IP Library Granted Patent US 8,712,773
Granted Patent B2
US 8,712,773 · App. 12/608,191 · Granted Apr 29, 2014

Method and system for modeling a common-language speech recognition, by a computer, under the influence of a plurality of dialects

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,712,773
App. No.
12/608,191
Granted
Apr 29, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for modeling a common-language speech recognition, by a computer, under the influence of multiple dialects and concerns a technical field of speech recognition by a computer. In this method, a triphone standard common-language model is first generated based on training data of standard common language, and first and second monophone dialectal-accented common-language models are based on development data of dialectal-accented common languages of first kind and second kind, respectively. Then a temporary merged model is obtained in a manner that the first dialectal-accented common-language model is merged into the standard common-language model according to a first confusion matrix obtained by recognizing the development data of first dialectal-accented common language using the standard common-language model. Finally, a recognition model is obtained in a manner that the second dialectal-accented common-language model is merged into the temporary merged model according to a second confusion matrix generated by recognizing the development data of second dialectal-accented common language by the temporary merged model. This method effectively enhances the operating efficiency and admittedly raises the recognition rate for the dialectal-accented common language. The recognition rate for the standard common language is also raised.

Claims (348)

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a speech recognition model, the method performed by a processor and comprising the steps of:

generating, by the processor, a standard model of a triphone standard common language based on training data of the standard common language;

generating a first model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a first accent of the standard common language;

creating a temporary language model by merging, through an iterative process, the standard model and the first model with reference to a first confusion matrix formed between the standard model and the development data of the first accent;

generating a second model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a second accent of the standard common language that is different from the first accent; and

creating the speech recognition model by merging, through an iterative process, the second model and the temporary language model with reference to a second confusion matrix formed between the temporary model and the development data of the second accent.

2. A modeling method according to claim 1 , wherein a probability density function used in the merging of the temporary language model is expressed by

p ′( x|s )=λ 1 p ( x|s )+(1−λ 1 ) p ( x|d 1 ) p ( d 1 |s )

where x is an observation feature vector of voice to be recognized, s is a hidden Markov state in the standard model, d 1 is a hidden Markov state in the first model, and λ 1 is a linear interpolating coefficient such that 0<λ 1 <1, and

wherein a probability density function used in the merging of the speech recognition model is expressed by

p

′′

(

x

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)

=

k

=

1

K

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k

(

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N

k

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sc

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m

=

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n

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q

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Q

w

pq

(

dc

2

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N

pq

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where w k (sc)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the standard model, w mn (dc1)′ is mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the first model, w pq (dc2)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the second model, K is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state s in the standard model, N k (sc) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state s, M is the number of d 1 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the first model for d 1 and the standard model, N is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 in the first model, N mn (dc1) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 , P is the number of d 2 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the second model for d 2 and the standard model, Q is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 in the second model, N pq (dc2) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 .

3. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with a program, executable by a computer, for creating a speech recognition model, the program comprising functions executed by a processor of:

generating a standard model of a triphone standard common language based on training data of the standard common language;

generating a first model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a first accent of the standard common language;

creating a temporary language model by merging, through an iterative process, the standard model and the first model with reference to a first confusion matrix formed between the standard model and the development data of the first accent;

generating a second model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a second accent of the standard common language that is different from the first accent; and

creating the speech recognition model by merging, through an iterative process, the second model and the temporary language model with reference to a second confusion matrix formed between the temporary model and the development data of the second accent.

4. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium according to claim 3 , wherein a probability density function used in the merging of the temporary language model is expressed by

p ′( x|s )=λ 1 p ( x|s )+(1−λ 1 ) p ( x|d 1 ) p ( d 1 |s )

where x is an observation feature vector of voice to be recognized, s is a hidden Markov state in the standard model, d 1 is a hidden Markov state in the first model, and λ 1 is a linear interpolating coefficient such that 0<λ 1 <1, and

wherein a probability density function used in the merging of the speech recognition model is expressed by

p

′′

(

x

|

s

)

=

k

=

1

K

w

k

(

sc

)

N

k

(

sc

)

(

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+

m

=

1

M

n

=

1

N

w

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(

dc

1

)

N

mn

(

dc

1

)

(

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1

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q

=

1

Q

w

pq

(

dc

2

)

N

pq

(

dc

2

)

(

·

)

where w k (sc)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the standard model, w mn (dc1)′ is mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the first model, w pq (dc2)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the second model, K is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state s in the standard model, N k (sc) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state s, M is the number of d 1 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the first model for d 1 and the standard model, N is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 in the first model, N mn (dc1) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 , P is the number of d 2 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the second model for d 2 and the standard model, Q is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 in the second model, N pq (dc2) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 .

