Abstract: An encoding device (200) is comprised of a band dividing unit (201) that divides an input signal (207) into a low frequency signal (208) representing a signal in the lower frequency band and a high frequency signal (209) representing a signal in the higher frequency band, a lower frequency band encoding unit (202) that encodes the low frequency signal (208) and generates a low frequency code (213), a similarity judging unit (203) that judges similarity between the high frequency signal (209) and the low frequency signal (208) and generates switching information (210), “n” higher frequency band encoding units 205 that encode the high frequency signal (209) through respective encoding methods and generate a high frequency code (212), a switching unit (204) that selects one of the higher frequency band encoding units (205) and has the selected higher frequency band encoding unit (205) perform encoding, and a code multiplexing unit (206) that multiplexes the low frequency code (213), the high frequency code (212)

Abstract: An apparatus for determining at least one recognition parameter, associated with a grammar, for use in attempting to recognize utterances using the grammar includes an input configured to receive indicia of the grammar, an output configured to provide the at least one recognition parameter, and a processor coupled to the input and to the output and configured to analyze words of the grammar to determine a feature of the grammar and to provide indicia of the at least one recognition parameter to the output based on the determined feature.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of controlling a speech code of speech communications between mobile terminals via an IP network, between mobile switching centers which are interconnected through the IP network. Two mobile switching centers communicate with each other via the IP network using a field in an IP header of a packet, and determines whether coding processes used by two mobile terminals are the same as each other. If the coding processes are the same as each other, then the two mobile switching centers do not convert the coding process for a speech signal, and transmit speech signals from the mobile terminals directly carried on packets through the IP network. If the coding processes are not the same as each other, then the two mobile switching centers convert the coding process for the speech signal into a general-purpose coding process for the speech signal to be transmitted through the IP network.

Abstract: A Control apparatus for controlling communication between a user and at least one processor controlled device, such as a printer or copier, capable of carrying out at least one task. The control includes a processor configured to conduct a dialog with the user to determine the task that the user wishes the device to carry out; instruct the device to carry out the determined task; receive event information related to events; determine whether the user is involved with another task when the event information is received; identify interrupt status information associated with at least one of the event for which event information is received and said other task; determine whether or not the user can be interrupted on the basis of the identified interrupt status information; and advise the user of received event information.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and apparatus for parsing consecutive sentences which includes tokenizing the words of the sentence and putting them through an iterative inductive processor. The processor has access to at least a first and second set of rules. The rules narrow the possible syntactic interpretations for the words in the sentence. After exhausting application of the first set of rules, the program moves to the second set of rules. The program reiterates back and forth between the sets of rules until no further reductions in the syntactic interpretation can be made. Thereafter, deductive token merging is performed if needed.

Abstract: A device and a method for compressing signal information by removing (thinning out) the signal component of a signal in a specific frequency band. Firstly, an input time-series signal (e.g., a PCM signal) is converted by an analyzer (11) into a spectrum signal. Next, of the bands obtained by dividing the spectrum equally into bands, the band having a predetermined or higher correlation in the spectrum distribution with the lower frequency band is specified as a harmonic band by a frequency band masking unit (12). Then, a removal band from which the spectrum is to be removed is determined from the harmonic band, and the spectrum signal of this removal band, from which the spectrum component has been removed (namely the frequency component has been thinned out), is fed to a synthesizer (13).