Speech recognition system with user profiles management component

• US 20070294081A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storz Endoskop Produktions GmbH (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Original Assignee: Storz Endoskop Produktions GmbH (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Inventors: Wang, Gang, Contolini, Matteo, Zheng, Chengyi, Stiller, Heinz-Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A speech recognition and control system continuously operable by two or more users including a receiver for receiving a speech input, a processor in communication with the receiver, a database in communication with the processor, the database including a plurality of user profiles, profile management software executing on the processor for determining an active profile from the plurality of user profiles, and software executing on the processor for identifying at least one command from the speech input based on the active profile.

Claims

1. A speech recognition and control system continuously operable by two or more users, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a speech input;

a processor in communication with said receiver;

a database in communication with said processor, said database including a plurality of user profiles;

profile management software executing on said processor for determining an active profile from the plurality of user profiles; and

software executing on said processor for identifying at least one command from the speech input based on the active profile.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said profile management software switches the active profile from a first one of the plurality of user profiles to a second one of the plurality of user profiles after receiving a profile selection indicative of the second one of the plurality of profiles.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said profile management software switches the active profile during runtime of the speech recognition and control system.

4. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

software for generating a notification upon switching the active profile.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the software for generating a notification generates at least one of an audio notification and a visual notification.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the notification includes a user identifier corresponding to the active profile.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein the profile selection is one of a spoken selection, a manual selection, and an automatic selection.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the profile selection includes a unique user identifier.

9. The system according to claim 2, wherein said profile management software compares the first one of the plurality of user profiles to the second one of the plurality of user profiles to determine potential conflicts between the first and second profiles prior to switching the active profile.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein said profile management software generates an alert if a potential conflict is found.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of user profiles includes at least one of a speech recognition profile, a display preferences profile, a device preferences profile, and a feedback preferences profile.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of user profiles is a default profile.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of user profiles is editable by said profile management software.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

software executing on said processor for implementing the at least one command.

15. A speech recognition and control system continuously operable by two or more users, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a speech input;

a database including a plurality of user profiles;

a profile manager for determining an active profile from the plurality of user profiles;

a recognizer for identifying at least one potential command from the speech input based on the active profile;

a command controller for determining at least one device command from the at least one potential command and implementing the at least one device command.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said profile manager switches the active profile from a first one of the plurality of user profiles to a second one of the plurality of user profiles during runtime of the speech recognition and control system.

17. The system according to claim 15,

wherein said recognizer determines the particular one of the two or more users providing the speech input based on voice recognition, and

wherein said profile manager switches the active profile to one of the plurality of user profiles corresponding to the particular user.

18. A method of recognizing and implementing spoken commands in a voice-driven device control system, comprising the steps of:

determining an active profile from one of a plurality of user profiles;

receiving a speech input;

recognizing at least one command from the speech input based on the active profile; and

implementing the at least one command.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of determining an active profile includes receiving a user selection indicative of a user profile and activating the user profile without restarting the voice-driven device control system.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of implementing the command includes transmitting the command to at least one device operable by the voice-driven device control system.

21. A method of switching users of a speech recognition and control system during runtime, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user selection;

determining a user profile corresponding to the user selection;

comparing the user profile to an active profile to determine conflicts between the user profile and the active profile; and

activating the user profile if no conflicts exist between the user profile and the active profile.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

generating a notification, the notification indicative of one of a conflict and a new active profile.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of determining a user profile includes querying a database of a plurality of user profiles.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the user selection is received as one of a speech input, a manual selection, and an automatic selection.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the user selection includes a unique user identifier.