User adaptive system and control method thereof

• US 7,684,977 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil; Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baker; Matthew H
• Application Number:
  US11/449,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 704/211
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

In an interface unit, an input section obtains an input signal of user'"'"'s speech or the like and an input processing section processes the input signal and detects information relating to the user. On the basis of the detection result, a response contents determination section determines response contents to the user. While, a response manner adjusting section adjusts a response manner to the user, such as speech speed and the like, on the basis of the processing state of the input signal, the information relating to the user detected from the input signal, and the like.

Claims

1. A user adaptive system comprising an interface unit which performs interaction with a user,

wherein the interface unit includes:

an input section that captures speech spoken by a user as a speech signal;

an input processing section that performs speech recognition of the speech signal obtained by the input section and that detects speech contents of the captured speech;

a response contents determination section for determining speech contents of an output speech to the user to perform an interactive dialogue with the user, on the basis of the speech contents of the captured speech;

a response manner adjusting section that adjusts speech speed of the output speech determined by the response contents determination section, based on a relationship between reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section and the speech speed of the captured speech; and

an output section for outputting the output speech at the speech speed adjusted by the response manner adjusting section,

wherein the response manner adjusting section further comprises a recognition state detection section and a speech speed determination section;

wherein the recognition state detection section obtains a signal indicative of the reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section;

wherein the speech speed determination section adjusts the speech speed at which the output speech is output at the output section, when the reliability of the speech recognition does not meet a predetermined level;

wherein the input processing section determines a speech speed of the captured speech, wherein the speech speed determination section decreases the speech speed of the output speech, when the reliability of the speech recognition does not meet the predetermined level and the speech speed of the captured speech is faster than a predetermined speed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined speed is an optimum speech speed for speech recognition by the input processing section.

3. A user adaptive system comprising an interface unit which performs interaction with a user,

wherein the interface unit includes:

an input section that captures speech spoken by a user as a speech signal;

an input processing section that performs speech recognition of the speech signal obtained by the input section and that detects speech contents of the captured speech;

a response contents determination section for determining speech contents of an output speech to the user to perform an interactive dialogue with the user, on the basis of the speech contents of the captured speech;

a response manner adjusting section that adjust speech speed of the output speech determined by the response contents determination section, based on a relationship between reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section and the speech speed of the captured speech; and

an output section for outputting the output speech at the speech speed adjusted by the response manner adjusting section,

wherein the response manner adjusting section further comprises a recognition state detection section and a speech speed determination section;

wherein the recognition state detection section obtains a signal indicative of the reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section;

wherein the speech speed determination section adjusts the speech speed at which the output speech is output at the output section, when the reliability of the speech recognition does not meet a predetermined level;

wherein the input processing section determines a speech speed of the captured speech, wherein the speech speed determination section increases the speech speed of the output speech, when the reliability of the speech recognition does not meet the predetermined level and the speech speed of the captured speech is slower than a predetermined speed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined speed is an optimum speech speed for speech recognition by the input processing section.

5. A user adaptive system comprising an interface unit which performs interaction with a user,

wherein the interface unit includes:

an input section that captures speech spoken by a user as a speech signal;

an input processing section that performs speech recognition of the speech signal obtained by the input section and that detects speech contents of the captured speech;

a response contents determination section for determining speech contents of an output speech to the user to perform an interactive dialogue with the user, on the basis of the speech contents of the captured speech;

a response manner adjusting section that adjust speech speed of the output speech determined by the response contents determination section, based on a relationship between reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section and the speech speed of the captured speech; and

an output section for outputting the output speech at the speech speed adjusted by the response manner adjusting section,

wherein the response manner adjusting section further comprises a recognition state detection section and a speech speed determination section;

wherein the recognition state detection section obtains a signal indicative of the reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section;

wherein the speech speed determination section adjusts the speech speed at which the output speech is output at the output section, when the reliability of the speech recognition does not meet a predetermined level;

wherein the reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section is a proportion of the captured speech correctly recognized by the input processing section.

6. A user adaptive system comprising an interface unit which performs interaction with a user,

wherein the interface unit includes:

an input section that captures speech spoken by a user as a speech signal;

an input processing section that performs speech recognition of the speech signal obtained by the input section and that detects speech contents of the captured speech;

a response contents determination section for determining speech contents of an output speech to the user to perform an interactive dialogue with the user, on the basis of the speech contents of the captured speech;

a response manner adjusting section that adjust speech speed of the output speech determined by the response contents determination section, based on a relationship between reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section and the speech speed of the captured speech; and

an output section for outputting the output speech at the speech speed adjusted by the response manner adjusting section,

wherein the response manner adjusting section further comprises a recognition state detection section and a speech speed determination section that selectively adjusts the speech speed at which the output speech is output at the output section;

wherein the recognition state detection section obtains a signal indicative of the reliability of the speech recognition performed by the input processing section;

wherein the speech speed determination section does not adjust the speech speed at which the output speech is output at the output section, when the reliability of the speech recognition meets a predetermined level.

7. A controlling method for performing interaction with a user in a user adaptive system, comprising:

a first step of obtaining a speech of the user as a speech signal;

a second step of performing speech recognition of the speech signal obtained in the first step and detecting speech contents of the user;

a third step of determining speech contents to the user to perform an interactive dialogue with the user, on the basis of the speech contents of the user detected in the second step;

a fourth step of adjusting speech speed of the speech contents determined in the third step on the basis of user'"'"'s adaptation characteristics indicating a degree of speech speed of the user is changed upon influence of speech speed of the user adaptive system; and

a fifth step of outputting the speech contents determined in the third step through a speaker device at the speech speed adjusted in the fourth step,

where the fourth step further comprises determining the user'"'"'s adaptation characteristic;

wherein the fifth step further comprises outputting speech contents that request the user to change a speech speed of the user, when the users adaptation characteristic is determined in the fourth step as not changed upon influence of the speech speed of the user adaptive system.