Transcription of speech

• US 9,786,283 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2013
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jpal Limited
• Original Assignee: Jpal Limited
• Inventors: Baker, John Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Neway, Samuel G
• Application Number:
  US14/389,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/685 using automatically derived transcript of audio data, e.g. lyrics speech recognition G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/87 Detection of discrete points within a voice signal

Abstract

A speech media transcription system comprises a playback device arranged to play back speech delimited in segments. The system is programmed to provide, for a segment being transcribed, an adaptive estimate of the proportion of the segment that has not been transcribed by a transcriber. The device is arranged to play back that proportion of the segment, optionally after having already played back the entire segment. Additionally, a segmentation engine is arranged to divide speech media into a plurality of segments by identifying speech as such and using timing information but without using a machine conversion of the speech media into text or a representation of text.

Claims

1. A speech media transcription system comprising a playback device arranged to play back speech delimited in segments, the system being programmed:

to play back an entire segment for a transcriber to transcribe;

to estimate a limit of a working memory of the transcriber;

to provide, for a segment being transcribed, an adaptive estimate of the proportion of the segment that has not been transcribed by the transcriber; and

subsequently to play back again said proportion of the segment that has not been transcribed, immediately when the adaptive estimate indicates that a current playback position is exceeding the limit of the working memory of the transcriber.

2. A transcription system according to claim 1, wherein the adaptive estimate is made on the basis of at least one of:

an amount of text likely to be present in the segment, a speaking speed of the speaker, a text input rate of the transcriber, or a working memory of the transcriber.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein where analysis of a segment indicates that it contains no speech, the segment is omitted from playback or played at high speed.

4. A system according to claim 1, arranged to monitor a text input rate of the transcriber and to play back said speech at a speed depending on said text input rate.

5. A system according to claim 1, comprising a facility for automatically transferring a typed punctuation mark to a previously typed segment.

6. A system according to claim 1, comprising a facility for automatically replaying said speech for review and correction of a transcription.

7. A system according to claim 1, comprising a facility for allowing identification by a reviewer of segments of text considered erroneous.

8. A method of transcribing speech media, comprising providing a system according to claim 1, allowing a transcriber to transcribe part of a segment of the speech media, replaying said proportion of the segment estimated not to have been transcribed, and subsequently determining that said segment has been completely transcribed.