Abstract: A method for text recognition includes generating a number of text hypotheses for an image, for example, using an HMM based approach using fixed-width analysis features. For each text hypothesis, one or more segmentations are generated and scored at the segmental level, for example, according to character or character group segments of the text hypothesis. In some embodiments, multiple alternative segmentations are considered for each text hypothesis. In some examples, scores determined in generating the text hypothesis and the segmental score are combined to select an overall text recognition of the image.

Abstract: Multi-frame persistence of videotext is exploited to mitigate challenges posed by varying characteristics of videotext across frame instances to improve OCR techniques. In some examples, each frame of video is processed to form multiple binary images, and one or more text hypotheses is formed from each binary image. In some examples, one or more combined images are formed from multiple frames processed to form a binary image and a corresponding text hypothesis. The text hypotheses are combined to yield an overall text recognition output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for building a training set for an automated speech recognition-based system, which determines the statistically optimal number of frequently requested responses to automate in order to achieve a desired automation rate. The invention may be used to select the appropriate tokens and responses to train the system and to achieve a desired “phrase coverage” for all of the many different ways human beings may phrase a request that calls for one of a plurality of frequently-requested responses. The invention also determines the statistically optimal number of tokens (spoken requests) required to train a speech recognition-based system to achieve the desired phrase coverage and optimal allocation of tokens over the set of responses that are to be automated.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting a concurrent recordation of a change in a data file by a server while allowing an application to continue writing changes to a data file. In response to a change in a data file, a near-instantaneous version of the file is created. Metadata reflecting the change to the data file are synchronized with a version of the file in cache and recorded in persistent storage. During the process of recording metadata changes to the file, subsequent changes to the data file may continue, and metadata reflecting the changes may be recorded in a subsequent near-instantaneous version of the file which may also be synchronized with a version of the metadata in persistent storage.