User configurable levels of security for a speaker verification system

• US 6,691,089 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mindspeed Technologies Inc. (MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Assaleh, Khaled, Su, Huan-yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US09/409,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 704/243, 704/244, 704/246, 704/270, 704/273, 704/275, 704/247, 704/250
• US Class Current: 704/244
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/24 the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase

Abstract

A text-prompted speaker verification system that can be configured by users based on a desired level of security. A user is prompted for a multiple-digit (or multiple-word) password. The number of digits or words used for each password is defined by the system in accordance with a user set preferred level of security. The level of training required by the system is defined by the user in accordance with a preferred level of security. The set of words used to generate passwords can also be user configurable based upon the desired level of security. The level of security associated with the frequency of false accept errors verses false reject errors is user configurable for each particular application.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a user configurable level of security for use in a speech recognition security system, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting an input from the user, the input identifying the user and indicating a desired level of security for configuring the speech recognition security system;

dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system in accordance with the desired level of security for the particular application;

determining if the speech recognition security system includes a first speaker model created for the identified user, the first speaker model having a security level equal to or greater than the desired level of security; and

creating a second speaker model for the identified user by training the speech recognition security system if the determining step determines that the speech recognition security system does not include the first speaker model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system includes the step of updating a parameter that defines the number of repetitions used to train the speech recognition system in accordance with the desired level of security.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the defined number of repetitions increase as the desired level of security increases.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the defined number of repetitions decrease as the desired level of security decreases.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system includes the step of updating a parameter that defines the number of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the defined number of words increase as the desired level of security increases.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the defined number of words decrease as the desired level of security decreases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system includes the step of updating a parameter that defines the frequency of false accept errors versus the frequency of false reject errors in accordance with the desired level of security.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameter is updated such that the frequency of false rejects increase and the frequency of false accepts decrease as the desired level of security increases.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameter is updated such that the frequency of false rejects decrease and the frequency of false accepts increase as the desired level security decreases.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system includes the step of updating a parameter that defines the set of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the defined set of words used to create passwords increase in number as the desired level of security increases.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the defined set of words used to create passwords decrease in number as the desired level of security decreases.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech recognition system is a speaker verification system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the speaker verification system is a text dependant speaker verification system.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the speaker verification system is a text independent speaker verification system.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing a speech of said user against said first speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing a speech of said user against said second speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating the second speaker model for the identified user based on the first speaker model if the determining step determines that the speech recognition security system includes the first speaker model.

20. A user configurable speech recognition security system comprising:

an input device for accepting an input from the user, the input identifying the user and indicating a desired level of security for configuring the speech recognition security system;

an adjusting means for dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system in accordance with the desired level of security;

a determining means for determining if the speech recognition security system includes a first speaker model created for the identified user, the first speaker model having a security level equal to or greater than the desired level of security; and

a creating means for creating a second speaker model for the identified user by training the speech recognition security system if the determining means determines that the speech recognition security system does not include the first speaker model.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the adjusting means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the number of repetitions used to train the speech recognition system in accordance with the desired level of security.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the adjusting means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the number of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the adjusting means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the frequency of false accept errors versus the frequency of false reject errors in accordance with the desired level of security.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the adjusting means includes means for updating a parameter that defines a set of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security, wherein the number of words in the set is proportional to the desired level of security.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a telephone.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the speech recognition system is installed on a remote server coupled with a telephone network.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a cellular handset.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a personal computer system.

30. The system of claim 20 further comprising a comparison means for comparing a speech of said user against said first speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

31. The system of claim 20 further comprising a comparison means for comparing a speech of said user against said second speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the creating means creates the second speaker model for the identified user based on the first speaker model if the determining step determines that the speech recognition security system includes the first speaker model.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, said computer program logic for enabling a computer to configure a user configurable level of security for use in a speech recognition security system, said computer program logic comprising:

an input device for accepting input from the user, the input identifying the user and indicating a desired level of security for configuring the speech recognition security system;

an adjusting means for dynamically adjusting at least one of a set of parameters governing the speech recognition security system in accordance with the desired level of security;

a determining means for determining if the speech recognition security system includes a first speaker model created for the identified user, the first speaker model having a security level equal to or greater than the desired level of security; and

a creating means for creating a second speaker model for the identified user by training the speech recognition security system if the determining means determines that the speech recognition security system does not include the first speaker model.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the adjustment means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the number of repetitions used to train the speech recognition system in accordance with the desired level of security.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the adjustment means includes means for updating a parameter that defines a number of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the adjustment means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the frequency of false accept errors versus the frequency of false reject errors in accordance with the desired level of security.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the adjustment means includes means for updating a parameter that defines the set of words used to create passwords in accordance with the desired level of security.

38. The computer program product of claim 33 further comprising a comparison means for comparing a speech of said user against said first speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

39. The computer program product of claim 33 further comprising a comparison means for comparing a speech of said user against said second speaker model and a cohort model to identify said user.

40. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the creating means creates the second speaker model for the identified user based on the first speaker model if the determining step determines that the speech recognition security system includes the first speaker model.