Patents by Inventor Ron M. Hecht

Ron M. Hecht 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).

  • Patent number: 9779722
    Abstract: A system and method for adapting a speech recognition and generation system. The system and method include providing a speech recognition and generation engine that processes speech received from a user and providing a dictionary adaptation module that adds out of vocabulary words to a baseline dictionary of the speech recognition and generation system. Words are added by extracting words that are encountered and adding out of vocabulary words to the baseline dictionary of the speech recognition and generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Omer Tsimhoni, Timothy J. Grost
  • Publication number: 20170270908
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for recovering from an error in a speech recognition system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, a first command recognized from a first speech utterance by a first language model; receiving, by the processor, a second command recognized from the first speech utterance by a second language model; determining, by the processor, at least one of similarities and dissimilarities between the first command and the second command; processing, by the processor, the first command and the second command with at least one rule of an error model based on the similarities and dissimilarities to determine a root cause; and selectively executing a recovery process based on the root cause.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: RON M. HECHT, YAEL SHMUELI FRIEDLAND, ARIEL TELPAZ, ELI TZIRKEL-HANCOCK
  • Publication number: 20170092295
    Abstract: A system and method of performing automatic speech recognition (ASR) includes: receiving speech at a vehicle microphone; communicating the received speech to an ASR system; measuring an amount of time that elapses while speech is received; selecting a point-of-interest (POI) context or an address context based on the measured amount of received time; and processing the received speech using a POI context-based grammar when a POI context is selected or an address-based grammar when an address context is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Gaurav TALWAR, Ron M. HECHT, Xufang ZHAO
  • Patent number: 9601111
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system. In one example a method includes: processing a spoken command with one or more models of one or more model types to achieve model results; evaluating a frequency of the model results; and selectively updating the one or more models of the one or more model types based on the evaluating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ute Winter, Ron M. Hecht, Timothy J. Grost, Robert D. Sims, III
  • Patent number: 9576490
    Abstract: A navigation system for a transportation device, such as a vehicle, includes a controller and is at least partially operated by a driver. An off-board control module is operatively connected to a remote server and configured to communicate with the controller. The off-board control module is not physically connected to the controller. The controller has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of determining a personalized route for travelling from a start location to an end location. The controller is programmed to divide each of the plurality of routes into a respective plurality of nodes, such that adjacent ones of the plurality of nodes define a respective path (i). The personalized route is selected based at least partially on a weighted consumption score reflecting various preferences of the driver, such as fuel consumption, speed, distance travelled and other preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Peggy Wang, Eric Chen, Wenjing Yang, Ron M. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9570066
    Abstract: A method of speech synthesis including receiving a text input sent by a sender, processing the text input responsive to at least one distinguishing characteristic of the sender to produce synthesized speech that is representative of a voice of the sender, and communicating the synthesized speech to a recipient user of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Gaurav Talwar, Xufang Zhao, Ron M. Hecht
  • Patent number: 9564125
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system. In one example a method includes: logging speech data from the speech system; detecting a user characteristic from the speech data; and selectively updating a language model based on the user characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Timothy J. Grost, Robert D. Sims, III, Ute Winter
  • Patent number: 9558739
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system. In one example a method includes: logging speech data from the speech system; processing the speech data for a pattern of a user competence associated with at least one of task requests and interaction behavior; and selectively updating at least one of a system prompt and an interaction sequence based on the user competence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert D. Sims, III, Timothy J. Grost, Ron M. Hecht, Ute Winter
  • Patent number: 9530402
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system. In one example a method includes: logging speech data from the speech system; detecting a user characteristic from the speech data; and selectively updating a language model based on the user characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Timothy J. Grost, Robert D. Sims, III, Ute Winter
  • Patent number: 9502030
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system of a vehicle. In one example a method includes: logging data from the vehicle; logging speech data from the speech system; processing the data from the vehicle and the data from the speech system to determine a pattern of context and a relation to user interaction behavior; and selectively updating a user profile of the speech system based on the pattern of context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ute Winter, Timothy J. Grost, Ron M. Hecht, Robert D. Sims, III
  • Publication number: 20160300050
    Abstract: A system and method of verifying a biometric variable of a handheld wireless device user includes: receiving at a wireless device a biometric variable measured using a handheld wireless device; detecting the biometric variable at the wireless device in response to receiving the biometric variable measured using the handheld wireless device; performing feature recognition at the wireless device on the detected biometric variable; comparing the feature recognition performed at the wireless device with the biometric variable measured using the handheld wireless device; permitting access to one or more features available at the wireless device or the handheld wireless device when the comparison is within a predetermined range of values; and denying access to the wireless device or the handheld device when the comparison is outside of the predetermined range of values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Omer Tsimhoni, Xufang Zhao, Gaurav Talwar
  • Patent number: 9443507
