Method and apparatus for recognizing large list of proper names in spoken dialog systems
First Claim
1. A method of optimizing the performance of speech recognition and language understanding in a natural language processing system, comprising:
- compiling a first set of full names based on usage of the names in the dialog;
compiling a second set of full names based on presence in a pre-defined knowledge base;
deriving partial names for one or more of the names of the first set of full names and the second set of full names;
combining the partial names and the first and second set of full names to generate a name model; and
assigning weight values to each of the names of the name model, wherein the relative weights depend on the usage of the names in the dialog and the presence in the pre-defined usage list.
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Abstract
Embodiments of a name recognition process for use in dialog systems are described. In one embodiment, the name recognition process assigns weighting values to names used in a dialog based on the usage of these names. This process takes advantage of the general tendency of people to speak names, either full or partial, only after they have heard or read these names. Name input is taken in several different forms, including a static background database that contains all possible names, a background database that contains commonly used names (such as common trademarks or references), a database that contains names from a user model, and a dynamic database that constantly takes the names just mentioned. The names are then appended with proper weighting values. A high weight is given to names that have been mentioned recently, a lower weight is given to common names, and a lowest weight is given to names for the ones that have never been used or mentioned.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of optimizing the performance of speech recognition and language understanding in a natural language processing system, comprising:
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compiling a first set of full names based on usage of the names in the dialog; compiling a second set of full names based on presence in a pre-defined knowledge base; deriving partial names for one or more of the names of the first set of full names and the second set of full names; combining the partial names and the first and second set of full names to generate a name model; and assigning weight values to each of the names of the name model, wherein the relative weights depend on the usage of the names in the dialog and the presence in the pre-defined usage list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for recognizing names in spoken dialog comprising:
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a speech recognizer receiving an input utterance from a user; a natural language understanding unit coupled to the speech recognizer, generating a structured meaning representation of the input utterance based on a statistical model trained on linguistic data and a knowledge base, wherein the knowledge base contains a plurality of names used in the input utterance; and a name model generator module coupled to the speech recognizer and natural language understanding unit, and configured to generate a name model based on context information related to the input utterance and the presence of names in the knowledge base. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed in a processing system perform the following executable steps:
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compile a first set of full names based on usage of the names in the dialog; compile a second set of full names based on presence in a pre-defined knowledge base; derive partial names for one or more of the names of the first set of full names and the second set of full names; combine the partial names and the first and second set of full names to generate a name model; and assign weight values to each of the names of the name model, wherein the relative weights depend on the usage of the names in the dialog and the presence in the pre-defined usage list. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification