Voice-responsive command and control system and methodology for use in a signal measurement system

• US 20020103651A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jay A. Alexander, Michael J. Karin
• Original Assignee: Jay A. Alexander, Michael J. Karin
• Inventors: Karin, Michael J., Alexander, Jay A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/02 General constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/345 for displaying sampled signals by using digital processors by intermediate A.D. and D.A. convertors (control circuits for CRT indicators)
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/221 Announcement of recognition results
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

A speech-responsive command and control system and methodology for use in a signal measurement system, enabling an operator to control certain features and functions of the oscilloscope without using manual or graphical controls. A speech-responsive command and control system includes a speech recognition engine constructed and arranged to validate digital voice signals in accordance with an associated grammar file defining command and control utterances for controlling the signal measurement system. A voice controlled measurement system controller is also included. This controller is constructed and arranged to control the signal measurement system in response to text utterances validated by the speech recognition engine. The grammar may include rules defining acceptable command and control utterances suitable for controlling the signal measurement system. The speech recognition engine generates, for valid utterances, a text utterance representing the recognized utterance to the voice-controlled measurement system controller. The text utterance may be an ASCII string. In one embodiment, the system includes a natural language speech application interface. The NLSAI is constructed and arranged to parse the valid text utterances to generate command parameters included in the valid text utterances based upon a predetermined corpus comprising a list of all valid command an control utterances. A method for controlling a signal measurement system in response to voice commands is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of: 1) receiving a command utterance generated by the operator; 2) digitizing the command utterance; 3) determining whether the digitized command utterance is a valid command and control utterance; and 4) generating a system command to cause the signal measurement system to perform a function in response to the valid command and control utterance. Preferably, the method also includes the step of: 5) displaying the command utterance on a display operatively coupled to the signal measurement system.

Claims

1. A voice controlled signal measurement system responsive to predetermined command and control utterances.

2. A speech-responsive command and control system for use in a signal measurement system, comprising:

a speech recognition engine constructed and arranged to validate digital voice signals in accordance with an associated grammar file defining command and control utterances for controlling the signal measurement system; and

a voice controlled measurement system controller constructed and arranged to control the signal measurement system in response to text utterances validated by said speech recognition engine.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said signal measurement system is an oscilloscope.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a natural language speech application interface constructed and arranged to parse said valid text utterances to generate command parameters included in said valid text utterances based upon a predetermined corpus comprising a list of all valid command an control utterances.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a microphone that receives sound waves on which operator commands are carried, and that generates analog speech signals; and

a speech digitizer that digitizes said analog speech signals to generate said digital voice signals.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said grammar comprises rules defining acceptable command and control utterances suitable for controlling the signal measurement system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said grammar is implemented in BNF format

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said ASR engine generates, for valid utterances, a text utterance representing said recognized utterance to said voice-controlled measurement system controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said text utterance is an ASCII string.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said controller display messages for display on a display device operatively coupled to the signal measurement system.

11. A method for controlling a signal measurement system in response to voice commands, the method comprising the steps of:

1) receiving a command utterance generated by the operator;

2) digitizing said command utterance;

3) determining whether said digitized command utterance is a valid command and control utterance; and

4) generating a system command to cause the signal measurement system to perform a function in response to said valid command and control utterance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step 3) comprises the step of:

a) comparing said digitized command utterance with a predetermined grammar comprising rules defining valid command and control utterances.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step 4) comprises the step of:

a) obtaining signal measurement system state and configuration data as required to calculate command parameters of said system command.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

5) displaying said command utterance on a display operatively coupled to the signal measurement system.