Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, at least one language model component of a plurality of language model components in at least one application associated with automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language understanding (NLU) usage. A contribution bias may be received for the at least one language model component. The ASR and NLU may be aligned between the plurality of language model components based upon, at least in part, the contribution bias.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, at least one language model component of a plurality of language model components in at least one application associated with automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language understanding (NLU) usage. A contribution bias may be received for the at least one language model component. The ASR and NLU may be aligned between the plurality of language model components based upon, at least in part, the contribution bias.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for front end speech processing for automatic speech recognition. A sequence of speech features which characterize an unknown speech input is received with a computer process. A first subset of the speech features is normalized with a computer process using a first feature normalizing function. A second subset of the speech features is normalized with a computer process using a second feature normalizing function different from the first feature normalizing function. The normalized speech features in the first and second subsets are combined with a computer process to produce a sequence of mixed normalized speech features for automatic speech recognition.

Abstract: Automatically adjusting confidence scoring functionality is described for a speech recognition engine. Operation of the speech recognition system is revised so as to change an associated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve describing performance of the speech recognition system with respect to rates of false acceptance (FA) versus correct acceptance (CA). Then a confidence scoring functionality related to recognition reliability for a given input utterance is automatically adjusted such that where the ROC curve is better for a given operating point after revising the operation of the speech recognition system, the adjusting reflects a double gain constraint to maintain FA and CA rates at least as good as before revising operation of the speech recognition system.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for front end speech processing for automatic speech recognition. A sequence of speech features which characterize an unknown speech input is received with a computer process. A first subset of the speech features is normalized with a computer process using a first feature normalizing function. A second subset of the speech features is normalized with a computer process using a second feature normalizing function different from the first feature normalizing function. The normalized speech features in the first and second subsets are combined with a computer process to produce a sequence of mixed normalized speech features for automatic speech recognition.

Abstract: Automatically adjusting confidence scoring functionality is described for a speech recognition engine. Operation of the speech recognition system is revised so as to change an associated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve describing performance of the speech recognition system with respect to rates of false acceptance (FA) versus correct acceptance (CA). Then a confidence scoring functionality related to recognition reliability for a given input utterance is automatically adjusted such that where the ROC curve is better for a given operating point after revising the operation of the speech recognition system, the adjusting reflects a double gain constraint to maintain FA and CA rates at least as good as before revising operation of the speech recognition system.

Abstract: A combined lighter and cigarette paper dispenser comprises an elongated housing having an ignition mechanism fitted to one end. The housing includes a lighter fluid container 12? in fluid communication with the ignition mechanism 14 and also a cavity 12? to receive a supply (e.g. a packet) of cigarette papers by insertion through an opening in the opposite end of the housing. The papers may be dispensed either by ejecting the entire packet from the housing, using one paper, and re-inserting the packet, or by dispensing the papers individually through a lateral slot in the housing.