Abstract: Disclosed is a digital audio device that includes a communications port to communicatively connect the device to a server. The device also includes a unique identifier to identify the device. The device also includes a controller to allow transfer of digital audio files from the server. The digital audio files contain interleaved data selected by the server based on the unique identifier. The device also includes a decoder to decode the interleaved data and a data store to store at least one of the digital audio files and the interleaved data.

Abstract: Process for controlling the access of a user to a service provided in a data network, to protect user data stored in a data base of the service from unauthorized access, the method comprising: (a) inputting, in a VoIP session, a voice sample of the user at a user data terminal which is at least temporarily connected to the data network, (b) processing, in a first processing step, the user's voice sample using a dedicated client implemented at the user data terminal, to obtain a pre-processed voice sample or a current voice profile of the user, (c) further processing, in a second processing step, the pre-processed voice sample or the current voice profile, including a comparison step of the current voice profile with an initial voice profile stored in a data base, and (d) outputting an access control signal for granting or rejecting access to the service, taking the result of the comparison step into account.

Abstract: A system and method for providing early detection of encrypted signals within a secure connection for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). The system and method includes a non-complex, in-band, and early encryption detector within the voice path. A transmitter sends out a known pattern. Based upon the received pattern, the receiver decides whether its encryption capabilities match up with those of the transmitter. If the capabilities do not match, then the receiver waits for the signalling message for the correct mode of operation. No packets are utilized until the receiver and transmitter encryption capabilities are matched.

Abstract: A client device for creating a virtual fence includes a locator that determines a location of the client device. The client device includes a receiver that receives speech data and transmits the speech data to a speech processor that isolates an individual voice signature from the speech data. The client device includes a profile storage that stores profile information of a user of the client device. The client device includes an alarm generator that generates an alarm based on the isolated individual voice signature and the location of the client device.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for domain-independent natural language understanding, including at least one of forming pairs of words and/or phrases in a sentence, wherein each word and/or phrase is paired with every other word and/or phrase; determining meanings for the words and/or phrases; assigning numeric codes that uniquely identify semantic concepts to those word and/or phrase meanings; comparing the numeric code of each word and/or phrase with each numeric code of the other word and/or phrase in the pair; selecting the pairs with the best relationships; combining highly-related pairs with other highly-related pairs to form longer groups of words; exchanging numeric codes for the longer groups with numeric codes having a weaker relationship to determine if the exchanged numeric codes provide an overall stronger relationship; and forming longer and longer groups until the sentence is understood.

Abstract: A method of characterizing the overlap of two media segments is provided. In an instance where there is some amount of overlap of a file and a data sample, the file could be an excerpt of an original file and begin and end within the data sample. By matching identified features of the file with identified features of the data sample, a beginning and ending time of a portion of the file that is within the data sample can be determined. Using these times, a length of the file within the data sample can also be determined.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media for voice authentication. The method includes receiving a speech sample from a user through an Internet browser for authentication as part of a request for a restricted-access resource, performing a comparison of the received speech sample to a previously established speech profile associated with the user, transmitting an authentication to the network client if the comparison is equal to or greater than a certainty threshold, and transmitting a denial to the network client if the comparison is less than the certainty threshold.

Abstract: Method for controlling user access to a service available in a data network and/or to information stored in a user database, in order to protect stored user data from unauthorized access, such that the method comprises the following: input of a user's speech sample to a user data terminal, processing of the user's speech sample in order to obtain a prepared speech sample as well as a current voice profile of the user, comparison of the current voice profile with an initial voice profile stored in an authorization database, and output of an access-control signal to either permit or refuse access, taking into account the result of the comparison step, such that the comparison step includes a quantitative similarity evaluation of the current and the stored voice profiles as well as a threshold-value discrimination of a similarity measure thereby derived, and an access-control signal that initiates permission of access is generated only if a prespecified similarity measure is not exceeded.

Abstract: A method for adaptively tuning a biometric engine comprises the step of generating a database having a plurality of enrollments. Each enrollment corresponds to one or more of a plurality of operation characteristics. The method further comprises the step of comparing, with the biometric engine, enrollments from the database to generate test results including, for each of a plurality of sets of operation characteristics, error rates for a plurality of sensitivity settings and/or confidence score threshold values. The method further comprises the step of analyzing the test results to determine optimized sensitivity settings and/or confidence score threshold values for each set of operation characteristics.

