Abstract: A system and method of performing automatic speech recognition (ASR) includes: receiving speech at a vehicle microphone; communicating the received speech to an ASR system; measuring an amount of time that elapses while speech is received; selecting a point-of-interest (POI) context or an address context based on the measured amount of received time; and processing the received speech using a POI context-based grammar when a POI context is selected or an address-based grammar when an address context is selected.

Abstract: A system and method of recognizing speech received at a vehicle includes: receiving speech from a vehicle occupant via a microphone; determining whether the speech relates to a point of interest (POI) or an address without receiving a POI command prompt or an address command prompt in the speech from the vehicle occupant; selecting a POI function or an address function based on the determination; and processing the received speech to identify a POI or an address.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying and generating preferred emojis includes: detecting at a wireless device a plurality of selected emoji; determining the frequency with which each emoji is selected; identifying a defined number of emojis from the plurality of selected emojis based on the frequency with which each emoji is selected; and creating a frequently-used emoji library for the identified emojis.

Abstract: A system and method of using remote speech recognition at a vehicle includes: receiving speech at the vehicle from a vehicle occupant; determining a wireless quality of service between the vehicle and a speech processing remote facility; transmitting the received speech to the remote speech processing facility when the wireless quality of service is above a threshold; and processing the received speech at the vehicle when the wireless quality of service is below the threshold.

Abstract: A system and method of tuning speech recognition systems includes performing text-to-speech conversion of text data; detecting the accuracy of speech converted from text data; determining that the detected accuracy is below a predetermined threshold; recording a user recitation of the text data in response to the determination; and storing the user recitation in an exception database located at a vehicle.

Abstract: A method of recognizing continuous digits uttered by a speaker using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes receiving continuous digits via a microphone as speech from a user; detecting that recognition of one or more of the continuous digits falls below a predetermined confidence threshold; prompting the user to identify the continuous digits using a body gesture; detecting the body gesture made by the user; and identifying one or more of the continuous digits based on the body gesture.

Abstract: A system and method of regulating speech output by a text-to-speech (TTS) system includes: evaluating speech that has been converted from text using an initial speech quality test before presentation to a user; applying a classification test to the evaluated speech if the evaluated speech falls below a threshold based on the initial speech quality test; generating an abnormal speech classification for the evaluated speech; and applying a corrective action to the evaluated speech based on the abnormal speech classification.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for facilitating communication within vehicles. In accordance with one embodiment, a vehicle includes a passenger cabin, a receiver, and a processor. The receiver is configured to receive signals, within the passenger cabin, from one more electronic device microphones inside the passenger cabin. Each of the electronic device microphones comprises a microphone of an electronic device of a user inside the passenger cabin. The processor is coupled to the receiver, and is configured to at least facilitate generating one or more zones of communication using the received signals from the electronic device microphones inside the passenger cabin.

Abstract: A system for serving a shared-ride user, including a non-transitory storage component and a hardware-based processing unit performing module functions. The storage includes a user-input-interface module that receives, from a machine interface, user-input data regarding a user/co-passenger interaction. The storage includes a ride-sharing module determining, based on input data, an identity or account for the co-passenger, and an output module performing an action based on the identity or account. In another aspect, the storage includes a commerce module determining, based on the input data, a service or product indicated in the interaction and the output action is based on the service or product. In another aspect, the storage includes a social-media module accessing a social-media resource to, using the input data, determine an identity or account of the co-passenger, a product or service indicated by the co-passenger or the user in the interaction, or a schedule of the co-passenger.

Abstract: An automatic speech recognition engine and a method of using the engine is described. The method pertains to front-end processing an audio signal and includes the steps of: identifying a plurality of voiced-frames of the audio signal; determining that one or more of the plurality of voiced-frames have a signal-to-noise (SNR) value greater than a first predetermined threshold; and based on the determination, bypassing noise suppression for the one or more of the plurality of voiced-frames.

