Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10L—SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
  • G10L15/00—Speech recognition
  • G10L15/28—Constructional details of speech recognition systems
  • G10L15/30—Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/16—Sound input; Sound output

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method of speech-based navigation and to a method of implementing a speech input possibility in private information units for speech-based navigation in a communications network.
• a speech recognizer a program executing a speech recognition, in the following to be denoted a speech recognizer, is to be adapted, on the one hand, to the vocabulary which it is to understand and, on the other hand, to the speaker's pronunciation. For achieving satisfactory recognition results, a costly training is necessary. A basis for the speech recognition is further a powerful computer. This prerequisite is not satisfied in most computers by which users invoke information units. Local speech recognition systems are mostly arranged for only one user who must carry out a costly training of the vocabulary used by him, as described earlier.
• DE 44 40 598 Cl describes a hypertext navigation system controlled by spoken words.
• a local speech recognizer to which are assigned lexicons and probability models for supporting an acoustic speech recognition of hyperlinks of the hypertext documents, is enabled to control a browser or viewer.
• the system permits a pronunciation of links during which the speech recognition is adapted to the links to be recognized, without these links having to be known beforehand.
• the hypertext documents contain additional data which are necessary for adapting the speech recognizer. These additional data are generated either in the calling user system, or assigned to the hypertext documents by the provider and co-transmitted when retrieved by the user system.
• DE 197 07 973 Al discloses a method of executing actions by means of speech input on a computer in a network system, more particularly, the Internet.
• the user's computer includes a local speech recognizer whose parameters are defined by the respective service provider for executing the speech recognition process and are transmitted from the service provider to the user when the user so requests.
• this object is achieved in that a client downloads from a server a private information unit that enables a speech input, and a speech recognizer generates a recognition result from an uttered speech input, and with the recognition result a link in a data file is determined, which link is assigned to a word that correlates with the recognition result.
• a user program which is mostly denoted a browser or viewer is executed on a client to indicate and display the information units.
• the calling client is connected via a respective connection in a communications network to a server of a service provider, which server enables accessing, for example, the Internet.
• An information unit is invoked by keying in an IP address or a URL (Universal Resource Locator).
• a further possibility of invoking information is provided by links or hyperlinks. These links will have a different color or will be underlined in the rest of the text. By clicking this link with the mouse, the information unit is invoked that goes with the link. Indicating information units and invoking further information units based on the information unit then indicated is called navigating.
• the information in the form of information units is offered by service providers and firms on the Internet and made accessible. Also private information units which are specifically called home pages are ever more offered on the Internet. The respective owner or maker of the home page then puts interesting information on this home page. Usually such home pages contain details about the person, contributions to hobbies with, for example, photos.
• a client downloads a private information unit from a server which is connected to the client through the communications network.
• This information unit is indicated to a user by means of a browser.
• the user is requested, for example, by information shown, to give a speech input.
• This speech input is transferred to a speech recognition server and fed there to a speech recognizer which carries out a speech recognition process.
• the recognition result produced by the speech recognizer is sent back to the client.
• the client transmits the recognition result to a data file.
• This data file is situated on a data file server on which a link correlating with the speech utterance is determined.
• the speech utterance then corresponds to a word to which a link is assigned.
• the private information unit contains a user identifier.
• a recognition result produced by the speech recognizer from a speech input uttered by a user is transmitted with the user identifier to the data file.
• a link is determined with the aid of the recognition result and the user identifier.
• the data file contains assignments of links to words or user identifiers. In the case where there is correlation between a word from the assignment to the respective user identifier and the recognition result, the assigned link is returned to the client.
• the determined link can be directly returned to the client, so that the user is to invoke the respective link himself. It proves to be highly advantageous, however, for the data file server to activate the determined link and for the connected information unit to be delivered and indicated to the client.
• the private information unit an address of a speech recognition server on the Internet.
• This address is transmitted to the client when the private information unit is invoked.
• Speech inputs uttered by the user are then transmitted through the communications network to a speech recognizer on the speech recognition server, which speech recognizer then carries out the speech recognition.
• the recognition result produced by the speech recognizer is transmitted to the client.
• the higher calculation power of such a speech recognizer is advantageous when the recognition result is produced on a speech recognition server.
• These speech recognizers are specialized and have a specially tailored vocabulary, so that a speaker-independent speech recognition is possible. This achieves that there is a higher recognition rate and that the recognition result is available more rapidly.
