Abstract: Methods and arrangements for employing descriptors for agent-customer interactions are disclosed. Filtering the pooled records based on one or more predetermined criteria is done such that analyzing the filtered records and comparing one interaction between an agent and a customer with another interaction between an agent and a customer may occur.

Abstract: A phonetic vocabulary for a speech recognition system is adapted to a particular speaker's pronunciation. A speaker can be attributed specific pronunciation styles, which can be identified from specific pronunciation examples. Consequently, a phonetic vocabulary can be reduced in size, which can improve recognition accuracy and recognition speed.

Abstract: A phonetic vocabulary for a speech recognition system is adapted to a particular speaker's pronunciation. A speaker can be attributed specific pronunciation styles, which can be identified from specific pronunciation examples. Consequently, a phonetic vocabulary can be reduced in size, which can improve recognition accuracy and recognition speed.

Abstract: Determining synonyms of words in a set of documents. Particularly, when provided with a word or phrase as input, in exemplary embodiments there is afforded the return of a predetermined number of “top” synonym words (or phrases) for an input word (or phrase) in a specific collection of text documents. Further, a user is able to provide ongoing and iterative positive or negative feedback on the returned synonym words, by manually accepting or rejecting such words as the process is underway.

Abstract: Optimizing the regrowth over epitaxial layers during manufacture of a distributed feedback laser. In one example embodiment, a method for depositing an InP regrowth layer on an epitaxial base portion of a distributed feedback laser includes growing a first portion of the regrowth layer at an initial substrate temperature of approximately 580 degrees Celsius to a thickness between approximately 300 Angstroms and approximately 900 Angstroms, increasing the substrate temperature from the initial substrate temperature to an increased substrate temperature of approximately 660 degrees Celsius, growing a second portion of the regrowth layer at the increased substrate temperature, doping a first part of an uppermost layer of the regrowth layer at a concentration of approximately 8.00*10^17/cm3 at the increased substrate temperature, and doping a second part of the uppermost layer of the regrowth layer at a concentration between approximately 1.90*10^18/cm3 and approximately 2.

Abstract: A method includes deriving first information from a number of agent-customer interactions in a customer service system, and determining concurrent system activity by the agents in the customer service system, the concurrent system activity occurring at least partially concurrently with the number of agent-customer interactions. The method further includes combining the determined first information and the determined concurrent system activity to determine second information related to one or more of the number of agent-customer interactions, and outputting the second information. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to one illustrative embodiment, a method is provided for analyzing an audio interaction. At least one change in an emotion of a speaker in an audio interaction and at least one aspect of the audio interaction are identified. The at least one change in an emotion is analyzed in conjunction with the at least one aspect to determine a relationship between the at least one change in an emotion and the at least one aspect, and a result of the analysis is provided.

Abstract: A system and associated method for cross-guided data clustering by aligning target clusters in a target domain to source clusters in a source domain. The cross-guided clustering process takes the target domain and the source domain as inputs. A common word attribute shared by both the target domain and the source domain is a pivot vocabulary, and all other words in both domains are a non-pivot vocabulary. The non-pivot vocabulary is projected onto the pivot vocabulary to improve measurement of similarity between data items. Source centroids representing clusters in the source domain are created and projected to the pivot vocabulary. Target centroids representing clusters in the target domain are initially created by conventional clustering method and then repetitively aligned to converge with the source centroids by use of a cross-domain similarity graph that measures a respective similarity of each target centroid to each source centroid.

Abstract: A system and associated method for evaluating cross-domain clusterability upon a target domain and a source domain. The cross-domain clusterability is calculated as a linear combination of a target clusterability and a source-target pair matchability, by use of a trade-off parameter that determines relative contribution of the target clusterability and the source-target pair matchability. The target clusterability quantifies how clusterable the target domain is. The source-target pair matchability is calculated as an average of a target-side matchability and a source-side matchability, which quantifies how well target centroids of the target domain are aligned with the source centroids and how well source centroids of the source domain are aligned with the target centroids, respectively.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for spoken language grammar evaluation are provided. The method includes playing a recorded question to a candidate, recording a spoken answer from the candidate, and converting the spoken answer into text. The method further includes comparing the text to a grammar database, calculating a spoken language grammar evaluation score based on the comparison, and outputting the spoken language grammar evaluation score.

Abstract: A procedure to automatically evaluate the spoken fluency of a speaker by prompting the speaker to talk on a given topic, recording the speaker's speech to get a recorded sample of speech, and then analyzing the patterns of disfluencies in the speech to compute a numerical score to quantify the spoken fluency skills of the speakers. The numerical fluency score accounts for various prosodic and lexical features, including formant-based filled-pause detection, closely-occurring exact and inexact repeat N-grams, normalized average distance between consecutive occurrences of N-grams. The lexical features and prosodic features are combined to classify the speaker with a C-class classification and develop a rating for the speaker.

