Patents by Inventor Johan Schalkwyk

Johan Schalkwyk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240144917
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a base encoder from a pre-trained model, and receiving training data comprising a sequence of acoustic frames characterizing an utterance paired with a ground-truth transcription of the utterance. At each of a plurality of output steps, the method includes: generating, by the base encoder, a first encoded representation for a corresponding acoustic frame; generating, by an exporter network configured to receive a continuous sequence of first encoded representations generated by the base encoder, a second encoded representation for a corresponding acoustic frame; generating, by an exporter decoder, a probability distribution over possible logits; and determining an exporter decoder loss based on the probability distribution over possible logits generated by the exporter decoder at the corresponding output step and the ground-truth transcription.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Google LLC
    Inventors: Rami Magdi Fahmi Botros, Rohit Prakash Prabhavalkar, Johan Schalkwyk, Tara N. Sainath, Ciprian Ioan Chelba, Francoise Beaufays
  • Publication number: 20240071406
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein are directed to utilizing ephemeral learning techniques and/or federated learning techniques to update audio-based machine learning (ML) model(s) based on processing streams of audio data generated via radio station(s) across the world. This enables the audio-based ML model(s) to learn representations and/or understand languages across the world, including tail languages for which there is no/minimal audio data. In various implementations, one or more deduping techniques may be utilized to ensure the same stream of audio data is not overutilized in updating the audio-based ML model(s). In various implementations, a given client device may determine whether to employ an ephemeral learning technique or a federated learning technique based on, for instance, a connection status with a remote system. Generally, the streams of audio data are received at client devices, but the ephemeral learning techniques may be implemented at the client device and/or at the remote system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Johan Schalkwyk, Blaise Aguera-Arcas, Diego Melendo Casado, Oren Litvin
  • Patent number: 11914925
    Abstract: A computer-implemented input-method editor process includes receiving a request from a user for an application-independent input method editor having written and spoken input capabilities, identifying that the user is about to provide spoken input to the application-independent input method editor, and receiving a spoken input from the user. The spoken input corresponds to input to an application and is converted to text that represents the spoken input. The text is provided as input to the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Brandon M. Ballinger, Johan Schalkwyk, Michael H. Cohen, William J. Byrne, Gudmundur Hafsteinsson, Michael J. Lebeau
  • Publication number: 20240029711
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: receive audio data that captures a spoken utterance of a user of the client device; process, using an on-device speech recognition model, the audio data to generate a predicted textual segment that is a prediction of the spoken utterance; cause at least part of the predicted textual segment to be rendered (e.g., visually and/or audibly); receive further user interface input that is a correction of the predicted textual segment to an alternate textual segment; and generate a gradient based on comparing at least part of the predicted output to ground truth output that corresponds to the alternate textual segment. The gradient is used, by processor(s) of the client device, to update weights of the on-device speech recognition model and/or is transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of global weights of a global speech recognition model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Giovanni Motta
  • Patent number: 11817080
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: receive audio data that captures a spoken utterance of a user of the client device; process, using an on-device speech recognition model, the audio data to generate a predicted textual segment that is a prediction of the spoken utterance; cause at least part of the predicted textual segment to be rendered (e.g., visually and/or audibly); receive further user interface input that is a correction of the predicted textual segment to an alternate textual segment; and generate a gradient based on comparing at least part of the predicted output to ground truth output that corresponds to the alternate textual segment. The gradient is used, by processor(s) of the client device, to update weights of the on-device speech recognition model and/or is transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of global weights of a global speech recognition model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Giovanni Motta
  • Publication number: 20230343340
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for detecting hotwords using a server. One of the methods includes receiving an audio signal encoding one or more utterances including a first utterance; determining whether at least a portion of the first utterance satisfies a first threshold of being at least a portion of a key phrase; in response to determining that at least the portion of the first utterance satisfies the first threshold of being at least a portion of a key phrase, sending the audio signal to a server system that determines whether the first utterance satisfies a second threshold of being the key phrase, the second threshold being more restrictive than the first threshold; and receiving tagged text data representing the one or more utterances encoded in the audio signal when the server system determines that the first utterance satisfies the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Alexander H. Gruenstein, Petar Aleksic, Johan Schalkwyk, Pedro J. Moreno Mengibar
  • Patent number: 11798557