• a registration information unit is downloaded from a server by means of a client, by means of which registration information unit user-specific links are assigned to predefined words, and the assignment with a user identifier is transmitted to a data file and in which the user identifier and an address of a speech recognizer, which can each be combined with a private information unit, are transmitted to the client.
• a user who would like to implement a speech input possibility in his private information unit downloads a registration information unit from a server. On this registration information unit respective links are assigned to words predefined by the user. The assignment takes place by means of the keyboard and/or the mouse.
• This user assigns these links, which are connected to respective information units on the Internet, according to his own ideas.
• This user-specific assignment of words to personal links is transmitted to a data file.
• the data file stores this assignment linked with a user identifier.
• the user identifier and an address of a speech recognition server on which the speech recognizer is provided are then transmitted to the client.
• This user identifier and the address of the speech recognizer are combined with this private information unit by the user of the client who is also denoted the owner/maker of the private information unit.
• the maker of the home page enables the visitors to his home page to speak the respective predefined words and thus arrive by speech input at the information unit assigned by him per link, without the visitors executing a local speech recognition program on the invoking client.
• the speech recognizer recognizes not only the predefined words.
• the speech recognizer also recognizes user-independent words.
• a service provider assigns a respective user-independent link to these user-independent words.
• the speech recognizer produces a recognition result from a speech utterance, which result correlates with a user-independent word, a user- independent link is returned to the client to which the service provider assigned the respective user-independent word.
• a software module executes a feature extraction.
• the speech input data which are led to this software module by means of an input medium, for example, a microphone and are available as an electric signal, are quantized by this software module and subjected to respective analyses which produce components which are assigned to feature vectors. These feature vectors are thereafter transmitted to the coupled speech recognizers.
• the software module furthermore takes over the handling of the transmission of the feature vectors and the reception of the recognition result and the transmission of the user identifier and recognition result to the data file server and the reception of the link.
• the software module is not available, it is also downloaded from the server on which the information units to be invoked are stored.
• the data file in which the assignment is stored with the user identifiers, and the speech recognizer are located on one server.
• the respective user identifier is then transmitted to the common server together with the feature vectors. This saves on delay and at the same time minimizes the error probability as a result of transmission errors that occur.
• the object of the invention is achieved by means of a software module which assigns the speech input data to feature vectors.
• This software module transmits the feature vectors to the speech recognizers laid down in the address.
• the recognition result produced by the speech recognizer is received from this software module and transmitted to a data file together with the user identifier.
• a determined link is received from the software module and invoked, so that the information unit connected with the link is offered to the user of the invoking client.
• the software module is activated by means of an operating element. Activating this operating element represented, for example, as a button will start the recording of speech input data.
• the object of the invention is also achieved by a computer on which a software module described above is executed.
• Fig. 1 shows a structure for executing the method according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a block diagram for the speech-based navigation of a home page
• Fig. 3 shows the routine of a speech-based navigation
• Fig. 4 shows a block diagram for the implementation of a speech input possibility in home pages
• Fig. 5 shows the routine of the implementation of a speech input possibility.
• Fig. 1 shows a structure in which elements that are necessary for implementing the method according to the invention are represented.
• clients 1 and 2 For implementing the method according to the invention, several clients 1 and 2, one speech recognition server 3, one server 6 and one data file server 5 are arranged. These computers are interconnected via a data network 4.
• the communications network 4 may then be realized both by the Internet and by an intranet and/or extranet.
• the individual communications networks 4 in principle are only different in that they have limited user groups which have access to these communications networks.
• the clients 1 and 2 are computers from where users invoke information units in the following to be referenced as home pages and/or web pages by means of a browser executed there.
• the information units which are put on the Internet by companies are denoted web sites.
• the input information unit of such a web site and information units of private persons are denoted home pages.
• a web site is understood to mean a collection of web pages which belong together. These home pages and web sites are stored, for example, on a server 6.
• the speech recognition server 3 is a powerful computer on which a speech recognition program is executed. This speech recognition server 3 has an application-specific vocabulary that its architecture is optimized for the speech recognition.
• the data file server 5 is also a computer which is connected to the Internet 4. Assignments are stored on this data file server 5 connected to the Internet 4. Fig.
• a browser 20 by which the information unit 27 is displayed is executed on the client 2.
• Information units such as the home page 27 used in this example of embodiment are stored on the server 6 as HTML pages (HyperText Markup Language).
• the client 2 sets up a connection through the Internet 4 by means of a link to the server 6 on which the home page 27 is stored.
• the links are also called hyperlinks.
• the home page 27, which can also contain graphical symbols, audio and/or video data in addition to the text to be displayed, is downloaded from this server 6.
