Patents Examined by Jesse Pullias
  • Contextual conversion platform for generating prioritized replacement text for spoken content output
    Patent number: 9196251
    Abstract: A contextual conversion platform, and method for converting text-to-speech, are described that can convert content of a target to spoken content. Embodiments of the contextual conversion platform can identify certain contextual characteristics of the content, from which can be generated a spoken content input. This spoken content input can include tokens, e.g., words and abbreviations, to be converted to the spoken content, as well as substitution tokens that are selected from contextual repositories based on the context identified by the contextual conversion platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel Ben-Ezri
  • Information processing apparatus for associating speaker identification information to speech data
    Patent number: 9196253
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a dividing unit, an assigning unit, and a generating unit. The dividing unit is configured to divide speech data into pieces of utterance data. The assigning unit is configured to assign speaker identification information to each piece of utterance data based on an acoustic feature of the each piece of utterance data. The generating unit is configured to generate a candidate list that indicates candidate speaker names so as to enable a user to determine a speaker name to be given to the piece of utterance data identified by instruction information, based on operation history information in which at least pieces of utterance identification information, pieces of the speaker identification information, and speaker names given by the user to the respective pieces of utterance data are associated with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Osamu Nishiyama, Taira Ashikawa, Tomoo Ikeda, Kouji Ueno, Kouta Nakata
  • Multi-level voice menu
    Patent number: 9190074
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are described herein related to a user interface (UI) that can be implemented on a head-mountable device (HMD). The UI can include a voice-navigable UI. The voice-navigable UI can include a voice navigable menu that includes one or more menu items. The voice-navigable UI can also present a first visible menu that includes at least a portion of the voice navigable menu. In response to a first utterance comprising one of the one or more menu items, the voice-navigable UI can modify the first visible menu to display one or more commands associated with the first menu item. In response to a second utterance comprising a first command, the voice-navigable UI can invoke the first command. In some embodiments, the voice-navigable UI can display a second visible menu, where the first command can be displayed above other menu items in the second visible menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. LeBeau, Clifford Ivar Nass
  • User profiling for voice input processing
    Patent number: 9190062
    Abstract: This is directed to processing voice inputs received by an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to receiving a voice input and identifying the user providing the voice input. The voice input can be processed using a subset of words from a library used to identify the words or phrases of the voice input. The particular subset can be selected such that voice inputs provided by the user are more likely to include words from the subset. The subset of the library can be selected using any suitable approach, including for example based on the user's interests and words that relate to those interests. For example, the subset can include one or more words related to media items selected by the user for storage on the electronic device, names of the user's contacts, applications or processes used by the user, or any other words relating to the user's interactions with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Allen P. Haughay
  • Using visual cues to disambiguate speech inputs
    Patent number: 9190058
    Abstract: Embodiments related to recognizing speech inputs are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a method for recognizing a speech input including receiving depth information of a physical space from a depth camera, determining an identity of a user in the physical space based on the depth information, receiving audio information from one or more microphones, and determining a speech input from the audio input. If the speech input comprises an ambiguous term, the ambiguous term in the speech input is compared to one or more of depth image data received from the depth image sensor and digital content consumption information for the user to identify an unambiguous term corresponding to the ambiguous term. After identifying the unambiguous term, an action is taken on the computing device based on the speech input and the unambiguous term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Christian Klein
  • Method and apparatus for keyword graphic selection
    Patent number: 9182903
    Abstract: A method on an electronic device is described. A set of graphics and a set of stored keywords are received in a higher-power mode of operation, each graphic corresponding to one or more of the stored keywords. The higher-power mode of operation is discontinued to enter a lower-power mode of operation. In the lower-power mode: audio signals are listened for; it is detected whether any keywords of the set of stored keywords are present in the audio signals; detected keywords present in the audio signals are stored; a graphic is selected from the set of graphics based on a comparison between the set of detected keywords and the set of stored keywords; a first portion of the selected graphic is displayed, in response to the at least one control signal, on a first area of a touch screen display that is within a first portion of the touch screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Lombardi, Mitul R. Patel, Amber M. Pierce, Natalie J. Stevens
