Abstract: A method populates fields of a form. A form has fields and predefined standard responses associated with at least a subset of the fields. Each predefined standard response is associated with a distinct field. A text stream is received, a particular command in the text stream is identified. In response to the particular command, at least one field is populated with the predefined standard response associated with the field.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to speech recognition systems as applied to voice and electronic message mailing. More particularly the invention is a system and method for converting speech to a text message suitable for sending as an e-mail message and for viewing on a text display device. After an audio message from a caller is received, a text message file is generated and sent to the intended recipient's e-mail address, which has been stored prior to the receipt of the audio message. If the caller is identified, a caller-specific voice file may be used to facilitate speech recognition for generation of the text message file. Also, if the caller specifies a subject for the message, a specialized vocabulary file may be used to facilitate the generation of the text message file.

Abstract: A syntax rule authoring system automatically generates syntax rules for an application program's predefined inputs, thereby enabling the application program to be used with a syntax based speech recognition system. The syntax rule authoring system includes memory for storing an application program having an associated set of user selectable predefined inputs. The syntax rule authoring system stores in a first data structure for each predefined input an associated longest word sequence for uniquely identifying that predefined input. A word sequence generation procedure automatically generates, for each predefined input, a set of potential identifying word sequences. Each generated potential identifying word sequence includes a subset of the words in the associated longest word sequence. The potential identifying word sequences for all the predefined inputs are stored a second data structure.

Abstract: An improved text-to-speech synthesizer that employs a text to speech converter, a text reader control procedure, a classifier procedure, an abbreviation expansion procedure, and an acronym/initialism expanding procedure is herein described. A classifier procedure is used to classify generate classification values for each word in the text message with regard to syntax, punctuation and membership in predefined classes of words, the predefined classes of words including number, measurement units, geographic designations, and date/time values. An abbreviation expansion procedure evaluates, based on the classification values for words neighboring the identified words, which, if any, of the potential expansion values is applicable, and substitutes the potential expansion for the identified abbreviation word when evaluation yields a success value.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactive speech training having an audio specimen generator for playing a pre-recorded reference audio specimen to a user for attempted repetition by the user and a reference audio specimen library in which reference audio specimens are stored and to which the audio specimen generator has access. The audio specimen library contains a multiplicity of recordings of speaker dependent audio specimens produced by a plurality of speech models. A speaker independent parameter database stores a plurality of speaker independent references which are different from the reference audio specimens stored in the reference audio specimen library. The speaker independent references are classified according to at least one of age, gender or dialect, but is independent of other speaker characteristics within each category. An audio specimen scorer scores a user's repetition audio specimen by comparison of at least one parameter of the user's repetition audio specimen with a speaker independent reference.

Abstract: A text-to-speech conversion system converts specified text strings into corresponding strings of consonant and vowel phonemes. A parameter generator converts the phonemes into formant parameters, and a formant synthesizer uses the formant parameters to generate a synthetic speech waveform. A library of vowel allophones are stored, each stored vowel allophone being represented by formant parameters for four formants. The vowel allophone library includes a context index for associating each said vowel allophone with one or more pairs of phonemes preceding and following the corresponding vowel phoneme in a phoneme string. When synthesizing speech, a vowel allophone generator uses the vowel allophone library to provide formant parameters representative of a specified vowel phoneme. The vowel allophone generator coacts with the context index to select the proper vowel allophone, as determined by the phonemes preceding and following the specified vowel phoneme.

Abstract: A telephonic data communications system provides verbal communication of data in remote computer systems. The major components of the systems are a plurality of channels and a data processor. Each channel includes a text-to-speech translator for translating digitally stored textual data into analogue speech signals corresponding to the verbal expression of the textual data; a telephone interface for establishing a telephonic connection with a user by detecting incoming calls and by initiating calls; and an RS232 port for accessing a data base in a remote host computer system. The data processor includes software for controlling the communications protocols used by each channel, whereby each channel emulates a computer terminal suitable for communication with the remote computer system connected to that channel, and software for extracting selected data from the data received from the remote computer system.

Abstract: A telephonic data communications system provides verbal communication of data in remote computer systems. The major components of the systems are a plurality of channels and a data processor. Each channel includes a text-to-speech translator for translating digitally stored textual data into analogue speech signals corresponding to the verbal expression of the textual data; a telephone interface for establishing a telephonic connection with a caller; and an RS232 port for accessing a data base in a remote host computer system. The data processor includes software for controlling the communications protocols used by each channel, whereby each channel emulates a computer terminal suitable for communication with the remote computer system connected to that channel, and software for extracting selected data from the data received from the remote computer system.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactive speech training having an audio specimen generator for playing a pre-recorded reference audio specimen to a user for attempted repetition by the user and a reference audio specimen library in which reference audio specimens are stored and to which the audio specimen generator has access. The audio specimen library contains a multiplicity of recordings of speaker dependent audio specimens produced by a plurality of speech models. A speaker independent parameter database stores a plurality of speaker independent references which are different from the reference audio specimens stored in the reference audio specimen library. The speaker independent references are classified according to at least one of age, gender or dialect, but is independent of other speaker characteristics within each category.