    Abstract: A method and system can control a speech recognition system in a vehicle. The method includes monitoring adaptive feature data about interactions between a user and the speech recognition system. The method includes determining a first group of samples of the adaptive feature data and creating a control chart based on the first group of samples. The control chart includes a control limit. The method further includes determining a second group of samples of the adaptive feature data after creating the control chart. Furthermore, the method includes calculating an arithmetic mean of each sample of the second group of samples to determine a sample mean, comparing the sample mean to the control limit in order identify unexpected performance of the speech recognition system. The method includes adjusting the speech recognition system based on the identified unexpected performance if the unexpected performance is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ute Winter, Ron M. Hecht, Timothy J. Grost, Robert D. Sims
  • Publication number: 20160221581
    Abstract: A method for classifying a road surface being traversed by a vehicle. The method comprises receiving one or more electrical signals each representative of a vibration detected by a sensor carried by the vehicle. The method further comprises identifying, for at least one of the received electrical signals, a pattern in the detected vibration represented by that/those signal(s), and matching the identified pattern to one of one or more known patterns, wherein each known pattern corresponds to a respective road surface classification. The method further comprises classifying the road surface in accordance with the road surface classification corresponding to the known pattern matching the identified pattern. A system comprising one or more sensors carried by the vehicle that is/are configured to detect a vibration, and a pattern classification system for performing the methodology described above, is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Gaurav Talwar, Xufang Zhao, Ron M. Hecht, Thomas M. Forest
  • Publication number: 20160026180
    Abstract: An automated vehicle includes a control system configured to selectively transfer the automated vehicle from an automated control mode to a manual control mode based on a transfer-of-control criterion. The transfer-of-control criterion is based on a current context of the automated vehicle and a dataset of previous transfer-of-control events and previous contexts associated with the operation of a plurality of additional automated vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Omer TSIMHONI, Claudia V. GOLDMAN-SHENHAR, Ron M. HECHT, Jeremy A. SALINGER
  • Patent number: 9037520
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for statistical data learning under privacy constraints. The method includes: receiving, by a processor, a plurality of pieces of statistical information relating to a statistical object and aggregating, by the processor, the plurality of pieces of statistical information so as to provide an estimation of the statistical object. Each piece of statistical information includes an uncertainty variable, the uncertainty variable being a value determined from a function having a predetermined mean. The number of pieces of statistical information aggregated is proportional to the reliability of the estimation of the statistical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, LLC.
    Inventors: Aharon Bar Hillel, Ron M. Hecht, Nadav Lavi
  • Publication number: 20150127326
    Abstract: A system and method for adapting a speech recognition and generation system. The system and method include providing a speech recognition and generation engine that processes speech received from a user and providing a dictionary adaptation module that adds out of vocabulary words to a baseline dictionary of the speech recognition and generation system. Words are added by extracting words that are encountered and adding out of vocabulary words to the baseline dictionary of the speech recognition and generation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Omer Tsimhoni, Timothy J. Grost
  • Publication number: 20150056951
    Abstract: A vehicle telematics unit and method of operating the same is provided. In one embodiment, a method includes storing an application access code provided from a telematics service user, initiating a call from a vehicle to the application, and receiving a request for the access code from the application during the call. Furthermore, the method includes determining that the application has requested the access code using a speech recognition function at the vehicle and sending the stored access code to the application based on the determination of the speech recognition function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: GAURAV TALWAR, RON M. HECHT, XUFANG ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20150019074
    Abstract: A method and system can control a speech recognition system in a vehicle. The method includes monitoring adaptive feature data about interactions between a user and the speech recognition system. The method includes determining a first group of samples of the adaptive feature data and creating a control chart based on the first group of samples. The control chart includes a control limit. The method further includes determining a second group of samples of the adaptive feature data after creating the control chart. Furthermore, the method includes calculating an arithmetic mean of each sample of the second group of samples to determine a sample mean, comparing the sample mean to the control limit in order identify unexpected performance of the speech recognition system. The method includes adjusting the speech recognition system based on the identified unexpected performance if the unexpected performance is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Ute Winter, Ron M. Hecht, Timothy J. Grost, Robert D. Sims
  • Publication number: 20140358538
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for shaping speech dialog of a speech system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving data related to a first utterance from a user of the speech system; processing the data based on at least one attribute processing technique that determines at least one attribute of the first utterance; determining a shaping pattern based on the at least one attribute; and generating a speech prompt based on the shaping pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ron M. Hecht, Eli Tzirkel-Hancock, Omer Tsimhoni, Ute Winter
  • Publication number: 20140136214
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system of a vehicle. In one example a method includes: logging data from the vehicle; logging speech data from the speech system; processing the data from the vehicle and the data from the speech system to determine a pattern of context and a relation to user interaction behavior; and selectively updating a user profile of the speech system based on the pattern of context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: UTE WINTER, TIMOTHY J. GROST, RON M. HECHT, ROBERT D. SIMS, III