Abstract: A method for multi-modal data fusion (100), a multi-modal system data fusion system (10) and module (24) that in use operates by receiving segments (125) of multi-modal data associated respectively with a modalitiy. Initiating (130) a dynamically variable wait period after one of the segments is received is then performed. The dynamically variable wait period has a duration determined from data fusion timing statistics of the system (10). A waiting (140) for reception of any further segments during the dynamically variable wait period is then effected and thereafter a fusing (145) of the segments received provides fused data that is sent (160) to a dialog manager (25).

Abstract: A system for understanding entries, such as speech, develops a classifier by employing prior knowledge with which a given corpus of training entries is enlarged threefold. A rule is created for each of the labels employed in the classifyier, and the created rules are applied to the given corpus to create a corpus of attachments by appending a weight of ?p(x), or 1??p(x), to labels of entries that meet, or fail to meet, respectively, conditions of the labels' rules, and to also create a corpus of non-attachments by appending a weight of 1??p(x), or ?p(x), to labels of entries that meet, or fail to meet conditions of the labels' rules.

Abstract: A method for responding to an electronic mail message with a limited input device such as a phone includes audibly rendering the question and a set of proposed answers typically provided in the electronic mail message by the sender of the electronic mail message. A language model indicative of the proposed answers is provided to a speech recognizer. The response from the user is obtained and converted to a textual response using the speech recognizer and language model. A second electronic e-mail message is then sent back to the sender. The second electronic mail message includes the textual response.

Abstract: The presence of speech in a filtered speech signal is detected for the purpose of suspending noise level calculations during periods of speech. A received speech signal is split into a plurality of subband signals. A subband variable gain is determined for each subband based on an estimation of the noise level in the received voice signal and on an envelope of the received signal in each subband. Each subband signal is multiplied by the subband variable gain for that subband. The subband signals are combined to produce an output voice signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus estimate additive noise in a noisy signal using an iterative technique within a recursive framework. In particular, the noisy signal is divided into frames and the noise in each frame is determined based on the noise in another frame and the noise determined in a previous iteration for the current frame. In one particular embodiment, the noise found in a previous iteration for a frame is used to define an expansion point for a Taylor series approximation that is used to estimate the noise in the current frame. In one embodiment, noise estimation employs a recursive-Expectation-Maximization framework with a maximum likelihood (ML) criteria. In a further embodiment, noise estimation employs a recursive-Expectation-Maximization framework based on a MAP (maximum a posterior) criteria.

Abstract: A spoken dialog system having a dialog management module is disclosed. The dialog management module includes a plurality of dialog motivators for handling various operations during a spoken dialog. The dialog motivators comprise error-handling, disambiguation, assumption, confirmation, missing information, and continuation. The spoken dialog system uses the assumption dialog motivator in either a-priori or a-posteriori modes. A-priori assumption is based on predefined requirements for the call flow and a-posteriori assumption can work with the confirmation dialog motivator to assume the content of received user input and confirm received user input.

Abstract: A method and structure for automatically producing bridging inferences that join two related input sentences, by applying a lexicon and ontology data structure to a first input sentence to produce first input tagged sentences, applying the lexicon and ontology data structure to a second input sentence to produce second input tagged sentences, matching each first input tagged sentence to first rules, generating first inferred tagged sentences from the first rules, matching the first inferred tagged sentences to second rules, generating second inferred tagged sentences from the second rules, matching the second inferred tagged sentences to third rules, generating third inferred tagged sentences from the third rules, and so on, until a final inferred tagged sentence matches any second input tagged sentence.

Abstract: A personal interactive voice response system with a web-based interface allowing the user to specify treatment of incoming calls based on voice or touchtone responses provided by the calling party. A graphical user interface available over a computer network, such as the Internet, allows the user to personalize greetings that callers hear, as well as customizing treatment of callers based on the caller's response. The user may record an initial greeting or other messages, either over the telephone or over the Internet, so that the messages are played to callers in the user's voice. Additionally, the user may enter text, via a PC or wireless device connected to the Internet, that is played back for the caller, based on the caller's response, via text-to-speech conversion using voice extensible markup language technology. Resulting actions, such as call forwarding, distinctive ringing, or remote notification of the incoming call may also be included.

Abstract: A new, more efficient memory translation algorithm facilitating the acquisition of a most appropriate translation in a target language from among those of nearly narrowed-down candidates of translation by separately applying the so-called dimension reducing functions of a template automaton and the LSI (latent semantic index) technique. Both the template automaton and the LSI principle play an important role in implementing an efficient process of narrowing down an efficient solution space from among the many example sentences of the databases in a target language by exploiting their respective unique search space reduction function. Once developed into a fully operational system, an expert editor rather than an expert translator can tune up the translation memory system, markedly widening the range of available experts who can utilize the system.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which allows communication between various kinds of languages. The conversion processing portion (300) rewrites components of the representation in the natural language constructing given natural language representation to universal language elements corresponding thereto in the universal language dictionary (210). The conversion processing portion (300) joins multiple rewritten universal language elements by applying the rewriting rules (220) in accordance with an order in universal language element and creates representation in universal language, which is represented in the binary relation. A reverse-conversion processing portion (350) resolves representation in universal language represented in the binary relation to universal language elements constructing joins therein with reference to the rewriting rules (220) in accordance with rules for representation in the binary relation, which are included in the rules.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for suppressing noise interference with the following steps: Gaining of an analytical signal from an input signal (Sin); Calculation of an instant amplitude signal (IA) from the analytical signal; Calculation of an instant phase signal (IFI) from the analytical signal; Non-linear modification of the instant amplitude signal (IA) into a modified instant amplitude signal (IAmod); Linkage of the modified instant amplitude signal (IAmod) with the instant phase signal (IFI) into an output signal (Sout).