Patents by Inventor Thomas B. Schalk

Thomas B. Schalk 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: 8019387
    Abstract: Voice activated dialing is described for use in a mobile telecommunications system. A voice input is received from a wireless network user. A telephone number to be dialed is determined by using speaker independent speech recognition to interpret a string of spoken digits in the voice input to determine the telephone number, or using speaker dependent speech recognition to interpret a spoken word in the voice input to determine the telephone number. A telephone call is then initiated by dialing the telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 7551944
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Thomas B. Schalk, Peter J. Foster
  • Publication number: 20090074157
    Abstract: Voice activated dialing is described for use in a mobile telecommunications system. A voice input is received from a wireless network user. A telephone number to be dialed is determined by using speaker independent speech recognition to interpret a string of spoken digits in the voice input to determine the telephone number, or using speaker dependent speech recognition to interpret a spoken word in the voice input to determine the telephone number. A telephone call is then initiated by dialing the telephone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 7505905
    Abstract: A technique for improving the recognition accuracy of a speech recognizer includes deploying the speech recognizer, wherein live input data is received by the recognizer as an input for a given speaker independent adaptation algorithm associated with the speech recognizer. The algorithm enhances the accuracy of the speech recognizer without human supervision. This technique is particularly suitable for adapting a large vocabulary ASR engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Scott Zimmerman, Gary Neil Tajchman, Ian Scott Boardman, Hejko Willy Rahmel, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 6922669
    Abstract: A highly accurate technique for recognizing spoken digit strings is described. A spoken digit string is received and analyzed by a speech recognizer, which generates a list of hypothesized digit strings arranged in ranked order based on a likelihood of matching the spoken digit string. The individual hypothesized strings are then analyzed in order beginning with the hypothesized string having the greatest likelihood of matching the spoken string to determine whether they satisfy a given constraint. The first hypothesized string in the list satisfying the constraint is selected as the recognized string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Schalk, Roger S. Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20030154075
    Abstract: A highly accurate technique for recognizing spoken digit strings is described. A spoken digit string is received and analyzed by a speech recognizer, which generates a list of hypothesized digit strings arranged in ranked order based on a likelihood of matching the spoken digit string. The individual hypothesized strings are then analyzed in order beginning with the hypothesized string having the greatest likelihood of matching the spoken string to determine whether they satisfy a given constraint. The first hypothesized string in the list satisfying the constraint is selected as the recognized string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: THOMAS B. SCHALK, ROGER S. ZIMMERMAN
  • Publication number: 20030087675
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Thomas B. Schalk, Peter J. Foster
  • Patent number: 6501966
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 6157848
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5845246
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for reducing the database requirements necessary for use in speaker independent recognition systems. The method involves digital processing of a plurality of recorded utterances from a first database of digitally recorded spoken utterances. The previously recorded utterances are digitally processed to create a second database of modified utterances and then the first and second databases are combined to form an expanded database from which recognition vocabulary tables may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5659597
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5517558
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for enabling a caller to obtain access to services via a telephone network by entering a spoken first character string having a plurality of digits. Preferably, the method includes the steps of prompting the caller to speak the first character string beginning with a first digit and ending with a last digit thereof, recognizing each spoken digit of the first character string using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm, and then following entry of the last digit of the first string, initially verifying the caller's identity using a voice verification algorithm. After initial verification, the caller is again prompted to enter a second character string, which must also be recognized before access is effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5499288
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for enabling a caller to obtain access to services via a telephone network by entering a spoken password having a plurality of digits. Preferably, the method includes the steps of: (1) prompting the caller to speak the password beginning with a first digit and ending with a last digit thereof, (2) recognizing each spoken digit of the password using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm, (3) following entry of the last digit of the password, determining whether the password is valid, and (4) if the password is valid, verifying the caller's identity using a voice verification algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5365574
    Abstract: A method for enabling a caller to obtain access to one or more services via a telephone network by speaking a password is described. The method begins by establishing at least one predetermined threshold value for a speaker verification signal. For each spoken character of the password, the method generates a set of parameters using a voice verification feature transformation. After entry and recognition of the password, the sets of parameters are used to generate a speaker verification signal for the password. Upon the occurrence of a predetermined call condition, the predetermined threshold value is adjusted to increase the level of security in the verification algorithm. If the signal verification signal for the password has a predetermined relationship with respect to the adjusted threshold value, the caller's identity is accepted. If not, the caller may be asked to answer certain personal questions before his or her identity is accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5303299
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method for recognizing alphanumeric strings spoken over a telephone network wherein individual character recognition need not be uniformly high in order to achieve high string recognition accuracy. Preferably, the method uses a processing system having a digital processor, an interface to the telephone network, and a database for storing a predetermined set of reference alphanumeric strings. In operation, the system prompts the caller to speak the characters of a string, and characters are recognized using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm. The method calculates recognition distances between each spoken input character and the corresponding letter or digit in the same position within each reference alphanumeric string. After each character is spoken, captured and analyzed, each reference string distance is incremented and the process is continued, accumulating distances for each reference string, until the last character is spoken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5297183
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5297194
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for enabling a caller to obtain access to services via a telephone network by entering a spoken password having a plurality of digits. Preferably, the method includes the steps of: (1) prompting the caller to speak the password beginning with a first digit and ending with a last digit thereof, (2) recognizing each spoken digit of the password using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm, (3) following entry of the last digit of the password, determining whether the password is valid, and (4) if the password is valid, verifying the caller's identity using a voice verification algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5127043
    Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for enabling a caller to obtain access to services via a telephone network by entering a spoken password having a plurality of digits. Preferably, the method includes the steps of: (1) prompting the caller to speak the password beginning with a first digit and ending with a last digit thereof, (2) recognizing each spoken digit of the password using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm, (3) following entry of the last digit of the password, determining whether the password is valid, and (4) if the password is valid, verifying the caller's identity using a voice verification algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5125022
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method for recognizing alphanumeric strings spoken over a telephone network wherein individual character recognition need not be uniformly high in order to achieve high string recognition accuracy. Preferably, the method uses a processing system having a digital processor, an interface to the telephone network, and a database for storing a predetermined set of reference alphanumeric strings. In operation, the system prompts the caller to speak each character of a string, beginning with a first character and ending with a last character. Each character is then recognized using a speaker-independent voice recognition algorithm. The method calculates recognition distances between each spoken input character and the corresponding letter or digit in the same position within each reference alphanumeric string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan K. Hunt, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 4989248
    Abstract: A cost-effective word recognizer. Each frame of spoken input is compared to a set of reference frames. The comparison is equivalent to embodying the reference frame as an LPC inverse filter, and is preferably done in the autocorrelation domain. To avoid the instability and computational difficulties which can be caused by a high-gain LPC inverse filter, a noise floor is introduced into each reference frame sample. Thus, for each input speech frame, a scalar measures its similarity to each of the vocabulary of reference frames.To achieve connected word recognition based on this similarity measurement, a dynamic programming algorithm is used in which time warping to match a sample to a reference is in effect permitted, and in which matching is performed with unconstrained endpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas B. Schalk, George R. Doddington