Abstract: A verification system for verifying that a consumer seeking to conduct a transaction with a merchant using an account is authorized to use the account. A voice response unit records a voice print of the customer, e.g. when the account is established, and associates the voice print with the customer account. In a subsequent transaction, such as where a customer changes telecommunications provider, the customer voice print is used to verify that a voice approval given by the customer is in fact from the customer.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention relates generally to steganography and fingerprinting or hashing. In one embodiment, a method includes: obtaining a first set of plural-bit data, the first set of plural-bit data corresponding to at least a portion of steganographically encoded data in a media signal in the form of a digital watermark; obtaining a second set of plural-bit data, the second set of pural-bit data corresponding to a fingerprint or hash of the media signal. THe fingerprint or hash includes a reduced-bit representation of the media signal, and the first set of plural-bit data is not dependent on information in the second set of plural-bit data. The method further includes carrying out a first action associated with the first set of plural-bit data; and carrying out a second action associated with the second set of plural-bit data. Other embodiments are described and claimed as well.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory.

Abstract: Systems and methods that automatically register a mobile computing unit on a wireless network area, via employing a voice recognition system associated with the mobile computing unit. A handshake can occur between a mobile computing unit and a server of the network upon utterance of predetermined voice (e.g., a sequence of letters) by the user into the voice recognition component. As such, a mass deployment of mobile computing units on the network can be facilitated in a secure manner with just enough information to access the network.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a security system include a device control module configured for electronic communication with a plurality of devices and a user interface coupled in electronic communication with the device control module. The user interface includes a voice memory and a first speaker. The user interface is configured to receive a first system event from the device control module identifying a first condition detected by the security system. The user interface is further configured to retrieve a voice message from the voice memory corresponding to the first system event and transmit the voice message via the first speaker.

Abstract: In an embodiment, new traffic pattern data is received pertaining to a first time period having a first time increment. The traffic pattern data may be received as, or converted to, count information reflecting the probabilities that the user will select particular links services. An incremental table is accessed to determine stale traffic pattern count data, which is the traffic pattern count data in the incremental table over a second time period having the first time increment, wherein the second time period covers the oldest traffic pattern count data in the incremental table. Then a count table is updated to reflect removal of the stale traffic pattern count data, wherein the count table contains global count data at a higher level of granularity than the incremental table. The incremental table and count table are updated to reflect addition of the new traffic pattern data.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed that enable an enhanced, interactive voice response (IVR) system to securely authenticate a user at a telecommunications terminal, without some of the disadvantages in the prior art. In particular, after the user at the telecommunications terminal requests access to a resource, the controlling IVR system of the illustrative embodiment issues a random challenge sequence to the user, along with interspersed “camouflage elements” and one or more directions as to how to respond. The user is then free to speak a returned sequence that answers the combined challenge sequence and interspersed camouflage elements; as a result, an eavesdropper overhearing the user hears what sounds like a random number or string. In short, the technique of the illustrative embodiment uses a challenge-response exchange of a substitution cipher interspersed with camouflage elements.

Abstract: A visualization system utilizing preconfigured process problem solution models and graphical solution objects to create operator implemented solutions to process problems. The visualization system provides for collecting and sharing the intelligence and experience of the operator in addition to the process data associated with the solution. The operator can include both operator movements around the process and equipment and voice commentary in the solution.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying user identity, in accordance with the present invention, includes a conversational system for receiving inputs from a user and transforming the inputs into formal commands. A behavior verifier is coupled to the conversational system for extracting features from the inputs. The features include behavior patterns of the user. The behavior verifier is adapted to compare the input behavior to a behavior model to determine if the user is authorized to interact with the system.

Abstract: A System and Method for Improving the Performance of Voice biometrics is provided wherein a digitized audio signal originating from at least one input client device is compressed (standards-based or proprietary) or uncompressed, the signal optionally being passed to a network which then passes the uncompressed signal to at least a voice biometrics engine and the compressed signal to a voice recorder. The signal is compressed using a compressor utilizing CELP-based technology such as MASC® technology and then sends the compressed signal optionally to a voice recorder where the signal is stored. The compressed signal is then sent to a decompressor which decompresses the signal and forwards the decompressed signal to a voice biometrics engine before being processed with or without a signal processing filter.

Abstract: A data processing system (CAR), particularly a smart card coupled to a communication device (MOB), communicating with a remote entity (OP). The data processing system has a location for storing a file (F) which can be downloaded from said remote entity, A program (GS) of the data processing system performs the following steps: before performing data correction in the system, a checking step in which said program (GS) checks whether a file (F) has been downloaded, if such a file (F) is present, the program (GS) modifies the application (APP) on the basis of the data stored in the file (F).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for performing an audible human verification. The method includes determining that a human verification is needed, presenting an audible challenge to a user which exploits a known issue with automatic speech recognition processes, receiving a response to the audible challenge, and verifying that a human provided the response. The known issue with automatic speech recognition processes can be recognition of a non-word, in which case the user can be asked to spell the recognized non-word. The known issue with automatic speech recognition processes can be differentiation of simultaneous input for multiple audio streams. Multiple audio streams contained in the audible challenge can be provided monaurally. Verifying that a human provided the response can include confirming the contents of one of the multiple audio streams. Audible human verification can be performed in combination with visual human verification.

