Method and apparatus for robustly locating user barge-ins in voice-activated command systems

• US 7,624,016 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ju, Yun-Cheng, Ollason, David G., Bhatia, Siddharth
• Primary Examiner(s): Wozniak; James S
• Application Number:
  US10/897,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 704/251, 379/88.01, 715/534
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system is provided. The method includes generating command prompt phrases during which the user can select items on the list. The command prompt phrases include an item on the list and an index for another item on the list. In some embodiments, each command prompt phrase also includes a period of silence between item on the list and the index for another item on the list. If a user selecting barge-in is received during a particular command prompt phrase, the corresponding item on the list is selected.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system, the method comprising:

generating, and presenting to the user, a first command prompt phrase, the first command prompt phrase being a voice prompt phrase that includes a first item on the list and an index for a second item on the list, the first command prompt phrase not including an index for the first item on the list, wherein the index for the first item on the list is instead included in a different command prompt phrase for a different item that immediately precedes the first item on the list, and wherein the second item on the list immediately follows the first item on the list;

selecting the different item from the list if a user selection barge-in is received during a presentation, to the user, of the index for the first item on the list as part of a presentation, to the user, of the different command prompt phrase;

receiving a verbal navigation command from the user;

utilizing a computer processor that is a component of the computer to adjust the first command prompt phrase, in response to the verbal navigation command received from the user, such that the adjusted first command prompt phrase does not include the different item or the second item on the list but does include the index for the first item on the list, the first item on the list, and the index for the second item on the list;

generating, and presenting to the user, as a further response to the verbal navigation command received from the user, the adjusted first command prompt phrase, the adjusted first command prompt phrase being a voice prompt phrase that includes the index for the first item on the list, the first item on the list, and the index for the second item on the list; and

selecting the first item on the list if the user selection barge-in is received during a presentation, to the user, of the index for the first item on the list as part of said presentation, to the user, of the adjusted first command prompt phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the first command prompt phrase further comprises including in the first command prompt phrase a period of silence between the first item on the list and the index for the second item on the list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verbal navigation command is received during the first command prompt phrase and is an instruction to repeat the first command prompt phrase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the index for the first item on the list, which is included within the different command prompt phrase and the adjusted first command prompt phrase, is an identifier that is indicative of a value within an indexing scheme for uniquely identifying items included in the list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the different command prompt phrase is an introduction command prompt phrase.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the index for the first item on the list includes a first value and the index for the second item on the list includes a second value, the first and second values being consecutive to one another within an identification scheme.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the verbal navigation command is an instruction to repeat the first command prompt phrase.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted first command prompt phrase includes a re-presentation of the first item on the list in response to the verbal navigation command.

9. A computer-implemented method of querying a user to select from a list in a voice-activated command system, the method comprising:

breaking a prompt of the list into a plurality of individual prompt phrases, with individual prompt phrases including an item from the list, wherein individual prompt phrases also include as a postfix to the item an index of a next item included in a next individual prompt phrase;

playing a next of the plurality of individual prompt phrases;

determining whether a user barge-in has been detected;

if it is determined that a user barge-in has been detected, then determining the corresponding item from the list; and

if it is determined that a user barge-in has not been detected, then repeating the steps of playing and determining for additional individual prompt phrases;

receiving a verbal navigation command from the user;

utilizing a computer processor that is a component of the computer to re-define one of the individual prompt phrases for a particular item from the list, in response to the verbal navigation command received from the user, such that the re-defined individual prompt phrase includes the index for the particular item from the list as a prefix to the particular item and also includes, as a postfix to the particular item, the index for an item that immediately follows the particular item on the list, wherein re-defining the individual prompt phrases for a particular item from the list further comprises increasing the number of words during which a selection barge-in will cause a corresponding selection of the particular item from the list, and wherein the increase is contingent upon receipt of the verbal navigation command from the user such that the increase is not made if the verbal navigation command is not received; and

playing the redefined individual prompt phrase.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein breaking the prompt of the list into the plurality of individual prompt phrases further comprises generating the individual prompt phrases such that they include a period of silence between the corresponding item from the list and the index of the next item on the list.

11. The method of claim 10, and further comprising generating an introduction prompt phrase, the introduction command prompt phrase including an introductory statement and an index for a first item on the list.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the verbal navigation command received from the user is a command to repeat said particular item from the list.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the index for the particular item on the list includes a first value and the index for the item that immediately follows the particular item on the list includes a second value, the first and second values being consecutive to one another within an identification scheme.

14. A computer-implemented voice command system comprising:

a voice prompt generator that generates a first prompt phrase, the first prompt phrase including a first item on a list and an index for a second item on the list as a postfix to the first item on the list;

an input that receives a user barge-in, the input comprising a speech recognition engine that receives audible user barge-ins and verbal navigation commands;

a barge-in locating component that selects the first item on the list if the user barge-in is received during the first prompt phrase which includes the first item on the list and the index for the second item on the list;

the voice prompt generator also generating a second prompt phrase, the second prompt phrase including the second item on the list and an index for a third item on the list; and

a computer processor that is a component of the computer, the computer processor being implemented by a navigation control component to control the voice prompt generator, in response to receipt of a verbal navigation command from the user, to generate and present to the user an adjusted first command prompt phrase through adjustment of the first prompt phrase, wherein the adjusted first command prompt phrase includes the index for the first item on the list, the first item on the list, and the index for the second item on the list.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the adjusted first command prompt phrase is a command to repeat the first item on the list.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first command prompt phrase includes a first number of words during which a selection barge-in command received from the user will cause a selection of the first item on the list;

the second command prompt phrase includes a second number of words during which a selection barge-in command received from the user will cause a selection of the first item on the list; and

the first number of words is a fewer number of words than the second number of words.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the presentation of the adjusted first command prompt phrase to the user occurs in direct response to receipt of said command to repeat the first item on the list.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system presentation of the adjusted first command prompt phrase to the user is contingent upon receipt of said command to repeat the first item on the list.