Patents by Inventor Andrew Breen
Andrew Breen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10720078Abstract: Systems, methods, and products for language learning that may extract text from various resources having text, using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a resource, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning and academic exercises. Metadata describing various aspects of resources from which keywords are extracted may be associated with keywords. Metadata describing various aspects of keywords may also be associated with keywords. Extracted keywords may be stored into a keyword store along with any metadata associated with keywords.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: VOXY, INCInventors: Katharine Nielson, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen, Kasey Kirkham
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Publication number: 20190385481Abstract: A systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from corpora using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword in the text to implement in learning activities, and topically tag the text against a taxonomy based on the content. This output is then used in conjunction with a series of learning activity-types designed to meet learners' language skill needs and then used to create dynamic, adaptive activities for them.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey KIRKHAM, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN
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Publication number: 20190362649Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that automatically extracts keywords from resources using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive resources having text and then determine a text difficulty score that predicts how difficult the resource is for language learners based on any number of factors, including any number of semantic and syntactic features of the text. Training resources labeled with metadata may be used to train a statistical model for determining difficulty scores of newly received text. Resources may be grouped based on difficulty score, and groups of resources language learners' proficiency levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey KIRKHAM, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN
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Patent number: 10438509Abstract: A systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from corpora using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword in the text to implement in learning activities, and topically tag the text against a taxonomy based on the content. This output is then used in conjunction with a series of learning activity-types designed to meet learners' language skill needs and then used to create dynamic, adaptive activities for them.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Voxy, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Publication number: 20190304337Abstract: Systems, methods, and products for language learning that may extract text from various resources having text, using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a resource, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning and academic exercises. Metadata describing various aspects of resources from which keywords are extracted may be associated with keywords. Metadata describing various aspects of keywords may also be associated with keywords. Extracted keywords may be stored into a keyword store along with any metadata associated with keywords.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN, Kasey KIRKHAM
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Patent number: 10410539Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that automatically extracts keywords from resources using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive resources having text and then determine a text difficulty score that predicts how difficult the resource is for language learners based on any number of factors, including any number of semantic and syntactic features of the text. Training resources labeled with metadata may be used to train a statistical model for determining difficulty scores of newly received text. Resources may be grouped based on difficulty score, and groups of resources may correspond to language learners' proficiency levels.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Voxy, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Patent number: 10325517Abstract: Systems, methods, and products for language learning may extract text from various resources having text, using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a resource, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning and academic exercises. Metadata describing various aspects of resources from which keywords are extracted may be associated with keywords. Metadata describing various aspects of keywords may also be associated with keywords. Extracted keywords may be stored into a keyword store along with any metadata associated with keywords.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: VOXY, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen, Kasey Kirkham
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Publication number: 20190103038Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from resources using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword related to a resource to implement in learning activities. Distractors may be of various types, which are dynamically selected from a distractor store depending on a learning activity chosen to meet a learner's needs. Distractors may vary in difficulty, and may be dynamically selected based on a learner's overall proficiency or based on a learner's abilities in specific language skills.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey KIRKHAM, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN
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Patent number: 10147336Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from resources using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword related to a resource to implement in learning activities. Distractors may be of various types, which are dynamically selected from a distractor store depending on a learning activity chosen to meet a learner's needs. Distractors may vary in difficulty, and may be dynamically selected based on a learner's overall proficiency or based on a learner's abilities in specific language skills.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Voxy, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Publication number: 20180108273Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that may extract text from various resources having text, using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a resource, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning and academic exercises. Metadata describing various aspects of resources from which keywords are extracted may be associated with keywords. Metadata describing various aspects of keywords may also be associated with keywords. Extracted keywords may be stored into a keyword store along with any metadata associated with keywords.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2017Publication date: April 19, 2018Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN, Kasey KIRKHAM
