Abstract: A system and method for implementing conversational protocols for distributed conversational networking architectures and/or distributed conversational applications, as well as real-time conversational computing between network-connected pervasive computing devices and/or servers over a computer network. The implementation of distributed conversational systems/applications according to the present invention is based, in part, on a suitably defined conversational coding, transport and control protocols. The control protocols include session control protocols, protocols for exchanging of speech meta-information, and speech engine remote control protocols.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing user-confirmation of an electronic transaction and in particular, protocols for enabling electronic signatures and confirmation of electronic documents and transactions such as electronic financial transactions and credit card payment. In one aspect, a method for confirming an electronic transaction, comprises the steps of: performing an electronic transaction between a first party and a second party; sending, by the second party, a request for confirmation of the electronic transaction to a predetermined, private mailbox associated with the first party; accessing the private mailbox by the first party; and sending, by the first party, a reply message to the request for confirmation to thereby confirm authorization of the electronic transaction.

Abstract: A system and method for indexing segments of audio/multimedia files and data streams for storage in a database according to audio information such as speaker identity, the background environment and channel (music, street noise, car noise, telephone, studio noise, speech plus music, speech plus noise, speech over speech), and/or the transcription of the spoken utterances. The content or topic of the transcribed text can also be determined using natural language understanding to index based on the context of the transcription. A user can then retrieve desired segments of the audio file from the database by generating a query having one or more desired parameters based on the indexed information.

Abstract: A method for controlling access of an individual to one of a computer and a service and a facility comprises the steps of: pre-storing a predefined sequence of intentional gestures performed by the individual during an enrollment session; extracting the predefined sequence of intentional gestures from the individual during a recognition session; and comparing the pre-stored sequence of intentional gestures to the extracted sequence of intentional gestures to recognize the individual.

Abstract: A system of mobile units are installed in multiple vehicles in traffic, the vehicles with mobile units being a sample of all vehicles in traffic. These mobile units include both wireless communications devices and apparatus that determines the location of each vehicle. Monitoring a vehicle's position as a function of time also reveals the velocity of the vehicle. Position and speed information is periodically broadcast by the vehicles to a central monitoring station and to neighboring vehicles. At the central monitoring station, the collective input from the sample set of vehicles is processed using statistical analysis methods to provide an instant chart of traffic conditions in the area, the accuracy of said chart being within a range determined by the size of the sample. Warnings of delays or updates on traffic conditions on the road ahead are then automatically returned to subscribers of the information or are used as part of an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transcribing text from multiple speakers in a computer system having a speech recognition application. The system receives speech from one of a plurality of speakers through a single channel, assigns a speaker ID to the speaker, transcribes the speech into text, and associates the speaker ID with the speech and text. In order to detect a speaker change, the system monitors the speech input through the channel for a speaker change.

Abstract: A communication system that transmits and receives combinations of paper mail and electronic mail. The communication system permits a user of the system to send an internet message via post mail including the mailing address for delivery. The post mail office forwards the internet message via e-mail to the internet post office that is the closest to the addressee. This post office that is local to the addressee downloads this message, prints a hard copy on a paper, encloses it in an envelop and sends the hard copy to the addressee via usual local mail. The communication system also permits a user of the system to send paper mail to the post office. The post office scans the paper mail and forwards the scanned information data either to the addressee directly via internet or via a post office that is local to the addressee.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed that transmits and receives combinations of paper mail and electronic mail. The system provides that a user can send an internet message to post mail including the post mail address for delivery. The post mail office forwards the internet message via e-mail to the internet post office that is the closest to the addressee. This post office that is local to the addressee downloads this message, prints a hard copy on a paper, encloses it in an envelop and sends the hard copy to the addressee via usual local mail. The communication system also provides that a user send paper mail to the post office. The post office scans the paper mail and forwards the scanned information data either to the addressee directly via internet or via a post office that is local to the addressee.

