Systems and methods for generating markup-language based expressions from multi-modal and unimodal inputs

• US 9,563,395 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnston, Michael J., Bangalore, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Yuk Ting
• Application Number:
  US14/540,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20150073811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 707/803
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

When using finite-state devices to perform various functions, it is beneficial to use finite state devices representing regular grammars with terminals having markup-language-based semantics. By using markup-language-based symbols in the finite state devices, it is possible to generate valid markup-language expressions by concatenating the symbols representing the result of the performed function. The markup-language expression can be used by other applications and/or devices. Finite-state devices are used to convert strings of words and gestures into valid markup-language, for example, XML, expressions that can be used, for example, to provide an application program interface to underlying system applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, via a processor, from an first input lattice representing a speech modality of an input, a first markup-language expression;

generating, via the processor, from a second input lattice representing a second modality of the input, a second markup-language expression, wherein the second modality is not speech, the first markup-language expression and the second markup-language expression being unusable in that form by a first application that provides a first function and a second application performing a second function on the input;

generating, via a finite-state transducer, a mapping, wherein the finite-state transducer uses the first input lattice and a finite-state machine having associated markup-language semantics to relate the first markup-language expression to the second markup-language expression;

generating, using the input and a second finite-state machine representing the mapping, a sequence of symbols;

concatenating the sequence of symbols, to yield a concatenated third markup-language expression;

parsing the concatenated third markup-language expression to yield a parsed markup-language expression;

performing the first function to provide a route to a destination via use of the first application and the parsed markup-language expression; and

performing the second function on the input via use of the second application and the parsed markup-language expression, wherein the first application differs from the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second modality is a haptic modality.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising concatenating the mapping prior to generating of the third markup-language expression.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the finite-state machine uses extensible-markup-language-based symbols.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input further comprises a command received via one of a speech input subsystem, a pen input subsystem, a computer vision input subsystem, a haptic input subsystem, a gaze input subsystem, and a body motion input subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the concatenated third markup-language expression represents sequences of symbols.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing multimodal integration of the input for use in generating of the mapping.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing a gesture string in the input; and

modifying a language model based on the gesture string prior to performing the generating of the mapping.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

generating from an first input lattice representing a speech modality of an input, a first markup-language expression;

generating, via the processor, from a second input lattice representing a second modality of the input, a second markup-language expression, wherein the second modality is not speech, the first markup-language expression and the second markup-language expression being unusable in that form by a first application that provides a first function and a second application performing a second function on the input;

generating, via a finite-state transducer, a mapping, wherein the finite-state transducer uses the first input lattice and a finite-state machine having associated markup-language semantics to relate the first markup-language expression to the second markup-language expression;

generating, using the input and a second finite-state machine representing the mapping, a sequence of symbols;

concatenating the sequence of symbols, to yield a concatenated third markup-language expression;

parsing the concatenated third markup-language expression to yield a parsed markup-language expression;

performing the first function to provide a route to a destination via use of the first application and the parsed markup-language expression; and

performing the second function on the input via use of the second application and the parsed markup-language expression, wherein the first application differs from the second application.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second modality is a haptic modality.

11. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising concatenating the mapping prior to generating of the third markup-language expression.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the finite-state machine uses extensible-markup-language-based symbols.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the input further comprises a command received via one of a speech input subsystem, a pen input subsystem, a computer vision input subsystem, a haptic input subsystem, a gaze input subsystem, and a body motion input subsystem.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the concatenated third markup-language expression represents sequences of symbols.

15. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising multimodal integration of the input.

16. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

recognizing a gesture string in the input; and

modifying a language model based on the gesture string prior to performing the generating of the mapping.

17. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating from an first input lattice representing a speech modality of an input, a first markup-language expression;

generating, via the processor, from a second input lattice representing a second modality of the input, a second markup-language expression, wherein the second modality is not speech, the first markup-language expression and the second markup-language expression being unusable in that form by a first application that provides a first function and a second application performing a second function on the input;

generating, via a finite-state transducer, a mapping, wherein the finite-state transducer uses the first input lattice and a finite-state machine having associated markup-language semantics to relate the first markup-language expression to the second markup-language expression;

generating, using the input and a second finite-state machine representing the mapping, a sequence of symbols;

concatenating the sequence of symbols, to yield a concatenated third markup-language expression;

parsing the concatenated third markup-language expression to yield a parsed markup-language expression;

performing the first function to provide a route to a destination via use of the first application and the parsed markup-language expression; and

performing the second function on the input via use of the second application and the parsed markup-language expression, wherein the first application differs from the second application.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the second modality is a haptic modality.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising concatenating the mapping prior to generating of the third markup-language expression.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the finite-state machine uses extensible-markup-language-based symbols.