Abstract: A novel system for automatic reading tutoring provides effective error detection and reduced false alarms combined with low processing time burdens and response times short enough to maintain a natural, engaging flow of interaction. According to one illustrative embodiment, an automatic reading tutoring method includes displaying a text output and receiving an acoustic input. The acoustic input is modeled with a domain-specific target language model specific to the text output, and with a general-domain garbage language model, both of which may be efficiently constructed as context-free grammars. The domain-specific target language model may be built dynamically or “on-the-fly” based on the currently displayed text (e.g. the story to be read by the user), while the general-domain garbage language model is shared among all different text outputs. User-perceptible tutoring feedback is provided based on the target language model and the garbage language model.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for providing a directory assistance service. The method includes generating an indexing file that is a representation of information associated with a collection of listings stored in an index. The indexing file is utilized as a basis for ranking listings in an index based on the strength of association with a query. Based at least in part on the ranking, an output is provided and is indicative of listings in the index that are likely correspond to the query. At least one particular listing in the index is excluded from the output without there ever being a comparison of features in the query with features in the one particular listing.

Abstract: A statistical language model is trained for use in a directory assistance system using the data in a directory assistance listing corpus. Calculations are made to determine how important words in the corpus are in distinguishing a listing from other listings, and how likely words are to be omitted or added by a user. The language model is trained using these calculations.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for improving the accuracy of a directory assistance system. The method includes constructing a prefix tree based on a collection of alphabetically organized words. The prefix tree is utilized as a basis for generating splitting rules for a compound word included in an index associated with the directory assistance system. A language model check and a pronunciation check are conducted in order to determine which of the generated splitting rules are mostly likely correct. The compound word is split into word components based on the most likely correct rule or rules. The word components are incorporated into a data set associated with the directory assistance system, such as into a recognition grammar and/or the index.

Abstract: An answering machine detection module is used to determine whether a call recipient is an actual person or an answering machine. The answering machine detection module includes a speech recognizer and a call analysis module. The speech recognizer receives an audible response of the call recipient to a call. The speech recognizer processes the audible response and provides an output indicative of recognized speech. The call analysis module processes the output of the speech recognizer to generate an output indicative of whether the call recipient is a person or an answering machine.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for creating a grammar to be processed by a speech recognition engine in the context of a voice-activated command system. The method includes receiving a database containing a plurality of terms and identifying a set of terms that are pronounced the same but spelled differently. The method also includes placing a single term within the grammar to represent the set of terms.

Abstract: A method for responding to an electronic mail message with a limited input device such as a phone includes audibly rendering the question and a set of proposed answers typically provided in the electronic mail message by the sender of the electronic mail message. A language model indicative of the proposed answers is provided to a speech recognizer. The response from the user is obtained and converted to a textual response using the speech recognizer and language model. A second electronic e-mail message is then sent back to the sender. The second electronic mail message includes the textual response.

Abstract: A method of forming a shareable filler model (shareable model for garbage words) from a word n-gram model is provided. The word n-gram model is converted into a probabilistic context free grammar (PCFG). The PCFG is modified into a substantially application-independent PCFG, which constitutes the shareable filler model.

Abstract: A language model for a language processing system such as a speech recognition system is constructed from training corpus formed from associated characters, word phrases and context cues. A method and apparatus for generating the training corpus used to train the language model and a system or module using such a language model is disclosed.

Abstract: To provide application developers with the ability to easily form customized grammars, grammar extensions are provided that allow application developers to selectively include portions of grammar templates and to easily combine grammar elements to form new grammar structures.

Abstract: A method is disclosed from constructing a grammar. The grammar is configured to be processed by a speech recognition engine in the context of a voice-activated command system. The method includes receiving a database containing a plurality of terms. From the plurality of terms, first and second terms are identified. The first and second terms are spelled differently but have a first pronunciation in common. One of the first and second terms also has a second pronunciation that is not inherent to the other of the first and second terms. The first and second pronunciations are placed within the grammar.

Abstract: A method for inputting ideograms into a computer system includes receiving phonetic information related to a desired ideogram to be entered and forming a candidate list of possible ideograms as a function of the phonetic information received. Stroke information, comprising one or more strokes in the desired ideogram, is received in order to obtain the desired ideogram from the candidate list.

Abstract: A method for responding to an electronic mail message with a limited input device such as a phone includes audibly rendering the question and a set of proposed answers typically provided in the electronic mail message by the sender of the electronic mail message. A language model indicative of the proposed answers is provided to a speech recognizer. The response from the user is obtained and converted to a textual response using the speech recognizer and language model. A second electronic e-mail message is then sent back to the sender. The second electronic mail message includes the textual response.

Abstract: A method for responding to an electronic mail message with a limited input device such as a phone includes audibly rendering the question and a set of proposed answers typically provided in the electronic mail message by the sender of the electronic mail message. A language model indicative of the proposed answers is provided to a speech recognizer. The response from the user is obtained and converted to a textual response using the speech recognizer and language model. A second electronic e-mail message is then sent back to the sender. The second electronic mail message includes the textual response.

Abstract: A method of generating an optimized grammar, for use in speech recognition, from a data set or big list of items, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of obtaining a tree representing items in the data set, and generating the grammar using the tree. The tree or tree data structure representing items in the data set is a simulated recognition search tree, representing items in the data set, which can be automatically generated from the data set.

Abstract: A method and system to generate a grammar adapted for use by a speech recognizer includes receiving a representation of an alphanumeric expression. For instance, the representation can take the form of a regular expression or a mask. The grammar is generated based on the representation.

Abstract: A method of allowing a user to provide constrained, mixed-initiative utterances in order to improve accuracy and avoid disambiguation dialogs when recognition of a user's audible input would otherwise render a number of possible selections from the database or list is provided. A grammar is adapted to include additional information associated with at least some of the entries. The additional information forms part of the information conveyed by the use in the constrained, mixed-initiative utterance.

Abstract: A method of providing information to a user in a telephone interactive system includes receiving a new call. A comparison is then made between an identifier associated with the new call with stored call information pertaining to previous calls. If the identifier associated with the new call matches an identifier associated with a previous call, a subsequent action taken in the new call is based on context information stored from the previous call.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide for ranking various input modalities relative to each other and processing recognition results received through these input modalities based in part on the ranking.

Abstract: A method of providing voice dialing assistance includes providing a first input to a speech recognition engine, with the first input corresponding to a speech sample provided by a caller attempting to reach an intended call recipient. A speech recognition output is generated in response to the first input. A potential call recipient is identified based upon the speech recognition output. A confirmation that the potential call recipient is the intended call recipient is implemented using a personal recording made by the potential call recipient.