Abstract: A method for unsupervised environmental normalization for speaker verification using hierarchical clustering is disclosed. Training data (speech samples) are taken from T enrolled (registered) speakers over any one of M channels, e.g., different microphones, communication links, etc. For each speaker, a speaker model is generated, each containing a collection of distributions of audio feature data derived from the speech sample of that speaker. A hierarchical speaker model tree is created, e.g., by merging similar speaker models on a layer by layer basis. Each speaker is also grouped into a cohort of similar speakers. For each cohort, one or more complementary speaker models are generated by merging speaker models outside that cohort. When training data from a new speaker to be enrolled is received over a new channel, the speaker model tree as well as the complementary models are updated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing acoustic speech signals which utilize the wavelet transform (and alternatively, the Fourier transform) as a fundamental tool. The method essentially involves “synchrosqueezing” spectral component data obtained by performing a wavelet transform (or Fourier transform) on digitized speech signals. In one aspect, spectral components of the synchrosqueezed plane are dynamically tracked via a K-means clustering algorithm. The amplitude, frequency and bandwidth of each of the components are, thus, extracted. The cepstrum generated from this information is referred to as “K-mean Wastrum.” In another aspect, the result of the K-mean clustering process is further processed to limit the set of primary components to formants. The resulting features are referred to as “formant-based wastrum.” Formants are interpolated in unvoiced regions and the contribution of unvoiced turbulent part of the spectrum are added.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for automatic segregation of signals of different origin, using models that statistically characterize a wave signal, more particularly including feature vectors consisting of a plurality of parameters extracted from a data stream of a known type for use in identifying data types by comparison, which can be Hidden Markov Model based methods, thereby enabling automatic data type identification and routing of received data streams to the appropriate destination device, thereby further enabling a user to transmit different data types over the same communication channel without changing communication settings.

Abstract: A method for computing a distance between collections of distributions or finite mixture models of features. Data is processed so as to define at least first and second collections of distributions of features. For each distribution of the first collection, the distance to each distribution of the second collection is measured to determine which distribution of the second collection is the closest (most similar). The same procedure is performed for the distributions of the second collection. Based on the closest distance measures, a final distance is computed representing the distance between the first and second collections. This final distance may be a weighted sum of the closest distances. The distance measure may be used in a number of applications such as [speaker classification,] speaker recognition and audio segmentation.

Abstract: A method of training at least one new word for addition to a vocabulary of a speech recognition engine containing existing words comprises the steps of: a user uttering the at least one new word; computing respective measures between the at least one newly uttered word and at least a portion of the existing vocabulary words, the respective measures indicative of acoustic similarity between the at least one word and the at least a portion of existing words; if no measure is within the threshold range, automatically adding the at least one newly uttered word to the vocabulary; and if at least one measure is within a threshold range, refraining from automatically adding the at least one newly uttered word to the vocabulary.

Abstract: A method of determining potential acoustic confusion between at least one new word and at least a portion of existing words of a vocabulary of a speech recognition engine comprises the steps of: a user inputting the at least one new word; computing respective measures between the at least one new word and the at least a portion of existing vocabulary words, the respective measures indicative of acoustic similarity between the at least one word and the at least a portion of existing words; if at least one measure is within a threshold range, indicating results associated with the at least one measure and prompting the user to input an alternative word or additional information pertaining to the at least one new word; and if no measure is within the threshold range, adding the at least one new word to the vocabulary.

Abstract: A system of mobile units are installed in multiple vehicles in traffic. These mobile units include both wireless communications devices and apparatus that determines the location of each vehicle. Monitoring a vehicle's position as a function of time also reveals the velocity of the vehicle. Position and speed information is periodically broadcast by the vehicles to a central monitoring station and to neighboring vehicles. At the central monitoring station, the collective input of a set of vehicles is processed to provide an instant chart of traffic conditions in the area. Warnings of delays or updates on traffic conditions on the road ahead are then automatically returned to subscribers of the information or are used as part of an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS).

Abstract: A speech coding system, responsive to an input speech signal provided by a system user, comprises: a speech coding portion including a speech recognition system responsive to the input speech signal and having a word vocabulary associated therewith, the speech recognition system recognizing the input speech signal in accordance with the vocabulary and generating phonetic tokens, such as at least one sequence of lefemes, representative of the input speech signal; a channel, responsive to the at least one sequence of lefemes, for transmitting and/or storing the at least one sequence of lefemes; and a speech synthesizing portion, responsive to the transmitted/stored sequence of lefemes, for generating a synthesized speech signal which is representative of the input speech signal provided by the system user using the at least one sequence of lefemes. The speech recognition system preferably generates acoustic parameters from the input speech signal which include voice characteristics of the system user.