Abstract: A camera system is provided having an integral sound recording means for recording and outputting a permanent record of sound associated with a photograph wherein the sound is recorded with infrared ink. Also provided are means for reproducing the recorded sound and a photograph reader to decode sound and to play sound. Further provided is a method of decoding a pre-recorded audio signal printed as an array of invisible ink dots on the surface of a photograph coincident with an image printed on the surface of the photograph.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In other aspects of the invention, a script compliance method includes the steps of conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script. In yet still further aspects of the invention, the duration of a given interaction can be analyzed, either apart from or in combination with the script compliance analysis above, to seek to identify instances of agent non-compliance, of fraud, or of quality-analysis issues.

Abstract: Transparent voice registration of a party is provided in order to provide voice verification for communications with a service center. Verbal communication spoken by a party during interaction between the party and an agent of the service center is captured. A voice model associated with the captured communication is created and stored in order to provide voice verification during a subsequent call to the service center. When a requester contacts the service center, a comparison of the voice of the requester and a voice model of the person that the requester claims to be is performed, in order to verify the identity of the requester. Additionally, a voice model associated with a party is automatically updated after a subsequent communication between the party and the service center.

Abstract: The application server includes means for commanding a voice resource server to set up a dialogue with a user for the user to agree or refuse to supply personal data, for example location data, to a service provider.

Abstract: A method of comparing voice samples to reduce false alarms by receiving a first voice sample, generating a model of the first voice sample, reordering the first voice sample, generating a model of the reordered first voice sample; receiving a second voice sample; generating a model of the second voice sample; reordering the second voice sample, generating a model of the reordered second voice sample, comparing at least one pairings of the models, and determining if the first voice sample matches the second voice sample if the model comparisons are within a user-definable threshold.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus sets positional relationship information indicating positional relationship between a designated position, which is to be designated on a screen by a user in a case where a plurality of images inclusive of the pass image are displayed on the screen at the time of authentication, and a display position of the pass image (S208). The apparatus then creates authentication information, which includes the image information of the pass image and the set positional relationship information, and registers the authentication information in a memory (S211).

Abstract: A system and method for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle may include at least one antenna coupled to a vehicle and configured to receive wireless communications signals. At least one microphone may be coupled to the vehicle and configured to receive sounds external to the vehicle. A control unit may be in communication with the antenna(s) and be configured to receive the wireless communications signals. A voice recognition system may be in communication with the microphone(s). A transponder/keyfob may be utilized to determine when a user is locally external to the vehicle and, in response to determining that the user is locally external to the vehicle, the microphones may be polled to receive a voice command from the user to activate an electromechanical system.

Abstract: A marker is derived from an interaction between a person and an agent of a business and the agent's user interface. A part of a speech signal that corresponds to a portion of the person's special information is located with the marker. The speech signal results from the interaction between the person and the agent. The part of the speech signal that corresponds to the portion of the person's special information is rendered unintelligible.

Abstract: Systems and methods of automatically authenticating identities are provided through an integration of interactive voice response technology with knowledge-based authentication methodology. An audible communications event is established between an individual and a computing device. Verification trigger data, relating to the individual, may be collected at the computing device. Identity verification questions are audibly presented to the individual, who provides audible responses, such as with speech or using DTMF tones. The responses may be scored according to a set of predetermined parameters whereby an authenticity of the identity is gauged. A client, who requests the identity authentication, may do so during a communication with the individual. Communication between the client and the individual may be reestablished after authentication using a whisper greeting.

Abstract: The present invention provides an innovative technique for rapidly and accurately determining whether two audio samples match, as well as being immune to various kinds of transformations, such as playback speed variation. The relationship between the two audio samples is characterized by first matching certain fingerprint objects derived from the respective samples. A set (230) of fingerprint objects (231,232), each occurring at a particular location (242), is generated for each audio sample (210). Each location (242) is determined in dependence upon the content of the respective audio sample (210) and each fingerprint object (232) characterizes one or more local features (222) at or near the respective particular location (242). A relative value is next determined for each pair of matched fingerprint objects. A histogram of the relative values is then generated. If a statistically significant peak is found, the two audio samples can be characterized as substantially matching.

