness.

24. A method as in claim 13, wherein the valid vocabulary includes a set of commands applicable to the application.