IP Library Patent Application 14313163
Patent Application
App. No. 14/313,163

System and Method for Improving Name Dialer Performance

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
14/313,163
Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for improving name dialer performance. The method includes receiving a speech query for a name in a directory of names, retrieving matches to the query, if the matches are uniquely spelled homophones or near-homophones, identifying information that is unique to all retrieved matches, and presenting a spoken disambiguation statement to a user that incorporates the identified unique information. Identifying information can include multiple pieces of unique information if necessary to completely disambiguate the matches. A hierarchy can establish priority of multiple pieces of unique information for use in the spoken disambiguation statement.

Claims (41)

1 . A method comprising:

retrieving matches to a spoken query, the matches comprising a first match and a second match that are one of homophonic and near-homophonic;

identifying, via an analysis of first meta-data associated with the first match and second meta-data associated with the second match, a first meta-data component of the first meta-data and a second meta-data component of the second meta-data, wherein the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component have a highest strength of difference between the first meta-data and the second meta-data; and

presenting a spoken disambiguation statement to in response to the spoken query that incorporates the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying of the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component comprises identifying multiple pieces of unique information when necessary to completely disambiguate the matches.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a hierarchy establishes priority of multiple pieces of the first meta-data and the second meta-data for use in determining the highest strength of difference.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a threshold is used to determine near-homophones.

5 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving a confirmation of one of the matches, to yield a confirmed match; and

connecting a caller to the confirmed match.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data and the second meta-data are customized.

7 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving a request from a user for further disambiguation information; and

presenting the further spoken disambiguation information to the user.

8 . A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

retrieving matches to a spoken query, the matches comprising a first match and a second match that are one of homophonic and near-homophonic;

identifying, via an analysis of first meta-data associated with the first match and second meta-data associated with the second match, a first meta-data component of the first meta-data and a second meta-data component of the second meta-data, wherein the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component have a highest strength of difference between the first meta-data and the second meta-data; and

presenting a spoken disambiguation statement to in response to the spoken query that incorporates the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein identifying of the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component comprises identifying multiple pieces of unique information when necessary to completely disambiguate the matches.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein a hierarchy establishes priority of multiple pieces of the first meta-data and the second meta-data for use in determining the highest strength of difference.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a threshold is used to determine near-homophones.

12 . The system of claim 8 , the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

receiving a confirmation of one of the matches, to yield a confirmed match; and

connecting a caller to the confirmed match.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first meta-data and the second meta-data are customized.

14 . The system of claim 8 , the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

receiving a request from a user for further disambiguation information; and

presenting the further spoken disambiguation information to the user.

15 . A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

retrieving matches to a spoken query, the matches comprising a first match and a second match that are one of homophonic and near-homophonic;

identifying, via an analysis of first meta-data associated with the first match and second meta-data associated with the second match, a first meta-data component of the first meta-data and a second meta-data component of the second meta-data, wherein the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component have a highest strength of difference between the first meta-data and the second meta-data; and

presenting a spoken disambiguation statement to in response to the spoken query that incorporates the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component.

16 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein identifying of the first meta-data component and the second meta-data component comprises identifying multiple pieces of unique information when necessary to completely disambiguate the matches.

17 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein a hierarchy establishes priority of multiple pieces of the first meta-data and the second meta-data for use in determining the highest strength of difference.

18 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein a threshold is used to determine near-homophones.

19 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , having additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

receiving a confirmation of one of the matches, to yield a confirmed match; and

connecting a caller to the confirmed match.

20 . The computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the first meta-data and the second meta-data are customized.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2017
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041504/0952 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2016
From: LEWIS, STEVEN HART; CZAHOR, MICHAEL T., III; DUDI, RAMKISHORE; PEARSALL, SUSAN HELEN
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 037837/0610 →