Abstract: A filtration system for a dishwasher, and an associated apparatus and method, are provided, comprising a macerator chamber adapted to house a macerator device. The macerator chamber is configured to receive washing fluid for the macerator device to comminute contaminants within the washing fluid. A drain chamber is in fluid communication with the macerator chamber and is configured to receive the washing fluid and comminuted contaminants therefrom via a fluid port therebetween. The drain chamber has a vented member associated therewith, which defines at least one first vent providing fluid communication between the drain chamber and the washing fluid circulation system. The vented member is spaced apart from the fluid port, and is configured to strain the comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid so as to retain the comminuted contaminants within the drain chamber while allowing the washing fluid to pass therethrough to the washing fluid circulation system.

Abstract: A method for etching facets of a laser die prior to coating in such a way as to control the formation of oxides and metallic films on the facet is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes placing a wafer on which the laser is included in the interior volume of an etching chamber. Nitrogen is introduced into the interior volume to define a nitrogen-rich environment. The laser facet is then etched in the nitrogen-rich environment with argon delivered from an ion gun. In another embodiment, the method includes placing the laser in an ion beam etching chamber, then physically etching the facet of the laser with an ion beam that includes an argon/nitrogen mixture. The laser facet(s) can then be coated as desired. The etching method reduces the incidence of leakage current during operation of the laser die caused by metallic film formation on the facet before coating.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling voice access to information residing on the World Wide Web are provided. The techniques include receiving a query from a user, wherein the query comprises a voice-based request to access information residing on the World Wide Web, identifying one or more websites corresponding to the query, fetching the information from a website, wherein fetching the information comprises executing a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request, organizing the information into a voice-based response and delivering the response to the user.

Abstract: Techniques for evaluating one or more spoken language skills of a speaker are provided. The techniques include identifying one or more temporal locations of interest in a speech passage spoken by a speaker, computing one or more acoustic parameters, wherein the one or more acoustic parameters capture one or more properties of one or more acoustic-phonetic features of the one or more locations of interest, and combining the one or more acoustic parameters with an output of an automatic speech recognizer to modify an output of a spoken language skill evaluation.

Abstract: A mobile wireless device, such as a mobile wireless phone, is adapted based on a user's current abstracted contextual situation, where the context of a user is determined using devices enabled with near-field communication technology. Dynamic information of a user of a mobile device, such as the identity of his or her current environment, is determined using near-field communication, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. Static information regarding the user is also determined, where such static information can include the user's preferences regarding how the mobile device should adapt to certain environments. An abstracted contextual situation of the user is synthesized based on this dynamic and static information. One or more adaptation directives for the mobile device of the user are determined based on the user's abstracted contextual situation.

Abstract: A sump assembly for a dishwasher and associated method are provided. The sump assembly comprises an integrally-formed sump member defining a circulation pump volute receptacle and a drain pump volute receptacle. The circulation pump volute receptacle and the drain pump volute receptacle are adapted to receive respective pump and motor assemblies. Each of the volute receptacles is configured to receive the respective pump and motor assembly along a respective horizontal axis defined thereby. The drain pump volute receptacle includes a washing fluid input in direct communication with the circulation pump volute receptacle for receiving the washing fluid therefrom.

Abstract: Semiconductor lasers having a doped active region. In one example embodiment, a laser includes a substrate and a doped active region positioned above the substrate. The doped active region includes a plurality of quantum wells separated by a plurality of barrier layers. The quantum wells and the barrier layers are doped with a doping material with a concentration between about 1*10^16/cm3 to about 1*10^17/cm3.

Abstract: A laser diode having a composite passivation layer configured to control parasitic capacitance, especially in high speed laser applications, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a ridge waveguide laser is disclosed and includes: a substrate, an active layer disposed on the substrate, a ridge structure disposed on the active layer, and a contact layer disposed on the ridge structure. A composite passivation layer is disposed substantially laterally to the ridge structure. The composite passivation layer includes a silicon nitride bottom layer, a silicon nitride top layer, and a silicon dioxide middle layer interposed between the bottom and top layers. The passivation layers possess differing stress components that, when combined, cancel out the overall mechanical stress of the passivation layer. This enables relatively thick passivation layers to be employed in high speed laser diodes without increasing the risk of layer stress cracking and laser damage.

Abstract: Techniques for assessing pronunciation abilities of a user are provided. The techniques include recording a sentence spoken by a user, performing a classification of the spoken sentence, wherein the classification is performed with respect to at least one N-ordered class, and wherein the spoken sentence is represented by a set of at least one acoustic feature extracted from the spoken sentence, and determining a score based on the classification, wherein the score is used to determine an optimal set of at least one question to assess pronunciation ability of the user without human intervention.