Speech recognition system

• US 6,687,673 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mann, Robert James
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US10/369,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 704/243, 704/244, 704/251, 704/252, 704/254, 704/255, 704/270, 704/275
• US Class Current: 704/244
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A method of performing speech recognition to determine a particular alphabetic character can include receiving acoustic spoken input including a single alphabetic character and a word association with the single character such that the first character of the word is intended to be the same as the single alphabetic character. The acoustic input can be processed using a speech vocabulary recognition system to recognize the single alphabetic character and the word. An attempt to match the single alphabetic character with the first character of the word can be made and, responsive to an unsuccessful attempt at matching the single character with the first character of the word, information relating to the unsuccessful attempt can be stored into a history of unsuccessful attempts. The stored history information can be used to determine the alphabetic character for the spoken input.

Claims

1. A method of performing speech recognition to determine a particular alphabetic character, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving acoustic spoken input comprising a single alphabetic character and a word association with the single character such that the first character of said word is intended to be the same as said single alphabetic character;

b) processing said acoustic input by using a speech vocabulary recognition system to recognize said single alphabetic character and said word;

c) attempting to match said single alphabetic character with the first character of said word;

d) responsive to an unsuccessful attempt at matching said single character with the first character of said word, storing information relating to the unsuccessful attempt into a history of unsuccessful attempts,

wherein said stored history information is used to determine the alphabetic character for the spoken input.

2. Apparatus for performing speech recognition to determine a particular alphabetic character, comprising:

a) means for receiving acoustic spoken input comprising a single alphabetic character and a word association with the single character such that the first character of said word is intended to be the same as said single alphabetic character;

b) a speech vocabulary recognition system for processing said acoustic input for recognizing said single alphabetic character and said word;

c) means for attempting to match said single alphabetic character with the first character of said word;

d) means, responsive to an unsuccessful attempt at matching said single character with the first character of said word, for storing information relating to the unsuccessful attempt into a history of unsuccessful attempts,

wherein said stored history information is used to determine the alphabetic character for the spoken input.

3. A computer program product for performing speech recognition to determine a particular alphabetic character, said computer program comprising program code stored on a computer readable storage medium, which when executed on a computer, performs the steps of:

a) receiving acoustic spoken input comprising a single alphabetic character and a word association with the single character such that the first character of said word is intended to be the same as said single alphabetic character;

b) processing said acoustic input by using a speech vocabulary recognition system to recognize said single alphabetic character and said word;

c) attempting to match said single alphabetic character with the first character of said word;

d) responsive to an unsuccessful attempt at matching said single character with the first character of said word, storing information relating to the unsuccessful attempt into a history of unsuccessful attempts,

wherein said stored history information is used to determine the alphabetic character for the spoken input.