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword trigger suppression are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a microphone of a computing device, audio corresponding to playback of an item of media content, the audio including an utterance of a predefined hotword that is associated with performing an operation on the computing device. The actions further include processing the audio. The actions further include in response to processing the audio, suppressing performance of the operation on the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Alexander H. Gruenstein, Johan Schalkwyk, Matthew Sharifi
  • Patent number: 11789697
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for attending to a presenting user. In one aspect, a method is performed at an electronic device that includes an image sensor, microphones, a display, processor(s), and memory. The device (1) obtains audio signals by concurrently receiving audio data at each microphone; (2) determines based on the obtained audio signals that a person is speaking in a vicinity of the device; (3) obtains video data from the image sensor; (4) determines via the video data that the person is not within a field of view of the image sensor; (5) reorients the electronic device based on differences in the received audio data; (6) after reorienting the electronic device, obtains second video data from the image sensor and determines that the person is within the field of view; and (7) attends to the person by directing the display toward the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Yuan Yuan, Johan Schalkwyk, Kenneth Mixter
  • Publication number: 20230306955
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: identify a textual segment stored locally at the client device; process the textual segment, using a speech synthesis model stored locally at the client device, to generate synthesized speech audio data that includes synthesized speech of the identified textual segment; process the synthesized speech, using an on-device speech recognition model that is stored locally at the client device, to generate predicted output; and generate a gradient based on comparing the predicted output to ground truth output that corresponds to the textual segment. In some implementations, the generated gradient is used, by processor(s) of the client device, to update weights of the on-device speech recognition model. In some implementations, the generated gradient is additionally or alternatively transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of global weights of a global speech recognition model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Khe Chai Sim
  • Publication number: 20230281248
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a content feed that includes audio data corresponding to speech utterances and processing the content feed to generate a semantically-rich, structured document. The structured document includes a transcription of the speech utterances and includes a plurality of words each aligned with a corresponding audio segment of the audio data that indicates a time when the word was recognized in the audio data. During playback of the content feed, the method also includes receiving a query from a user requesting information contained in the content feed and processing, by a large language model, the query and the structured document to generate a response to the query. The response conveys the requested information contained in the content feed. The method also includes providing, for output from a user device associated with the user, the response to the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Google LLC
    Inventors: Johan SCHALKWYK, Francoise BEAUFAYS
  • Patent number: 11741970
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining hotword suitability. In one aspect, a method includes receiving speech data that encodes a candidate hotword spoken by a user, evaluating the speech data or a transcription of the candidate hotword, using one or more predetermined criteria, generating a hotword suitability score for the candidate hotword based on evaluating the speech data or a transcription of the candidate hotword, using one or more predetermined criteria, and providing a representation of the hotword suitability score for display to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Andrew E. Rubin, Johan Schalkwyk, Maria Carolina Parada San Martin
  • Patent number: 11705106
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: identify a textual segment stored locally at the client device; process the textual segment, using a speech synthesis model stored locally at the client device, to generate synthesized speech audio data that includes synthesized speech of the identified textual segment; process the synthesized speech, using an on-device speech recognition model that is stored locally at the client device, to generate predicted output; and generate a gradient based on comparing the predicted output to ground truth output that corresponds to the textual segment. In some implementations, the generated gradient is used, by processor(s) of the client device, to update weights of the on-device speech recognition model. In some implementations, the generated gradient is additionally or alternatively transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of global weights of a global speech recognition model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Khe Chai Sim
  • Patent number: 11699443
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for detecting hotwords using a server. One of the methods includes receiving an audio signal encoding one or more utterances including a first utterance; determining whether at least a portion of the first utterance satisfies a first threshold of being at least a portion of a key phrase; in response to determining that at least the portion of the first utterance satisfies the first threshold of being at least a portion of a key phrase, sending the audio signal to a server system that determines whether the first utterance satisfies a second threshold of being the key phrase, the second threshold being more restrictive than the first threshold; and receiving tagged text data representing the one or more utterances encoded in the audio signal when the server system determines that the first utterance satisfies the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Alexander H. Gruenstein, Petar Aleksic, Johan Schalkwyk, Pedro J. Moreno Mengibar
  • Publication number: 20230068897