  • Multiple range dynamic level control
    Patent number: 9171552
    Abstract: An audio-based system may perform dynamic level adjustment by detecting voice activity in an input signal and evaluating voice levels during periods of voice activity. The current voice level is compared to a plurality of thresholds to determine a corresponding gain strategy, and the input signal is scaled in accordance with this gain strategy. Further adjustment to the signal is performed to reduce output clipping that might otherwise be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Yang
  • Common multi-language text management in a business-oriented software framework
    Patent number: 9170826
    Abstract: A system, a method, and a computer-program product for providing multi-language support in applications are disclosed. A first textual expression contained within an application is obtained. The first textual expression is expressed in a first language. A unique key from a hash of the first textual expression is generated. A language code representative of a second language is determined. Based on the generated unique key and the determined language code, a second textual expression in the second language representative of a translation from the first language into the second language indicated by the language code is determined. The second textual expression is provided to the application to replace the first textual expression in a view presented to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Frank Brunswig, Frank Jentsch, Bare Said
  • Identifying tasks and commitments using natural language processing and machine learning
    Patent number: 9170993
    Abstract: An example of identifying tasks and commitments can include receiving a communication message. A task and a parameter can be identified in the communication message. Information related to the task can be extracted from the communication message using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML). A commitment related to the task can be identified using NLP extracted information. A state of the commitment can be identified using NLP and ML based on the extracted information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anup Kumar Kalia, Hamid Reza Motahari Nezhad, Claudio Bartolini
  • Indefinite speech inputs
    Patent number: 9165566
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to the use of speech inputs including indefinite quantitative terms as computing device inputs. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method of operating a computing device, the method including receiving a speech input comprising an indefinite quantitative term, determining a definite quantity corresponding to the indefinite quantitative term, and applying the definite quantity to an action performed via the computing device in response to the speech input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Klein, Gregg Wygonik
  • Cross-domain filtering for audio noise reduction
    Patent number: 9159336
    Abstract: An audio-based system may perform automatic noise reduction to enhance speech intelligibility in an audio signal. Described techniques include initially analyzing audio frames in the time domain to identify frames having relatively low power levels. Those frames are then further analyzed in the frequency domain to estimate noise. For example, the initially identified frames may be analyzed at each of multiple frequencies to detect the lowest exhibited power at each of those frequencies. The lowest power values are used as an estimation of noise across the frequency spectrum, and as the basis for calculating a spectral gain for filtering the audio signal in the frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Rawles LLC
    Inventor: Jun Yang
  • Three-dimensional sound compression and over-the-air transmission during a call
    Patent number: 9161149
    Abstract: A method for encoding three dimensional audio by a wireless communication device is disclosed. The wireless communication device detects an indication of a plurality of localizable audio sources. The wireless communication device also records a plurality of audio signals associated with the plurality of localizable audio sources. The wireless communication device also encodes the plurality of audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Erik Visser, Lae-Hoon Kim, Pei Xiang
  • System and method for generating personalized tag recommendations for tagging audio content
    Patent number: 9154629
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for generating personalized tag recommendations using speech analytics. The system first analyzes an audio stream to identify topics in the audio stream. Next, the system identifies tags related to the topics to yield identified tags. Based on the identified tags, the system then generates a tag recommendation for tagging the audio stream. The system can also send the tag recommendation to a device associated with a user for presentation to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Ajita John, Doree Duncan Seligmann
  • Method and system for automatically identifying voice tags through user operation
    Patent number: 9148499
