Abstract: Various examples are provided for data acquisition, processing, and output generation for use in analysis of a physical asset or a collection of physical assets of interest. In one example, a method includes providing a user information goal including user information for acquisition, processing, or output of data associated with a physical asset or collection of physical assets; and evaluating existing database information to determine whether all or part of the first user information goal can be substantially completed by retrieval and processing of an information set obtainable from existing database information. If the user information goal cannot substantially be completed using the information set, then a data acquisition plan configured to acquire data needed to substantially complete first user information goal can be generated. If the user information goal can be substantially completed using the information set, then the formation set can be processed to provide an output.

Abstract: Temporal regions of a time-based media program that contain spoken dialog in a language that is dubbed from a primary language are identified automatically. A primary language audio track of the media program is compared with an alternate language audio track. Closely similar regions are assumed not to contain dubbed dialog, while the temporal inverse of the similar regions are candidate regions for containing dubbed speech. The candidate regions are provided to a dub validator to facilitate locating each region to be validated without having to play back or search the entire time-based media program. Corresponding regions of the primary and alternate language tracks that are closely similar and that contain voice activity are candidate regions of forced narrative, and the temporal locations of these regions may be used by a validator to facilitate rapid validation of forced narrative in the program.

Abstract: Temporal regions of a time-based media program that contain spoken dialog in a language that is dubbed from a primary language are identified automatically. A primary language audio track of the media program is compared with an alternate language audio track. Closely similar regions are assumed not to contain dubbed dialog, while the temporal inverse of the similar regions are candidate regions for containing dubbed speech. The candidate regions are provided to a dub validator to facilitate locating each region to be validated without having to play back or search the entire time-based media program. Corresponding regions of the primary and alternate language tracks that are closely similar and that contain voice activity are candidate regions of forced narrative, and the temporal locations of these regions may be used by a validator to facilitate rapid validation of forced narrative in the program.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for data acquisition, processing, and output generation for use in analysis of a physical asset or a collection of physical assets of interest. In one example, a method includes providing a user information goal including user information for acquisition, processing, or output of data associated with a physical asset or collection of physical assets; and evaluating existing database information to determine whether all or part of the first user information goal can be substantially completed by retrieval and processing of an information set obtainable from existing database information. If the user information goal cannot substantially be completed using the information set, then a data acquisition plan configured to acquire data needed to substantially complete first user information goal can be generated. If the user information goal can be substantially completed using the information set, then the formation set can be processed to provide an output.

Abstract: A transcription system automates the control of the playback of the audio to accommodate the user's ability to transcribe the words spoken. In some examples, a delay between playback and typed input is estimated by processing the typed words using a wordspotting approach. The estimated delay is used as in input to an automated speed control, for example, to maintain a target or maximum delay between playback and typed input.

Abstract: In an aspect, in general, method for aligning an audio recording and a transcript includes receiving a transcript including a plurality of terms, each term of the plurality of terms associated with a time location within a different version of the audio recording, forming a plurality of search terms from the terms of the transcript, determining possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, determining a correspondence between time locations within the different version of the audio recording associated with the search terms and the possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, and aligning the audio recording and the transcript including updating the time location associated with terms of the transcript based on the determined correspondence.

Abstract: A method for determining a similarity between a first audio source and a second audio source includes: for the first audio source, determining a first frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a first weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the first frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; for the second audio source, determining a second frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a second weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the second frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; comparing the first weighted frequency for each phoneme sequence with the second weighted frequency for the corresponding phoneme sequence; and generating a similarity score representative of a similarity between the first audio source and the second audio source based on the results of the comparing.

Abstract: In an aspect, in general, method for aligning an audio recording and a transcript includes receiving a transcript including a plurality of terms, each term of the plurality of terms associated with a time location within a different version of the audio recording, forming a plurality of search terms from the terms of the transcript, determining possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, determining a correspondence between time locations within the different version of the audio recording associated with the search terms and the possible time locations of the search terms in the audio recording, and aligning the audio recording and the transcript including updating the time location associated with terms of the transcript based on the determined correspondence.

Abstract: A transcription system is applicable to transcription for a language in which there is limited pronunciation and/or acoustic data. A transcription station is configured using pronunciation data and acoustic data for use with the language. The pronunciation data and/or the acoustic data is initially from another dialect of a language, another language from a language group, or is universal (e.g., not specific to any particular language). A partial transcription of the audio recording is accepted via the transcription station (e.g., from a transcriptionist). One or more repetitions of one or more portions of the partial transcription are identified in the audio recording, and can be accepted during transcription. The pronunciation data and/or the acoustic data is updated in a bootstrapping manner during transcription, thereby improving the efficiency of the transcription process.

Abstract: A transcription system automates the control of the playback of the audio to accommodate the user's ability to transcribe the words spoken. In some examples, a delay between playback and typed input is estimated by processing the typed words using a wordspotting approach. The estimated delay is used as in input to an automated speed control, for example, to maintain a target or maximum delay between playback and typed input.

Abstract: A method for determining a similarity between a first audio source and a second audio source includes: for the first audio source, determining a first frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a first weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the first frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; for the second audio source, determining a second frequency of occurrence for each of a plurality of phoneme sequences and determining a second weighted frequency for each of the plurality of phoneme sequences based on the second frequency of occurrence for the phoneme sequence; comparing the first weighted frequency for each phoneme sequence with the second weighted frequency for the corresponding phoneme sequence; and generating a similarity score representative of a similarity between the first audio source and the second audio source based on the results of the comparing.