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Patent number: 9875669Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from resources using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword related to a resource to implement in learning activities. Distractors may be of various types, which are dynamically selected from a distractor store depending on a learning activity chosen to meet a learner's needs. Distractors may vary in difficulty, and may be dynamically selected based on a learner's overall proficiency or based on a learner's abilities in specific language skills.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: VOXY, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Patent number: 9852655Abstract: Systems, methods, and products for language learning that may determine a level score of a learner based upon responsive inputs received from the learner during sessions. A pedagogical value threshold is determined based upon the level score of the learner and a resource difficulty score of a resource containing text having one or more words. Each word having a word difficulty score satisfying the pedagogical value threshold is stored into a non-transitory machine-readable storage media keyword store.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: VOXY, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Patent number: 9798653Abstract: Adapted speech models produce fluent synthesized speech in a voice that sounds as if the speaker were fluent in a language in which the speaker is actually non-fluent. A full speech model is obtained based on fluent speech in the language spoken by a first person who is fluent in the language. A limited set of utterances is obtained in the language spoken by a second person who is non-fluent in the language but able to speak the limited set of utterances in the language. The full speech model of the first person is then processed with the limited set of utterances of the second person to produce an adapted speech model. The adapted speech model may be stored to a multi-lingual speech model as a child node of a root with an associated language selection question and branches pointed to the adapted speech model and other speech models, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2010Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Xu Shao, Andrew Breen
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Publication number: 20170270823Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from resources using various natural-language processing features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword related to a resource to implement in learning activities. Distractors may be of various types, which are dynamically selected from a distractor store depending on a learning activity chosen to meet a learner's needs. Distractors may vary in difficulty, and may be dynamically selected based on a learner's overall proficiency or based on a learner's abilities in specific language skills.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Publication number: 20170256178Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that automatically extracts keywords from resources using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive resources having text and then determine a text difficulty score that predicts how difficult the resource is for language learners based on any number of factors, including any number of semantic and syntactic features of the text. Training resources labeled with metadata may be used to train a statistical model for determining difficulty scores of newly received text. Resources may be grouped based on difficulty score, and groups of resources may correspond to language learners' proficiency levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey KIRKHAM, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN
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Publication number: 20170256179Abstract: A systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from corpora using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword in the text to implement in learning activities, and topically tag the text against a taxonomy based on the content. This output is then used in conjunction with a series of learning activity-types designed to meet learners' language skill needs and then used to create dynamic, adaptive activities for them.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Katharine NIELSON, Kasey KIRKHAM, Na'im TYSON, Andrew BREEN
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Patent number: 9711064Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and products for language learning that automatically extracts keywords from resources using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive resources having text and then determine a text difficulty score that predicts how difficult the resource is for language learners based on any number of factors, including any number of semantic and syntactic features of the text. Training resources labeled with metadata may be used to train a statistical model for determining difficulty scores of newly received text. Resources may be grouped based on difficulty score, and groups of resources may correspond to language learners' proficiency levels.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: VOXY, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Patent number: 9666098Abstract: A systems, methods, and products for language learning software that automatically extracts text from corpora using various natural-language processing product features, which can be combined with custom-designed learning activities to offer a needs-based, adaptive learning methodology. The system may receive a text, extract keywords pedagogically valuable to non-native language learning, assign a difficulty score to the text using various linguistic attributes of the text, generate a list of potential distractors for each keyword in the text to implement in learning activities, and topically tag the text against a taxonomy based on the content. This output is then used in conjunction with a series of learning activity-types designed to meet learners' language skill needs and then used to create dynamic, adaptive activities for them.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: VOXY, Inc.Inventors: Katharine Nielson, Kasey Kirkham, Na'im Tyson, Andrew Breen
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Patent number: 9520123Abstract: A system and method for concatenative speech synthesis is provided. Embodiments may include accessing, using one or more computing devices, a plurality of speech synthesis units from a speech database and determining a similarity between the plurality of speech synthesis units. Embodiments may further include retrieving two or more speech synthesis units having the similarity and pruning at least one of the two or more speech synthesis units based upon, at least in part, the similarity.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Heng Lu, Xu Shao, Wei Zhang, Wenhui Lei, Andrew Breen
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Publication number: 20160275934Abstract: A system and method for concatenative speech synthesis is provided. Embodiments may include accessing, using one or more computing devices, a plurality of speech synthesis units from a speech database and determining a similarity between the plurality of speech synthesis units. Embodiments may further include retrieving two or more speech synthesis units having the similarity and pruning at least one of the two or more speech synthesis units based upon, at least in part, the similarity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: September 22, 2016Inventors: Heng Lu, Xu Shao, Wei Zhang, Wenhui Lei, Andrew Breen