Abstract: A method and a system for person/speaker verification via different communications systems. The system may include a control logic (SL) having access to a voice-controlled dialog system (DS) having verification dialogs stored for querying, a biometrics customer profile (BK), in which the personal biometric data of customers are stored and a provider database (PD), which contains information regarding protected database areas and services in conjunction with the biometric methods authorized for verification. The method for person/speaker verification is designed to ascertain, transmit, analyze and evaluate via telecommunications systems the different personal biometric data that are suitable to establish unequivocally the access authorization of a customer.

Abstract: In order to limit the range of externally outputable content of externally input speech, an MFP includes: a speech acquiring portion to acquire externally input speech; a speech converting portion to convert the acquired speech into character information; a user extracting portion to extract user identification information for identifying a user from the character information; and an output control portion to output the character information based on the extracted user identification information.

Abstract: A headset includes a voice print match application or speech recognition application. The voice print match application receives a user speech corresponding to a submitted voice print phrase key upon determining a donned condition, where the user speech is compared to the predetermined voice print phrase key to validate an identity of the headset user. The speech recognition application receives a user speech corresponding to a password or PIN and recognizes the password or PIN. The recognized password or PIN is compared to a valid password or PIN to validate the identity of the headset user.

Abstract: An administration method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, a telephone call from an administrator. The computing system presents an audible menu associated with a plurality of computers to the administrator. The computing system receives from the administrator, an audible selection for a computer from the audible menu. The computing system receives from the administrator, an audible verbal command for performing a maintenance operation on the computer. The computing system executes the maintenance operation on the computer. The computing system receives from the computer, confirmation data indicating that the maintenance operation has been completed. The computing system converts the confirmation data into an audible verbal message. The computing system transmits the second audible verbal message to the administrator.

Abstract: A voice guide system for outputting voice in response to operations of an information processing apparatus, which includes a password input detecting unit that detects an input operation of a password; and a voice guide outputting unit that outputs by voice an input status of the password in correspondence with the detection of the input operation of the password by the password input detecting unit.

Abstract: A system for recoding and playing an audio signal provided on a photograph. The system includes a camera having a sensing system for sensing an image and recording an audio signal and a processor for generating coded data at least partially indicative of the audio signal and causing the photograph to be printed by printing the image and the coded data. The coded data is printed in substantially the same area of the photograph as the image. The system also includes a reader having a scanner for scanning the coded data, a processor for decoding the coded data to determine the audio signal and an output for playback of the audio signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, method and computer program product for verifying an identity claimed by a claimant using voiced to unvoiced classifiers are described. In accordance with one embodiment, a speech sample from a claimant claiming an identity may be captured. From the speech sample, a ratio of unvoiced frames to a total number of frames in the speech sample may be calculated. An equal error rate value corresponding to the speech sample can then be determined based on the calculated ratio. The determined equal error rate value corresponding to the speech sample may be compared to an equal error rate value associated with the claimed identity in order to select a decision threshold. A match score may be also be generated based on a comparison of the speech sample to a voice sample associated with the claimed identity. A decision whether to accept the identity claim of the claimant can then be made based on a comparison of the match score to the decision threshold.

Abstract: A method (700) and system (900) for authenticating a user is provided. The method can include receiving one or more spoken utterances from a user (702), recognizing a phrase corresponding to one or more spoken utterances (704), identifying a biometric voice print of the user from one or more spoken utterances of the phrase (706), determining a device identifier associated with the device (708), and authenticating the user based on the phrase, the biometric voice print, and the device identifier (710). A location of the handset or the user can be employed as criteria for granting access to one or more resources (712).

Abstract: A multi-modal system providing for a single point of contact that can allow users to manage their personal contact information and contact lists, and connect to other users and businesses in a personalized, efficient, location-sensitive and organized manner. By accessing the system using any type of telephony-based device, a user can manage all of their personal and business contacts as well as perform generalized searches in public databases, such as white page and/or yellow page listings, or more personalized searches through databases of their business or personal contacts. A user may also, during a generalized search, go to a personalized search, and vice-versa. The system may also provide users with the opportunity to select certain businesses from their contact lists and allow these businesses to provide them with personalized data, either on demand or based on user-controlled permissions or areas of interest through various technologies including presence technologies.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for authenticating the identities of customers. For example, a method comprising receiving a service request from a customer and retrieving customer profile information related to the customer is described. The method further comprises generating questions based on the customer profile information and receiving answers to the questions from the customer. Furthermore, the method comprises analyzing the answers by comparing the answers with the customer profile information and calculating an authentication score based on the analysis of the answers. The method further authenticates the customer based on the authentication score being greater than a threshold score level.

