Abstract: Home networks low-cost digital interfaces are introduced that integrate entertainment, communication and computing electronics into consumer multimedia. Normally, these are low-cost, easy to use systems, since they allow the user to remove or add any kind of network devices with the bus being active. To improve the user interface a speech unit (2) is proposed that enables all devices (11) connected to the bus system (31) to be controlled by a single speech recognition device. The properties of this device, e.g. the vocabulary can be dynamically and actively extended by the consumer devices (11) connected to the bus system (31). The proposed technology is independent from a specific bus standard, e.g. the IEEE 1394 standard, and is well-suited for all kinds of wired wireless home networks. The speech unit (2) receives data and messages from the device. The speech unit (2) recognizes speaker-dependent commands. A Speech synthesizer synthesizes messages.

Abstract: To increase the recognition rate and quality in a process of recognizing speech an approximative set of pronunciation rules (APR) for a current pronunciation (CP) of a current speaker is determined in a given pronunciation space (PS) and then applied to a current pronunciation lexicon (CL) so as to perform a speaker specific adaptation of said current lexicon (CL).

Abstract: To increase the recognition rate in processes for recognizing speech of a given target language (TL) which is spoken by a speaker of a different source language (SL) as a mother language, it is suggested to use pronunciation variants for said target language (TL) which are derived from said source languge (SL) without using non-native speech in said target langugae (TL).

Abstract: A method for recognizing speech is suggested wherein a lexicon (SL, CL) or a pronuniciation dictionary used for the recognition process is modified during the process of recognition starting with a starting lexicon (SL) and including after given numbers of steps of recognition (12) recognition related information (RRI) with respect to at least one recognition result (13) already obtained and wherein the process of recognition is then continued based on a modified lexicon (ML) as said current lexicon (CL).

Abstract: To increase the performance rate of large vocabulary continuous speech recognition applications it is suggested to first give only a rough estimation on whether or not recognized utterance (U) is accepted or rejected in its entirety. In the case of an acceptance of the utterance (U) a thorough reanalysis is performed afterwards to extract the meaning, intention, contained key-phrases/keywords and the confidence of the contained key-phrases/keywords. Therefore, the computational burden is focussed on the important sections of the utterance (U), namely on the key-phrases/keywords.

Abstract: To avoid an over-adaptation of a current acoustic model (CAM) to certain and frequently occuring words for speech phrases during on-line speaker adaptation of speech recognizers it is suggested to count adaptation numbers (aj) for each of said speech phrases (SPj) as numbers of times in that a distinct speech phrase (SPj) has been used as a basis for adapting said current acoustic model (CAM) and further to make the strength of adaptation of the current acoustic model (CAM) on the basis of said distinct speech phrase (SPj) dependent on its specific adaptation number (aj) so as to decrease the influence of frequent speech phrases (SPj) in the received speech flow on the adaptation process.

Abstract: Home networks low-cost digital interfaces are introduced that integrate entertainment, communication and computing electronics into consumer multimedia. Normally, these are low-cost, easy to use systems, since they allow the user to remove or add any kind of network devices with the bus being active. To improve the user interface a speech unit (2) is proposed that enables all devices (11) connected to the bus system (31) to be controlled by a single speech recognition device. The properties of this device, e.g. the vocabulary can be dynamically and actively extended by the consumer devices (11) connected to the bus system (31). The proposed technology is independent from a specific bus standard, e.g. the IEEE 1394 standard, and is well-suited for all kinds of wired or wireless home networks.

Abstract: A method for recognizing speech is proposed wherein the process of recognition is started using the starting acoustic model (SAM) and wherein the current acoustic model (CAM) is modified by removing or cancelling model function mixture components (MFMjk) which are negligible for the description of the speaking behaviour and quality of the current speaker. Therefore, the size of the acoustic model (SAM, CAM) is reduced by adaptation to the current speaker enabling fast performance and increased recognition efficiency.