Abstract: A voice-enabled help desk service is disclosed. The service comprises an automatic speech recognition module for recognizing speech from a user, a spoken language understanding module for understanding the output from the automatic speech recognition module, a dialog management module for generating a response to speech from the user, a natural voices text-to-speech synthesis module for synthesizing speech to generate the response to the user, and a frequently asked questions module. The frequently asked questions module handles frequently asked questions from the user by changing voices and providing predetermined prompts to answer frequently asked questions.

Abstract: A voice-enabled help desk service is disclosed. The service comprises an automatic speech recognition module for recognizing speech from a user, a spoken language understanding module for understanding the output from the automatic speech recognition module, a dialog management module for generating a response to speech from the user, a natural voices text-to-speech synthesis module for synthesizing speech to generate the response to the user, and a frequently asked questions module. The frequently asked questions module handles frequently asked questions from the user by changing voices and providing predetermined prompts to answer frequently asked questions.

Abstract: Combined active and semi-supervised learning to reduce an amount of manual labeling when training a spoken language understanding model classifier. The classifier may be trained with human-labeled utterance data. Ones of a group of unselected utterance data may be selected for manual labeling via active learning. The classifier may be changed, via semi-supervised learning, based on the selected ones of the unselected utterance data.

Abstract: A voice-enabled help desk service is disclosed. The service comprises an automatic speech recognition module for recognizing speech from a user, a spoken language understanding module for understanding the output from the automatic speech recognition module, a dialog management module for generating a response to speech from the user, a natural voices text-to-speech synthesis module for synthesizing speech to generate the response to the user, and a frequently asked questions module. The frequently asked questions module handles frequently asked questions from the user by changing voices and providing predetermined prompts to answer the frequently asked question.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method of training a spoken language understanding module. Such a module may be utilized in a spoken dialog system. The method of training a spoken language understanding module comprises training acoustic and language models using a small set of transcribed data St, recognizing utterances in a set Su that are candidates for transcription using the acoustic and language models, computing confidence scores of the utterances, selecting k utterances that have the smallest confidence scores from Su and transcribing them into a new set Si, redefining St as the union of St and Si, redefining Su as Su minus Si, and returning to the step of training acoustic and language models if word accuracy has not converged.

Abstract: Combined active and semi-supervised learning to reduce an amount of manual labeling when training a spoken language understanding model classifier. The classifier may be trained with human-labeled utterance data. Ones of a group of unselected utterance data may be selected for manual labeling via active learning. The classifier may be changed, via semi-supervised learning, based on the selected ones of the unselected utterance data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method of training a spoken language understanding module. Such a module may be utilized in a spoken dialog system. The method of training a spoken language understanding module comprises training acoustic and language models using a small set of transcribed data ST, recognizing utterances in a set Su that are candidates for transcription using the acoustic and language models, computing confidence scores of the utterances, selecting k utterances that have the smallest confidence scores from Su and transcribing them into a new set Si, redefining St as the union of St and Si, redefining Su as Su minus Si, and returning to the step of training acoustic and language models if word accuracy has not converged.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for machine learning the hypotheses used in the classifier component of pattern classification devices such as OCRs, other image analysis systems, and and text retrieval systems. The apparatus and methods employ machine learning techniques for generating weak hypotheses from a set of examples of the patterns to be recognized and then evaluate the resulting hypothesis against example patterns. The results of the evaluation are used to increase the probability that the examples used to generate the next weak hypothesis are ones which the previous weak hypothesis did not correctly classify. The results of the evaluation are also used to give a weight to each weak hypothesis. A strong hypothesis is then made by combining the weak hypotheses according to their weights.