Abstract: A speech recognition interface system capable of handling a plurality of application programs simultaneously, and realizing convenient speech input and output modes which are suitable for the applications in the window systems and the speech mail systems.

Abstract: A speech dialogue system capable of realizing natural and smooth dialogue between the system and a human user, and easy maneuverability of the system. In the system, a semantic content of input speech from a user is understood and a semantic content determination of a response output is made according to the understood semantic content of the input speech. Then, a speech response and a visual response according to the determined response output are generated and outputted to the user. The dialogue between the system and the user is managed by controlling transitions between user states during which the input speech is to be entered and system states during which the system response is to be outputted. The understanding of a semantic content of input speech from a user is made by detecting keywords in the input speech, with the keywords to be detected in the input speech limited in advance, according to a state of a dialogue between the user and the system.

Abstract: In the system, a speech input uttered by a human is received by a microphone which outputs microphone output signals. The speech input received by the microphone is then recognized by a speech recognition unit, and a synthetic speech response appropriate for the speech input recognized by the speech recognition unit is generated and outputted from a loudspeaker to the human. In recognizing the speech input, the speech recognition unit receives input signals in which the synthetic speech response, outputted from the loudspeaker and then received by the microphone, is cancelled from the microphone output signals.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus comprises a speech input unit for receiving an input speech signal, analyzing it, and outputting a speech feature parameter series, a speech recognition unit for extracting a speech feature vector from the parameter series, and matching it with a plurality of predetermined words to output a series of word candidates used as keywords, a syntactic analysis unit for analyzing the series of the word candidates as the keywords according to syntactic limitation, and generating a sentence candidate.

Abstract: A speech dialogue system capable of realizing natural and smooth dialogue between the system and a human user, and easy maneuverability of the system. In the system, a semantic content of input speech from a user is understood and a semantic content determination of a response output is made according to the understood semantic content of the input speech. Then, a speech response and a visual response according to the determined response output are generated and outputted to the user. The dialogue between the system and the user is managed by controlling transitions between user states during which the input speech is to be entered and system states during which the system response is to be outputted. The understanding of a semantic content of input speech from a user is made by detecting keywords in the input speech, with the keywords to be detected in the input speech limited in advance, according to a state of a dialogue between the user and the system.

Abstract: A speech recognition system includes a parameter extracting section for extracting a speech parameter of input speech, a first recognizing section for performing recognition processing by word-based matching, and a second recognizing section for performing word recognition by matching in units of word constituent elements. The first word recognizing section segments the speech parameter in units of words to extract a word speech pattern and performs word recognition by matching the word speech pattern with a predetermined word reference pattern. The second word recognizing section performs recognition in units of word constituent elements by using the extracted speech parameter and performs word recognition on the basis of candidates of an obtained word constituent element series.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus includes a a low-order parameter analyzation section for deriving low-order parameter time series of an input speech, a start and end point detection section for detecting the start and end points of the input speech by use of the parameter time series derived by the low-order parameter analyzation section, a high-order parameter analyzation section for deriving high order parameters at preset sampling points from the input speech of a range corresponding to the start and end points detected by the start and end point detection section, a pattern matching section for matching feature parameters corresponding to the parameters derived by the high-order parameter analyzation section with standard parameters previously registered and deriving similarities between the matched parameters, and a recognition result outputting section for outputting the recognition result for the input speech according to the similarities derived by the pattern matching section.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for editing a document to automatically produce a satisfactory, well ordered layout which includes the steps of (a) extracting characteristic quantities which characterize different elements of the document; (b) deriving relationships among the different elements of the document in accordance with the characteristic quantities; (c) determining a layout of the different elements of the document in accordance with the relationships; and (d) processing the document in accordance with the layout.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for formatting a document containing command codes indicating prescribed commands concerning a structural function, which are simply manipulatable as well as consistently correct. The method includes the steps of: structurally analyzing the document and deriving structural information from the document; detecting command codes and adjusting the analysis in accordance with the indications of the command codes; and formatting the document in accordance with the structural information. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating patterns of images, sounds, documents, or graphics by processing data indicating the patterns to be generated, which can produce patterns in accordance with the personal preference and inclination of a user and which can be operated in a simple manner. The method includes the steps of processing input data, extracting feature data indicating physical features of the pattern, allowing a user to enter subjective evaluation values indicating the user's evaluation for characterizing quantities defined in terms of the physical features, deriving objective evaluation values indicating the apparatus' evaluation for the characterizing quantities with respect to prescribed reference values, determining pattern evaluation values in accordance with the subjective evaluation values and the objective evaluation values, adjusting the manner of processing in accordance with the pattern evaluation values, and re-processing the input data in the adjusted manner.

Abstract: A method for formatting document in which document data and format data are given independently and in which these data can be managed very efficiently. The method includes the steps of (a) entering document data representing a document to be formatted having a title; (b) identifying a subject field to which the document belongs by searching a key work characterizing the subject field; and (c) formatting the document in one of plurality of different types of format prescribed in accordance with the identified subject field. An apparatus for performing this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A pattern recognition device is arranged to have learning of a reference pattern vector carried out in a recognition unit by making use of the pause periods in the recognition processing, without particularly providing a learning section for learning the reference pattern vector. Namely, a part or the entirety of the arithmetic processing unit where the recognition result is obtained in the recognition unit by collating the input pattern with the recognition dictionary, can be utilized as the learning portion of the reference pattern vector. In concrete terms, the operation of multiplication-accumulation (inner product) which represents the main operation in the recognition processing and the learning processing, can be carried out by means of similar processes of handling.

Abstract: The learning method of reference pattern vectors for speech recognition in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of speech feature vectors are generated from the time series of speech feature parameter for the input speech pattern, by taking into account knowledge concerning the variation tendencies of the speech patterns, and the learning (preparation) of reference pattern vectors for speech recognition is carried out by the use of these speech feature vectors thus generated. Therefore, it becomes possible to prepare highly reliable reference pattern vectors in an easy manner from a small number of speech patterns, which makes it possible to achieve an improvement in the speech recognition factor. In particular, it becomes possible to plan an easy improvement of the reference pattern vectors by an effective use of a relatively small number of input speech patterns.

Abstract: An acoustic signal processing circuit extracts input speech pattern data and subsidiary feature data from an input speech signal. The input speech pattern data comprise frequency spectra, whereas the subsidiary feature data comprise phoneme and acoustic features. These data are then stored in a data buffer memory. The similarity measures between the input speech pattern data stored in the data buffer memory and reference speech pattern data stored in a dictionary memory are computed by a similarity computation circuit. When the largest similarity measure exceeds a first threshold value and when the difference between the largest similarity measure and the second largest measure exceeds a second threshold value, category data of the reference pattern which gives the largest similarity measure is produced by a control circuit to correspond to an input speech.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus includes a speech signal analyzing circuit for time-sequentially generating acoustic parameter patterns representing the phonetic features of speech signals, and phoneme reference memories each storing a plurality of reference parameter pattern vectors. A phoneme pattern vector from the speech signal analyzing circuit is compared with each of the reference pattern vectors stored in the phoneme reference memories in order to recognize an input speech. The speech signal analyzing circuit has a parameter extraction circuit for time-sequentially extracting acoustic parameter patterns representing the speech signal, a first phoneme pattern vector memory for storing a phoneme pattern vector including an acoustic parameter pattern of each frame from the parameter extraction circuit, and a second phoneme pattern vector memory for storing a phoneme pattern vector including a plurality of parameter patterns from the parameter extraction circuit.