System and method for providing and using universally accessible voice and speech data files

• US 6,885,736 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Uppaluru, Premkumar V.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US10/057,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.2, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/88.27, 379/93.05, 379/201.01, 704/270, 704/271, 704/272, 704/275, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 455/412.1, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/405 involving speaker-dependent recognition adaptation to speaker for speech recognition G10L15/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A system and method provides universal access to voice-based documents containing information formatted using MIME and HTML standards using customized extensions for voice information access and navigation. These voice documents are linked using HTML hyper-links that are accessible to subscribers using voice commands, touch-tone inputs and other selection means. These voice documents and components in them are addressable using HTML anchors embedding HTML universal resource locators (URLs) rendering them universally accessible over the Internet. This collection of connected documents forms a voice web. The voice web includes subscriber-specific documents including speech training files for speaker dependent speech recognition, voice print files for authenticating the identity of a user and personal preference and attribute files for customizing other aspects of the system in accordance with a specific subscriber.

Claims

1. In a computer system coupled to an intranet, a method of providing user specific input to a computer program, comprising:

determining a universal resource locator (URL) address corresponding to a user;

retrieving, over the intranet, a personal profile associated with the user wherein the personal profile is stored at the determined URL address and includes data for voice authentication;

receiving a user authentication request;

retrieving user authentication data from the personal profile;

collecting voice data from the user;

processing the collected voice data;

comparing the processed voice data to the authentication data to authenticate the identity of the system user; and

accessing information included in the personal profile to affect the execution of a computer program for navigating and accessing information in a voice web.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the collecting voice data from the user includes collecting voice data from the user using a telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the voice web includes information specified in a markup language including voice extensions.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the markup language including voice extensions is a Hyper Voice Markup Language.

5. In a computer system coupled to an intranet, a method of providing user specific input to a computer program, comprising:

determining a universal resource locator (URL) address corresponding to a user;

retrieving, over the intranet, a personal profile associated with the user wherein the personal profile is stored at the determined URL address and includes data for speaker dependent speech recognition;

receiving a voice command from the user;

performing speaker dependent speech recognition to identify the voice command;

executing the recognized voice command; and

accessing information included in the personal profile to affect the execution of a computer program for navigating and accessing information in a voice web.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving a voice command from the user includes receiving a voice command from the user using a telephone.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the voice web includes information specified in a markup language including voice extensions.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the markup language including voice extensions is a Hyper Voice Markup Language.

9. In a computer system coupled to an internet, a method of providing user specific input to a computer program, comprising:

determining a universal resource locator (URL) address corresponding to a user;

retrieving, over the internet, a personal profile associated with the user wherein the personal profile is stored at the determined URL address and includes data for voice authentication;

receiving a user authentication request;

retrieving user authentication data from the personal profile;

collecting voice data from the user;

processing the collected voice data;

comparing the processed voice data to the authentication data to authenticate the identity of the system user; and

accessing information included in the personal profile to affect the execution of a computer program for navigating and accessing information in a voice web wherein the voice web includes information specified in a markup language including voice extensions.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the markup language including voice extensions is a Hyper Voice Markup Language.

11. In a computer system coupled to an internet, a method of providing user specific input to a computer program, comprising:

determining a universal resource locator (URL) address corresponding to a user;

retrieving, over the internet, a personal profile associated with the user wherein the personal profile is stored at the determined URL address and includes data for speaker dependent speech recognition;

receiving a voice command from the user;

performing speaker dependent speech recognition to identify the voice command;

executing the recognized voice command; and

accessing information included in the personal profile to affect the execution of a computer program for navigating and accessing information in a voice web wherein the voice web includes information specified in a markup language including voice extensions.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the markup language including voice extensions is a Hyper Voice Markup Language.