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: identify a textual segment stored locally at the client device; process the textual segment, using an on-device TTS generator model, to generate synthesized speech audio data that includes synthesized speech of the textual segment; process the synthesized speech, using an on-device ASR model to generate predicted ASR output; and generate a gradient based on comparing the predicted ASR output to ground truth output corresponding to the textual segment. Processor(s) of the client device can also: process the synthesized speech audio data using an on-device TTS generator model to make a prediction; and generate a gradient based on the prediction. In these implementations, the generated gradient(s) can be used to update weight(s) of the respective on-device model(s) and/or transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of respective global model(s). The updated weight(s) and/or the updated model(s) can be transmitted to client device(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Khe Chai Sim
  • Publication number: 20230053341
    Abstract: As part of a dialog session between a user and an automated assistant, implementations can process, using a streaming ASR model, a stream of audio data that captures a portion of a spoken utterance to generate ASR output, process, using an NLU model, the ASR output to generate NLU output, and cause, based on the NLU output, a stream of fulfillment data to be generated. Further, implementations can further determine, based on processing the stream of audio data, audio-based characteristics associated with the portion of the spoken utterance captured in the stream of audio data. Based on the audio-based characteristics and/the stream of NLU output, implementations can determine whether the user has paused in providing the spoken utterance or has completed providing of the spoken utterance. If the user has paused, implementations can cause natural conversation output to be provided for presentation to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Jaclyn Konzelmann, Trevor Strohman, Jonathan Bloom, Johan Schalkwyk, Joseph Smarr
  • Patent number: 11573698
    Abstract: In some examples, a computing device includes at least one processor; and at least one module, operable by the at least one processor to: output, for display at an output device, a graphical keyboard; receive an indication of a gesture detected at a location of a presence-sensitive input device, wherein the location of the presence-sensitive input device corresponds to a location of the output device that outputs the graphical keyboard; determine, based on at least one spatial feature of the gesture that is processed by the computing device using a neural network, at least one character string, wherein the at least one spatial feature indicates at least one physical property of the gesture; and output, for display at the output device, based at least in part on the processing of the at least one spatial feature of the gesture using the neural network, the at least one character string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Shumin Zhai, Thomas Breuel, Ouais Alsharif, Yu Ouyang, Francoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk
  • Publication number: 20230037085
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein are directed to techniques for selectively enabling and/or disabling non-transient storage of one or more instances of assistant interaction data for turn(s) of a dialog between a user and an automated assistant. Implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to techniques for retroactive wiping of non-transiently stored assistant interaction data from previous assistant interaction(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Fadi Biadsy, Johan Schalkwyk, Jason Pelecanos
  • Patent number: 11545133
    Abstract: Processor(s) of a client device can: identify a textual segment stored locally at the client device; process the textual segment, using an on-device TTS generator model, to generate synthesized speech audio data that includes synthesized speech of the textual segment; process the synthesized speech, using an on-device ASR model to generate predicted ASR output; and generate a gradient based on comparing the predicted ASR output to ground truth output corresponding to the textual segment. Processor(s) of the client device can also: process the synthesized speech audio data using an on-device TTS generator model to make a prediction; and generate a gradient based on the prediction. In these implementations, the generated gradient(s) can be used to update weight(s) of the respective on-device model(s) and/or transmitted to a remote system for use in remote updating of respective global model(s). The updated weight(s) and/or the updated model(s) can be transmitted to client device(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Johan Schalkwyk, Khe Chai Sim
  • Publication number: 20220405046
    Abstract: A computer-implemented input-method editor process includes receiving a request from a user for an application-independent input method editor having written and spoken input capabilities, identifying that the user is about to provide spoken input to the application-independent input method editor, and receiving a spoken input from the user. The spoken input corresponds to input to an application and is converted to text that represents the spoken input. The text is provided as input to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Google LLC
    Inventors: Brandon M. Ballinger, Johan Schalkwyk, Michael H. Cohen, William J. Byrne, Gudmundur Hafsteinsson, Michael J. Lebeau
  • Publication number: 20220270590
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein are directed to unsupervised federated training of global machine learning (“ML”) model layers that, after the federated training, can be combined with additional layer(s), thereby resulting in a combined ML model. Processor(s) can: detect audio data that captures a spoken utterance of a user of a client device; process, using a local ML model, the audio data to generate predicted output(s); generate, using unsupervised learning locally at the client device, a gradient based on the predicted output(s); transmit the gradient to a remote system; update weight(s) of the global ML model layers based on the gradient; subsequent to updating the weight(s), train, using supervised learning remotely at the remote system, a combined ML model that includes the updated global ML model layers and additional layer(s); transmit the combined ML model to the client device; and use the combined ML model to make prediction(s) at the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Françoise Beaufays, Khe Chai Sim, Johan Schalkwyk