Abstract: There is provided a method for compressing an index file in an information retrieval system that retrieves information from a plurality of documents. Each of the plurality of documents has features occurring therein. Each of the features has parameters corresponding thereto. Parameter values corresponding to the parameters of the features are mapped into a plurality of bins. Bin identifiers are stored in the index file. Each of the bin identifiers identifies a bin to which is assigned at least one individual parameter value corresponding to at least one individual parameter.

Abstract: An audio indexing system including, in addition to a speech recognition subsystem for converting the audio information into a textual form and an indexing subsystem for extracting the features to be used for searching and browsing, a statistical machine translation model, trained on a parallel or comparable corpus of automatically and by-hand transcribed data, for processing the output of the speech recognition system.

Abstract: A method of indexing a database of documents, by providing a vocabulary of n terms, indexing the database in the form of a non-negative n×m index matrix V, wherein each of its m columns represents an jth document having n entries containing a function of the number of occurrences of a ith term of said vocabulary appearing in said jth document, factoring out non-negative matrix factors T and D such that V?TD, and wherein T is an n×r term matrix, D is an r×m document matrix, and r<nm/(n+m). The index so generated is useful in two-pass information retrieval systems.

Abstract: The invention provides a kit of structural building elements for rapid erection and assembly to form a living space having a ridged roof, wherein the elements (1, 2) are linked together and comprise a central prism-like element (1) and corresponding outer elements (2), said elements being arranged so that in a first state, suitable for transportation, they form an essentially cuboid structure having overall dimensions not equivalent to those of a standard 40 foot freight container and, in a end, erected state, the outer parts are raised to form a roof ridge line (3). Erection of a prefabricated building using the kit of parts can be effected without the need for heavy lifting machinery by pushing the outer elements (2) inwardly so that they slide up the sloping faces of the prism like central part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that enables the load applied to a battery to be regulated. Regulation of the load to the battery is based upon a load request from which a set-point is derived in a microprocessor. From this set-point, voltage is either allowed to pass or not to pass through a regulator.

Abstract: There is provided a method for compressing an index file in an information retrieval system that retrieves information from a plurality of documents. Each of the plurality of documents has features occurring therein. Each of the features has parameters corresponding thereto. Parameter values corresponding to the parameters of the features are mapped into a plurality of bins. Bin identifiers are stored in the index file. Each of the bin identifiers identifies a bin to which is assigned at least one individual parameter value corresponding to at least one individual parameter.

Abstract: A method for automatically updating stock and mutual fund grammars in a speech recognition system includes the step of automatically updating, on a pre-specified basis, a database having a plurality of entries. Each entry respectively corresponds to a publicly traded stock or a publicly traded fund, and respectively includes at least one name of the publicly traded stock or publicly traded fund, a weight for the at least one name, and baseforms of the at least one name. A grammar file for names in the database is automatically updated. The grammar file includes the names and weights for the names. Preferably, the database and grammar file are updated on a daily basis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of indexing a database of documents, comprising providing a vocabulary of n terms, indexing the database in the form of a non-negative n×m index matrix V, wherein each of its m columns represents an jth document having n entries containing a function of the number of occurrences of a ith term of said vocabulary appearing in said jth document, factoring out non-negative matrix factors T and D such that V≈TD, and wherein T is an n×r term matrix, D is an r×m document matrix, and r<nm/(n+m). The index so generated is useful in two-pass information retrieval systems.

Abstract: In an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) system having at least two language models, a method is provided for combining language model scores generated by at least two language models. A list of most likely words is generated for a current word in a word sequence uttered by a speaker, and acoustic scores corresponding to the most likely words are also generated. Language model scores are computed for each of the most likely words in the list, for each of the at least two language models. A set of coefficients to be used to combine the language model scores of each of the most likely words in the list is respectively and dynamically determined, based on a context of the current word. The language model scores of each of the most likely words in the list are respectively combined to obtain a composite score for each of the most likely words in the list, using the set of coefficients determined therefor.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method for providing generation of speech includes the steps of providing input to be acoustically produced, comparing the input to training data or application specific splice files to identify one of words and word sequences corresponding to the input for constructing a phone sequence, using a search algorithm to identify a segment sequence to construct output speech according to the phone sequence and concatenating segments and modifying characteristics of the segments to be substantially equal to requested characteristics. Application specific data is advantageously used to make pertinent information available to synthesize both the phone sequence and the output speech. Also, described is a system for performing operations in accordance with the disclosure.

Abstract: A method is provided for reducing search complexity in a speech recognition system having a fast match, a detailed match, and a language model. Based on at least one predetermined variable, the fast match is optionally employed to generate candidate words and acoustic scores corresponding to the candidate words. The language model is employed to generate language model scores. The acoustic scores are combined with the language model scores and the combined scores are ranked to determine top ranking candidate words to be later processed by the detailed match, when the fast match is employed. The detailed match is employed to generate detailed match scores for the top ranking candidate words.

Abstract: The invention proposes using statistical methods to do natural language understanding. The key notion is that there are "strings" of words in the natural language, that correspond to a single semantic concept. One can then define an alignment between an entire semantic meaning (consisting of a set of semantic concepts), and the English. This is modeled using P(E,A.vertline.S). One can model p(S) separately. This allows each parameter to be modeled using many different statistical models.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical connector with a housing (1) of insulating material and a metal contact element (2) fittable in the housing (1). The contact element has a crimp contact region (4) to contact a first cable end (11) and a cutting clamp contact region (3) to contact a second cable (12). Such an arrangement is not suitable for contacting cables of different diameters via the cutting clamp contact region. According to the invention, the cutting clamp contact region (3) has two tension-relieving regions (5, 6), with the cutting clamp blades, which are fitted opposite one another in pairs (7, 8, 9, 10), arranged between them. Two pairs of cutting clamp blades (7, 10) are provided for small-diameter cables and two pairs (8, 9) are provided for large-diameter cables. The pairs of cutting clamp blades (8, 9) for small-diameter cables are arranged between those for large-diameter cables.