Recognition results postprocessor for use in voice recognition systems

• US 20050177376A1
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Sanders, Derek, Tokarev, Vladimir Sergeyevich, Cooper, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/065 Adaptation

Abstract

Systems and techniques for analyzing voice recognition results in order to improve efficiency and accuracy of voice recognition. When a voice activated module undertakes a voice recognition attempt, it invokes a voice recognition module that constructs a list of voice recognition results. The list is analyzed by a results postprocessor that employs information relating to past recognition results and user information to make changes to the list. The results postprocessor may delete results that have been previously rejected during a current recognition transaction and may further alter and reorder the results list based on historical results. The results postprocessor may further alter and reorder the results list based on information relating to the user engaging in the recognition attempt.

Claims

1. A voice recognition system comprising:

a plurality of voice activated modules for receiving voice recognition results representing voice inputs from a user and taking actions in response to the voice inputs;

a voice recognition module for receiving voice inputs from a user and preparing a list of voice recognition results, each of the voice recognition results representing a candidate for a result matching the voice input received by the user; and

a results postprocessor for processing the list of voice recognition results to improve speed and accuracy of voice recognition, the results postprocessor being operative to make changes to the list based on information relating to past results of recognition attempts.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the results postprocessor is further operative to make changes to the list based on previously stored information relating to expected user actions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the previously stored information relating to expected user actions comprise a user model, the user model comprising a likely contact cache including entries for contacts the user is estimated to be likely to call.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein making changes to the list includes reordering the list if an entry in the result list corresponds to an entry in the likely contact cache.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the information relating to past results of recognition attempts includes information relating to results of a current recognition transaction.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the information relating to past results of recognition attempts includes a skip list indicating rejected results during the current recognition transaction, and wherein making changes to the list includes removing results appearing in the skip list from the result list.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the results postprocessor is operative to receive parameters from a module engaging in a voice recognition attempt and to adapt its operation based on the parameters.

8. A results postprocessor for improving efficiency and accuracy of voice recognition, comprising:

a repository of information affecting a current voice recognition attempt; and

a processing module for processing voice recognition results in a result list, the processing module being operative to examine the information affecting the current voice recognition attempt and to make changes to a results list based on the information stored in the repository.

9. The results postprocessor of claim 8, wherein the changes to the results list include removing results that have been rejected during a current recognition transaction.

10. The results postprocessor of claim 9, wherein the processing module is further operative to retrieve user and historical information and to make changes to the results list based in the user and historical information.

11. The results postprocessor of claim 10, wherein the user information includes a likely contact cache including contacts the user is estimated as likely to call and the changes to the result list include reordering the results list if an entry in the results list corresponds to an entry in the likely contact cache.

12. A method of analyzing voice recognition results, comprising the steps of:

examining a list of recognition results representing candidates for matches to a voice input from a user; and

making changes to the list based on based on information relating to results of past recognition attempts.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of making changes to the list based on information relating to results of past recognition attempts includes removing results previously rejected during a current voice recognition transaction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of making changes to the list based on information relating to results of past recognition attempts includes reordering the list based on historical recognition results.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of making changes to the list based on information relating to results of past recognition attempts includes making changes to the list based on information relating to a user engaging in a current voice recognition transaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of making changes to the list based on information relating to a user engaging in a current voice recognition transaction includes examining a likely contact cache indicating contact the user is estimated as likely to call and reordering the list if an entry in the list corresponds to an entry in the likely contact cache.