Abstract: A system and method of recognizing speech in a vehicle. The method includes receiving a voice command at the vehicle via a microphone in the vehicle, and obtaining a recognition result from speech recognition performed on the received voice command. The recognition result may represent the voice command and be indicative of any of two or more available vehicle commands. The method may further include selecting one of the two or more available vehicle commands based on a secondary characteristic and an attribute of the selected one of the vehicle commands. The system may be implemented as vehicle electronics that include a microphone located within the vehicle and configured to receive a voice command from a user located within the vehicle, and a controller in communication with the microphone. The controller may be configured to perform speech recognition on the voice command and obtain a disambiguated recognition result.

Abstract: A system and method of regulating speech output by a text-to-speech (TTS) system includes: evaluating speech that has been converted from text using an initial speech quality test before presentation to a user; applying a classification test to the evaluated speech if the evaluated speech falls below a threshold based on the initial speech quality test; generating an abnormal speech classification for the evaluated speech; and applying a corrective action to the evaluated speech based on the abnormal speech classification.

Abstract: A system and method of processing disfluent speech at an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: receiving speech from a speaker via a microphone; determining the received speech includes disfluent speech; accessing a disfluent speech grammar or acoustic model in response to the determination; and processing the received speech using the disfluent speech grammar.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that provides text-to-speech (TTS) functionality to a telematics unit of a telematics-equipped vehicle. The method includes: receiving text content to be played back by an audio system of the telematics-equipped vehicle; determining, by a processor, a TTS rendering process to be used for the text content from a plurality of TTS rendering processes, wherein the plurality of TTS rendering processes include local TTS rendering using a local TTS engine at the telematics-equipped vehicle and remote TTS rendering using a remote TTS engine at a communications center; and causing, by the processor, the text content to be rendered as an audio signal for playback by the telematics-equipped vehicle using the determined TTS rendering process.

Abstract: A method of processing audio received at a plurality of microphones in a vehicle includes receiving the audio as a first audio stream and second audio stream at respective first and second microphones that are positioned at different locations within the vehicle; creating a first digital time series and a second digital time series that represent the first audio stream and the second audio stream, respectively; calculating a delay that exists between the first audio stream and the second audio stream based on a cross-correlation of the first digital time series and the second digital time series; and processing the received audio using the calculated delay.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling audio communications between occupants of a vehicle are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to at least facilitate receiving a request for sound transmission from a first occupant inside a vehicle to a second occupant inside the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the interface, and is configured to at least facilitate identifying respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant, and performing the sound transmission with an adjustment for a phase difference based at least in part on the respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling audio communications between occupants of a vehicle are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to at least facilitate receiving a request for sound transmission from a first occupant inside a vehicle to a second occupant inside the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the interface, and is configured to at least facilitate identifying respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant, and performing the sound transmission with an adjustment for a phase difference based at least in part on the respective locations of the first occupant and the second occupant.

Abstract: A system and method of changing features of an existing automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes: monitoring speech received from a vehicle occupant for one or more keywords identifying a feature to remove from or add to the ASR system; detecting the keywords in the monitored speech; and adding the identified feature to or removing the identified feature from from the ASR system.

Abstract: A system and method of recognizing speech received at a vehicle includes: receiving speech from a vehicle occupant via a microphone; determining whether the speech relates to a point of interest (POI) or an address without receiving a POI command prompt or an address command prompt in the speech from the vehicle occupant; selecting a POI function or an address function based on the determination; and processing the received speech to identify a POI or an address.

Abstract: A system and method of performing automatic speech recognition (ASR) includes: receiving speech at a vehicle microphone; communicating the received speech to an ASR system; measuring an amount of time that elapses while speech is received; selecting a point-of-interest (POI) context or an address context based on the measured amount of received time; and processing the received speech using a POI context-based grammar when a POI context is selected or an address-based grammar when an address context is selected.