5. A computer-implemented method for creating a speech recognition model, the method performed by a processor and comprising:

generating, by the processor, a standard model of a triphone standard common language based on training data of the standard common language;

generating a first model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a first accent of the standard common language;

creating a temporary language model by merging, through an iterative process, the standard model and the first model with reference to a first confusion matrix formed between the standard model and the development data of the first accent;

generating a second model to nth model, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a second accent to nth accent, respectively, of the standard common language that are different from each other; and

creating the speech recognition model by merging, through an iterative process, an ith model, where i is an integer such that 1<i≦n, and an (i−1)th temporary language model with reference to an ith confusion matrix formed between the (i−1)th temporary model and the development data of the ith accent.

6. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium encoded with a program, executable by a computer, for creating a speech recognition model, the program comprising functions performed by a processor of:

generating a standard model of a triphone standard common language based on training data of the standard common language;

generating a first model of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a first accent of the standard common language;

creating a temporary language model by merging, through an iterative process, the standard model and the first model with reference to a first confusion matrix formed between the standard model and the development data of the first accent;

generating a second model to nth model, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 2, of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on development data of a second accent to nth accent, respectively, of the standard common language that are different from each other; and

creating the speech recognition model by merging, through an iterative process, an ith model, where i is an integer such that 1<i≦n, and an (i−1)th temporary language model with reference to an ith confusion matrix formed between the (i−1)th temporary model and the development data of the ith accent.

7. A model generating unit, controlled by a control unit, system for creating a speech recognition model, the model generating unit comprising:

a standard common-language training database, which stores training data of a triphone standard common language;

a first development database, which stores first development data of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on a first accent of the standard common language;

a second development database, which stores second development data of a monophone dialectal-accented common language based on a second accent of the standard common language that is different from the first accent;

a standard model generator, which generates a standard model based on training data stored in the standard common-language training database;

a first model generator, which generates a first model based on development data of a first accent of the standard common language stored in the first development database;

a temporary model merging unit, which creates a temporary language model by merging, through an iterative process, the standard model and the first model with reference to a first confusion matrix formed, by a first confusion matrix generator, between the standard model and the development data of the first accent stored in the first development database;

a second model generator, which generates a second model based on development data of a second accent of the standard common language stored in the second development database; and

a speech recognition model merging unit, which creates the speech recognition model by merging, through an iterative process, the second model and the temporary language model with reference to a second confusion matrix formed, by a second confusion matrix generator, between the temporary model and the development data of the second accent stored in the second development database.

8. The modeling generating unit according to claim 7 , wherein a probability density function used by the temporary model merging unit for merging of the temporary language model is expressed by

p ′( x|s )=λ 1 p ( x|s )+(1−λ 1 ) p ( x|d 1 ) p ( d 1 |s )

where x is an observation feature vector of voice to be recognized, s is a hidden Markov state in the standard model, d 1 is a hidden Markov state in the first model, and λ 1 is a linear interpolating coefficient such that 0<λ 1 <1, and

wherein a probability density function used by the speech recognition model merging unit for merging of the speech recognition model is expressed by

p

′′

(

x

|

s

)

=

k

=

1

K

w

k

(

sc

)

N

k

(

sc

)

(

·

)

+

m

=

1

M

n

=

1

N

w

mn

(

dc

1

)

N

mn

(

dc

1

)

(

·

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+

p

=

1

P

q

=

1

Q

w

pq

(

dc

2

)

N

pq

(

dc

2

)

(

·

)

where w k (sc)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the standard model, w mn (dc1)′ is mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the first model, w pq (dc2)′ is a mixture weight for the hidden Markov state of the second model, K is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state s in the standard model, N k (sc) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state s, M is the number of d 1 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the first model for d 1 and the standard model, N is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 in the first model, N mn (dc1) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 1 , P is the number of d 2 that is considered as the pronunciation variants occurring between the second model for d 2 and the standard model, Q is the number of Gaussian mixtures for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 in the second model, N pq (dc2) (•) is an element of Gaussian mixture for Hidden Markov Model state d 2 .

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 13, 2016
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 040350/0891 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027446/0443 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027444/0452 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2010
From: ZHENG, FANG; XIAO, XI; LIU, LINQUAN; YOU, ZHAN; CAO, WENXIAO; AKABANE, MAKOTO; CHEN, RUXIN; TAKAHASHI, YOSHIKAZU
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.; TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 023846/0605 →