Menu hierarchy skipping dialog for directed dialog speech recognition

• US 8,862,477 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blanchard, Hary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US13/908,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 704/231, 704/270, 704/275, 704/257, 704/277, 704/270.1, 704/246, 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379 8805- 8809
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/51 for comparison or discrimination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A method and a processing device for managing an interactive speech recognition system is provided. Whether a voice input relates to expected input, at least partially, of any one of a group of menus different from a current menu is determined. If the voice input relates to the expected input, at least partially, of any one of the group of menus different from the current menu, skipping to the one of the group of menus is performed. The group of menus is different from the current menu include menus at multiple hierarchical levels.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, via a processor, whether a voice input matches expected input of a different menu from a current menu; and

when the voice input does not relate to the expected input;

retrieving a record associated with a user, wherein the record comprises menu traversal tracks, backtracking, and an amount of time spent in a menu;

identifying the voice input as from one of an expert and a non-expert based on the record; and

when the voice input is from the non-expert, providing a tutorial describing how to skip to the different menu.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the voice input relates to the expected input, skipping to the different menu.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the record is modified in real-time as the menu traversal tracks are modified.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a single grammar with respect to both the different menu and the current menu.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing a user how to cause a menu skip when the voice input relates to the expected input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the voice input matches expected input further comprises:

recognizing one of a key phrase and a keyword in the voice input; and

matching the one of the key phrase and the keyword to data associated with the different menu.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the current menu and the different menu have one of an associated key word and an associated key phrase that is non-overlapping.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the voice input matches expected input further comprises:

determining the voice input comprises a conversational correction.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, result in the processor performing operations comprising;

determining, via a processor, whether a voice input matches expected input of a different menu from a current menu; and

when the voice input does not relate to the expected input;

retrieving a record associated with a user, wherein the record comprises menu traversal tracks, backtracking, and an amount of time spent in a menu;

identifying the voice input as from one of an expert and a non-expert based on the record; and

when the voice input is from the non-expert, providing a tutorial describing how to skip to the different menu.

10. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

when the voice input relates to the expected input, skipping to the different menu.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the record is modified in real-time as the menu traversal tracks are modified.

12. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

using a single grammar with respect to both the different menu and the current menu.

13. The system of claim 9, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

informing a user how to cause a menu skip when the voice input relates to the expected input.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether the voice input matches expected input further comprises:

recognizing one of a key phrase and a keyword in the voice input; and

matching the one of the key phrase and the keyword to data associated with the different menu.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the current menu and the different menu have one of an associated key word and an associated key phrase that is non-overlapping.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein determining whether the voice input matches expected input further comprises:

determining the voice input comprises a conversational correction.

17. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, result in the computing device performing operations comprising:

determining, via a processor, whether a voice input matches expected input of a different menu from a current menu; and

when the voice input does not relate to the expected input;

retrieving a record associated with a user, wherein the record comprises menu traversal tracks, backtracking, and an amount of time spent in a menu;

identifying the voice input as from one of an expert and a non-expert based on the record; and

when the voice input is from the non-expert, providing a tutorial describing how to skip to the different menu.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

when the voice input relates to the expected input, skipping to the different menu.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the record is modified in real-time as the menu traversal tracks are modified.

20. The computer-readable storage medium device of claim 17, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

using a single grammar with respect to both the different menu and the current menu.