Abstract: In an apparatus for extracting information from an input speech signal, a preprocessor, a buffer, a segmenter, an acoustic classifier and a feature extractor are provided. The preprocessor generates formant related information for consecutive time frames of the input speech signal. This formant related information is fed into the buffer, which can store signals representative of a plurality of frames. The segmenter monitors the signals representative of the incoming frames and identifies segments in the input speech signal during which variations in the formant related information remain within prespecified limits. The acoustic classifier then determines classification information for each segment identified by the segmenter, based on acoustic classes found in training data. The feature estimator then determines, for each segment, the information required, based on the input speech signal during that segment, training data and the classification information determined by the acoustic classifier.

Abstract: A pattern matching method for matching a time varying input signal with a number of sequences of time varying reference signals.

Abstract: A method for determining the location of a pattern, when input in isolation, within a representative input signal is provided. The method aligns the input signal with a signal representative of a plurality of connected patterns, one of which is the same as the pattern within the input signal. The method then determines the location from the results of the aligning step. The location determined using this apparatus can be used to determine an isolated reference model by extracting features of the input signal from the location found. This isolated reference model can then be used to generate a continuous reference model for the pattern, by aligning the isolated reference model with the signals representative of a plurality of connected patterns, one of which is the pattern to be modelled.