• the client 2 has a microphone 22 which is used here as an input medium for the speech input.
• the speech input data which are available as analog signals are converted to digital signals by an audio unit 23 and rendered available to a software module 21.
• the speech input data are analyzed by the software module 21 and assigned to feature vectors.
• the client 2 is connected to a data file server 5 through the Internet 4.
• This data file server 5 stores assignments 25-26 under user identifiers IDj to ID n .
• Either assignment 25-26 contains at least one word that is assigned to a respective link.
• the client 2 is furthermore connected to a speech recognition server 3 through the Internet 4.
• the connections 28 and 29 each represent a possible direct connection from the server 6 to the data file server 5 and from the speech recognition server 3 to the data file server 5.
• a determined link is directly transmitted from the data file server 5 to the server 6 via such a connection 28. It is also possible to transmit the recognition result directly from a speech recognizer 8 to the data file server 5 via the connection 29.
• the client 2 also transmits user identifier ID n in addition to the feature vectors to the speech recognizer
• Fig. 3 shows with what steps a speech-based navigation is effected.
• step 30 the user of the client 2 downloads a home page 27 enabling a speech input, for example, from a server 6. The user may also be called visitor of the home page 27.
• step 31 a check is made whether the client 2 accommodates the software module 21 for feature extraction. If this software module 21 is not available, it is loaded in step 32 (LSM Load Software Module) from the server 6 through the Internet 4 onto the client 2. After this private home page 27 has been indicated by the browser 20, the user launches a speech input in step 33 (SI Speech Input).
• SI Speech Input SI Speech Input
• This speech input is subdivided into feature vectors in step 34 (EFN Extract into Feature Vectors) by means of the software module 20.
• step 35 TMSR TransMit feature vectors to the Speech Recognizer
• the feature vectors are transmitted to a speech recognition server 3.
• the speech recognizer 8 is then defined by an address of a speech recognition server 3 which the client 2 is informed of wheri the home page 27 is loaded.
• step 36 CRR Create Recognition Result
• the speech recognizer 8 creates a recognition result from the transmitted feature vectors which come from a speech input uttered by the user.
• the recognition result is returned to the client 2 in step 37 (TRRC Transmit Recognition Result to the Client).
• step 38 the recognition result together with a user identifier ID n , which was transmitted to the client 2 when the home page 27 was loaded, is transmitted to the data file server 5.
• step 39 S Search on File Server
• a link is searched for by means of the user identifier ID n and the recognition result.
• the links to be searched for are assigned predefined words and the user identifiers ID ⁇ -ID n .
• the speech input uttered by a user then corresponds to one of the predefined words.
• step 40 T Transmit Link
• the determined link is transmitted to the client 2. By means of the link the web site or home page 27 connected with this link is loaded and displayed on the client 2 by means of the browser 20.
• the user For starting a speech recording, the user activates with his mouse or keyboard a button 24 and utters a speech input. This speech input is subdivided into feature vectors as described earlier.
• the feature vectors are sent from the software module 21 to a defined speech recognizer 8 on the Internet 4.
• the speech recognizer 8 receives the feature vectors and produces a recognition result by means of a speech recognition program.
• Fig. 4 represents an arrangement as is necessary for the implementation of a speech input possibility in private home pages 27.
• a user of a client 1 who will be denoted the creator of the home page 27, carries out an assignment 25-26 of links 44- 46 to predefined words 41-43.
• the client 1 downloads a registration information unit 19 from the server 6.
• the creator assigns respective links 44-46 to predefined words 41-43.
• the assignment 25-26 is individual.
• the respective predefined word 41-43 is known to a speech recognizer 8 and is recognized during a later correlating speech input.
• This individual assignment 25-26 is transmitted from the client 1 to the data file server 5 on which the assignment 25-26 is stored with a user identifier ID ⁇ -ID n .
• the data file server 5 sends to the client 1 the respective user identifier ID]-ID n at which the assignment 25-26 of the creator was stored. Furthermore, the client 1 also receives an address of a speech recognition server 3 on which a speech recognizer 8 is arranged. The creator combines the address of the speech recognizer 8 and the user identifier ID n with his private home page 27. This is possible, for example, in that the address of the speech recognizer and the user identifier ID n are co-transmitted by means of a tag or additional information in the HTML code. The assignment is effected, for example, by keying in the link via the keyboard.
• the speech recognizer recognizes not only the predefined words 41-43, but also user-independent words 47.
• the creator of the home page 27 assigns a link 44-46 to the predefined words 41-43.