    Abstract: A method for automatically identifying voice tags on an electronic device. After failure to initiate a communication using a voice input command, the user may then subsequently contact the recipient using an application program of the electronic device. The original audio of the voice input command may be identified as a potential voice tag for the now-identified recipient. The method includes: receiving, through a voice interface program, a voice input command, the voice input command including a command element and a content element; ending the voice interface program without performing the voice input command; receiving, through an application program, a user input which identifies data for executing an application program command; performing the application program command; and identifying audio of the content element as a voice tag associated with the data identified by the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Mohammed Nawaf Smadi
  • Hybrid input device for touchless user interface
    Patent number: 9147398
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a breath sensor including a film configured to sense a variation in electrical impedance based on a moisture gradient and output the sensed variation as an output signal; and a controller configured to process the output signal from the breath sensor. The apparatus is configured to receive the output signal from the breath sensor and provide a signal in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Richard White, Jani Kivioja, Andrew Peter Matthews, Michael Astley, Stefano Marco Borini
  • Systems and methods for organizing and analyzing audio content derived from media files
    Patent number: 9142216
    Abstract: Systems for receiving, analyzing, and organizing audio content contained within a plurality of media files are disclosed. The systems generally include a server that is configured to receive, index, and store a plurality of media files, which are received by the server from a plurality of sources, within at least one database in communication with the server. The server is further configured to organize audio content included within each of the plurality of media files into a bipartite graph, wherein the bipartite graph will include vertices that are correlated with a specific media file or an individual who is associated with a specific media file. These vertices will comprise edges that are labeled with a word that is detected from within the audio content of the media file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Jan Jannink
  • Method and apparatus for low complexity compression of signals
    Patent number: 9136980
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for low-complexity encoding (compression) of broad class of signals, which are typically not well modeled as sparse signals in either time-domain or frequency-domain. First, the signal can be split in time-segments that may be either sparse in time domain or sparse in frequency domain, for example by using absolute second order differential operator on the input signal. Next, different encoding strategies can be applied for each of these time-segments depending in which domain the sparsity is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Baheti, Harinath Garudadri, Yuejie Chi
  • Orthographical variant detection apparatus and orthographical variant detection method
    Patent number: 9128923
    Abstract: Provided is an orthographical variant detection apparatus which detects orthographical variant candidates with a high precision. The orthographical variant detection apparatus includes a term extraction unit that extracts terms from document data, a similarity computation unit that computes similarity of an arbitrary pair of the extracted terms, an orthographical variant candidate determination unit that determines, based on the similarity, whether or not the terms in the pair of terms are orthographical variant candidates, and a group classification unit that groups the orthographical variant candidates based on a character string commonly included in pair of terms as the orthographical variant candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikito Kobayashi, Masahisa Shinozaki, Toshiyuki Kano, Yoshimi Saito
  • Speech segment determination device, and storage medium
    Patent number: 9123351
    Abstract: A speech segment determination device includes a frame division portion, a power spectrum calculation portion, a power spectrum operation portion, a spectral entropy calculation portion and a determination portion. The frame division portion divides an input signal in units of frames. The power spectrum calculation portion calculates, using an analysis length, a power spectrum of the input signal for each of the frames that have been divided. The power spectrum operation portion adds a value of the calculated power spectrum to a value of power spectrum in each of frequency bins. The spectral entropy calculation portion calculates spectral entropy using the power spectrum whose value has been increased. The determination portion determines, based on a value of the spectral entropy, whether the input signal is a signal in a speech segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Katagiri
  • Ambient noise compensation system robust to high excitation noise
    Patent number: 9123352
    Abstract: A speech enhancement system controls the gain of an excitation signal to prevent uncontrolled gain adjustments. The system includes a first device that converts sound waves into operational signals. An ambient noise estimator is linked to the first device and an echo canceller. The ambient noise estimator estimates how loud a background noise would be near the first device before or after an echo cancellation. The system then compares the ambient noise estimate to a current ambient noise estimate near the first device to control a gain of an excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: 2236008 Ontario Inc.
    Inventor: Phillip A. Hetherington