Abstract: A system and method of assigning a numeric score to a voice pattern of a human subject wherein the score is indicative of the psychological stress level of the human subject. A verbal utterance of a human subject is converted into electrical signals to provide a subject wave pattern. The pattern is quantified and compared with known voice pattern characteristics which exhibit a sequential progression in the degree of blocking in the pattern, wherein each of the known voice patterns is assigned a numerical value range. A numerical value obtained from calculations is assigned to the subject wave pattern based on the comparison. The numerical value represents the degree of blocking present in the subject wave pattern which correlates to the amount of psychological stress exhibited by the human subject.

Abstract: Methods for the authentication of a web site by a visitor to the web site. The visitor uses a device, such as a portable device like a cell phone to compute a dynamic identification string and a one-time password. The dynamic identification string is sent to a service provider, such as a certification service server associated with the web site. In response, the server computes a one-time password that is transmitted to the visitor's device. The device computed one-time password can then be compared to the server computed one-time password in order to authenticate the web site.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital audio watermark inserting/detecting method and apparatus. The present invention provide the digital audio watermark inserting method having the step of encoding a digital audio signal by using a scale factor table, the method including the steps of: transforming the digital audio signal into a plurality of sub-band samples; extracting a scale factor being an amplitude factor of the transformed sub-band samples; transforming the extracted scale factor into a scale factor index by using the scale factor table; and inserting a watermark signal into the scale factor index in the transforming of the extracted scale factor. Accordingly, the present invention has an effect in that the additional noise or distortion is not caused while the watermark is effectively inserted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizing prosody modification of a speech signal output by a text-to-speech (TTS) system to substantially prevent an interactive voice response (IVR) system from understanding the speech signal without significantly degrading the speech signal with respect to human understanding. The present invention involves modifying the prosody of the speech output signal by using the prosody of the user's response to a prompt. In addition, a randomly generated overlay frequency is used to modify the speech signal to further prevent an IVR system from recognizing the TTS output. The randomly generated frequency may be periodically changed using an overlay timer that changes the random frequency signal at a predetermined intervals.

Abstract: Audio steganography methods and apparatus using cepstral domain techniques to make embedded data in audio signals less perceivable. One approach defines a set of frames for a host audio signal, and, for each frame, determines a plurality of masked frequencies as spectral points with power level below a masking threshold for the frame. The two most commonly occurring masked frequencies f1 and f2 in the set of frames are selected, and a cepstrum of each frame is modified to produce complementary changes of the spectrum at f1 and f2 to correspond to a desired bit value. Another aspect of the invention involves determining a masking threshold for a frame, determining masked frequencies within the frame having a power level below threshold, obtaining a cepstrum of a sinusoid at a selected masked frequency, and modifying the frame by an offset to correspond to an embedded data value, the offset derived from the cepstrum.

Abstract: A system for providing access to data via a voice interface. In one embodiment, the system includes a voice recognition unit and a speech processing server that work together to enable users to interact with the system using voice commands guided by navigation context sensitive voice prompts, and provide user-requested data in a verbalized format back to the users. Digitized voice waveform data are processed to determine the voice commands of the user. The system also uses a “grammar” that enables users to retrieve data using intuitive natural language speech queries. In response to such a query, a corresponding data query is generated by the system to retrieve one or more data sets corresponding to the query. The user is then enabled to browse the data that are returned through voice command navigation, wherein the system “reads” the data back to the user using text-to-speech (TTS) conversion and system prompts.

Abstract: A method (700) and system (900) for authenticating a user is provided. The method can include receiving one or more spoken utterances from a user (702), recognizing a phrase corresponding to one or more spoken utterances (704), identifying a biometric voice print of the user from one or more spoken utterances of the phrase (706), determining a device identifier associated with the device (708), and authenticating the user based on the phrase, the biometric voice print, and the device identifier (710). A location of the handset or the user can be employed as criteria for granting access to one or more resources (712).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for embedding and extracting a capturing-resistant audio watermark based on discrete wavelet transform, and a copyright management system using the same are provided. The apparatus for embedding a wavelet based audio watermark includes: a framing unit for dividing an input audio signal into small signals with a regular length; a discrete wavelet transform unit for calculating an mean value of wavelet coefficients by transforming the small signals based on a discrete wavelet transform; and an embedding unit for changing the calculated mean value according to a watermark where a synchronization signal is inserted and inserting the watermark into the audio signal.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing third party verification data files to entities authorized to access said data files using a third party verification system, comprises obtaining a data file identifier of said data file stored in said verification system, searching and retrieving said data file corresponding to said data file identifier, and transmitting said data file to said authorized entity.