IP Library Granted Patent US 7,917,368
Granted Patent B2
US 7,917,368 · App. 12/036,713 · Granted Mar 29, 2011

Method for interacting with users of speech recognition systems

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,917,368
App. No.
12/036,713
Granted
Mar 29, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer implemented method facilitates a user interaction via a speech-based user interface. The method acquires spoken input from a user in a form of a phrase of one or more words. It further determines, using a plurality of different domains, whether the phrase is a query or a command. If the phrase is the query the method retrieves and presents relevant items from a plurality of databases. If the phrase is a command, the method performs an operation.

Claims (13)

1. A computer implemented method for interacting with a user via a speech-based user interface, comprising the steps of:

acquiring spoken input from a user in a form of a phrase of one or more words;

determining, using a plurality of different domains, whether the phrase is a query or a command; and

retrieving and presenting relevant items from a plurality of databases if the phrase is the query; and otherwise

performing an operation if the phrase is a command, and wherein all possible items form a set of items, and further comprising:

grouping items in the set into subsets of items, in which each subset of items forms one of the plurality of domains;

retrieving the items from one or more of the plurality of domains in response to the query; and

selecting a particular domain as most relevant to the query if the retrieved items are least likely to have been obtained by random draw from the entire set of items.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the phrase includes variables and modifiers if the phrase is the command.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which the phrase is in a form of particles, and an index to the items is in the form of the particles.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which the relevant items are segregated on a domain-by-domain basis.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which the relevant items are presented in a relevance order.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which the relevant items coming led in a combined result list.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2008
From: WEINBERG, GARRETT; RAMAKRISHNAN, BHIKSHA; SCHMIDT-NIELSEN, BENT; HARSHAM, BRET A.
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 021049/0138 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090216538A1 · Aug 27, 2009