• the service provider for example the provider of the speech recognizer 8 or of the server 6, assigns links 48 to the user-independent words 47. For this user-independent assignment it is necessary for the speech recognizer 8 also to recognize these user-independent words 47.
• the words 41-43, 47 that are recognized by the speech recognizer 8 are laid down by the provider of the speech recognizer 8.
• the server 6 on which the home page 27 of the creator is stored can in the simplest case also be stored the data file 5 with the assignments 25-26, and also the speech recognizer 8 can be arranged there. This arrangement is not shown.
• the feature vectors with user identifier ID n are transmitted from the client 2 to this single server 6.
• the recognition result produced by the speech recognizer 8 is transmitted directly to the server 6 of the data file 5 together with the user identifier ID n , in which file the link to this recognition result and also to this user identifier ID n is determined.
• This link is then either returned to the client 2, or the web site combined with this link is transmitted to the client 2.
• Fig. 5 shows the routine of the implementation of a speech input possibility in private home pages.
• step 50 the creator of the home page 27 downloads the registration information unit 19 from a server 6.
• step 53 ADL Assign Words to Links
• respective individual links 44-46 are assigned to the predefined words 41-43 by the creator.
• step 54 SAFS Send Assignments to File Server
• the assignment provided by the creator is transmitted to the file server 5.
• step 55 the user identifier ID n , at which the assignment of the creator was stored, is transmitted to the client 2 from the data file server 5, as is the address of an additional speech recognizer 8.
• step 56 the creator connects the user identifier and the address with his home page.
• This home page in which thus the speech input possibility was implemented, is stored on the server 6.
• this home page is retrieved by a user, this user can now navigate in above-described manner per speech input to the predefined home pages or web sites.
• the creator of a speech-based home page 27 assigns on a registration information unit 19 the following links to predefined words: "hobby — - www.sport.de”; "books ⁇ www.books.de”: “studies — www.uni.de”.
• This assignment is transmitted from the client 1 to the data file server 5.
• There the user of the client 1 is registered if he receives an individual user identifier ID n and his assignment 25-26 is stored on the data file server 5.
• To the client 1 is transmitted, for example, in the form of an E-mail the user identifier granted to him together with an address of the speech recognizer.
• the creator of the speech-based home page 27 combines both the user identifier ID n and the address of the speech recognizer 8 with his private home page 27.
• This home page is then, for example, stored on the server 6.
• the service provider combines user- independent words 47 with user-independent links 48; for example, the word “politics — > www.politics.de” or "telephone directory — > www.number.de” .
• the user of the client 2 accesses the creator's private home page 27. This is shown on the client 2 by the browser 20. By means of a click of the mouse the user activates the button 24 and gives a speech input.
• the word "books” spoken by the user is subdivided by the software module 21 into feature vectors which are then sent to the speech recognizer 8 known from the transmitted address.
• the creator When a speech input possibility is implemented in the home page of a web site of companies, the creator assigns links to web pages from all the web sites. As a result, it is possible to reach web pages of the individual sub-ranges of a company for each language.
• the speech recognizer is matched to the vocabulary of a company via the predefined words.
• the specific vocabulary may contain, for example, product names, so that a visitor of such a speech-based company home page is shown the respective web pages on his client by pronouncing the product names or brand names in which he takes an interest.
• the user-independent words can be assigned to interested parties by means of commercial transactions, so that when the user-independent word is pronounced, the web page of the interested party is automatically invoked or activated.
• This link is effected by the provider of the speech recognizer who has to take care that this user-independent word is sold or rented to only one interested party.
• the web page of the interested party may also be linked with a plurality of words so that, for example, with connotations belonging to a theme always the same web page is invoked.
• the user-independent words may be temporarily issued to interested parties.
• the respective word or speech utterance, or the pronunciation of the word respectively, in different languages in the speech recognizer is made known by the provider of the speech recognizer.
• a user of a speech-based web site now effects a respective speech input. This is recognized by the speech recognizer and the produced recognition result is sent back to the invoking client.
• the recognition result is sent with the user identifier, where appropriate, to the data file in which the assigned link is determined and either sent back to the client, or the web page connected with the link is transmitted to the client.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Computational Linguistics (AREA)
• Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
• Computer And Data Communications (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-05-30 EP EP00938718A patent/EP1192530A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-05-30 WO PCT/EP2000/004989 patent/WO2000077607A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-05-30 AU AU53993/00A patent/AU5399300A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-05-30 JP JP2001503600A patent/JP2003502752A/ja active Pending

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