US6236967B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tone and speech recognition in communications systems
Assignee: Nuance Communications Inc
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Filing: 1998-06-19
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Granted: 2001-05-22
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Expires: 2018-06-19
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an apparatus and method for verifying address identifiers over a telecommunications network by first storing a plurality of zip codes in a database. A corresponding list of address identifiers is created and stored for each zip code. After receiving a spoken zip code from a user, the corresponding list of address identifiers is retrieved. Once the list of address identifiers is retrieved, a plurality of choices for at least some of the address identifiers is created. These plurality of choices contain words that rhyme with or sound like other address identifiers located in the retrieval group of address identifiers.After the system receives a spoken address identifier from the user, the system queries the database for a match between the spoken address identifier and the stored address identifier. The user is then prompted to verify that the system accurately recognized the spoken address identifier. However, if a plurality of choices was created for the matched address identifier, the user is presented with the plurality of choices to select from instead of the matched address identifier. Whether the address identifier or the plurality of choices is presented to the user, the user is requested to verify that the system correctly recognized the spoken address identifier.
Inventors
- 👤 Lynne Shapiro Brotman
- 👤 Randy G. Goldberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; H04M3/4936; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/40; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/14; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/30; H04Q1/44; H04Q1/444; H04Q1/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of prompting a user to provide at least one set of numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; querying a database to match said at least one set of numeric data to one or more entries in said database; retrieving a pre-stored set of sequence of speech patterns using said at least one set of numeric data as a search key for such retrieving; prompting said user to provide speech data via a mouthpiece of said communications device; and in response to receiving said speech data, comparing said speech data to said sequence of speech patterns to recognize said speech data.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of prompting a user to provide at least one set of numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; querying a database to match said at least one set of numeric data to one or more entries in said database; retrieving a pre-stored set of sequence of speech patterns using said at least one set of numeric data as a search key for such retrieving; prompting said user to provide speech data via a mouthpiece of said communications device; and in response to receiving said speech data, comparing said speech data to said sequence of speech patterns to recognize said speech data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one set of numeric data is a zip code.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said speech data is a home address.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one set of numeric data is a zip code and said speech data is a home address.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one set of numeric data includes a zip code and a street number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first set of numeric data is a zip code and said speech data is a home address.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first set of numeric data includes a zip code and said second set of numeric data is a street number.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of prompting a user to enter a first set of DTMF numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; querying a database to match said first set of numeric data to an entry in said database; prompting said user to enter a second set of DTMF numeric data via said keypad of said communications device; comparing said second set of numeric data to pre-stored range of digits; retrieving from said second database a pre-stored set of sequence of speech patterns using said first set of DTMF numeric data as a search key for such retrieving; prompting said user to provide speech data via said communications device; and in response to receiving said speech data from said user, comparing said speech data to said sequence of speech patterns using said second set of DTMF numeric data as input to recognize said speech data.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of prompting a user to enter a first set of DTMF numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; querying a database to match said first set of numeric data to an entry in said database; prompting said user to enter a second set of DTMF numeric data via said keypad of said communications device; comparing said second set of numeric data to pre-stored range of digits; retrieving from said second database a pre-stored set of sequence of speech patterns using said first set of DTMF numeric data as a search key for such retrieving; prompting said user to provide speech data via said communications device; and in response to receiving said speech data from said user, comparing said speech data to said sequence of speech patterns using said second set of DTMF numeric data as input to recognize said speech data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said second set of numeric data is also used to retrieve said sequence of speech patterns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said speech data is a home address.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of: prompting a user to provide one or more sets of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; prompting said user to provide speech data via said communications device; recognizing said speech data using said DTMF numeric data as input to facilitate said speech recognition.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of recognizing speech data comprising the steps of: prompting a user to provide one or more sets of Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) numeric data via a keypad of a communications device; prompting said user to provide speech data via said communications device; recognizing said speech data using said DTMF numeric data as input to facilitate said speech recognition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said one or more sets of numeric data is selected from a group which includes a zip code and a street number and wherein said speech data is a street name.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for verifying an address identifier over a network comprising the steps of: receiving a zip code provided by a user in the form of a DTMF signal; querying a database of stored zip codes wherein each stored zip code is indexed to a group of address identifiers; determining whether said received zip code matches one of said stored zip codes; if one of said stored zip codes matches the received zip code, retrieving said indexed group of address identifiers corresponding to said match zip code; receiving a speech signal from said user; and recognizing said speech signal by verifying that said speech signal matches one of said address identifiers.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for verifying an address identifier over a network comprising the steps of: receiving a zip code provided by a user in the form of a DTMF signal; querying a database of stored zip codes wherein each stored zip code is indexed to a group of address identifiers; determining whether said received zip code matches one of said stored zip codes; if one of said stored zip codes matches the received zip code, retrieving said indexed group of address identifiers corresponding to said match zip code; receiving a speech signal from said user; and recognizing said speech signal by verifying that said speech signal matches one of said address identifiers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said address identifiers include names of cities and towns.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said address identifiers include names of states.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said address identifiers are names of streets.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 16 , wherein said names of streets further include street numbers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 13 wherein said recognizing step comprises the steps of: gathering from said speech signal information to generate a plurality of likely addresses; filtering said likely addresses to derive a limited number of choices of likely addresses; and presenting said limited number of choices of likely addresses to said user for verification.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 18 further including the step of: receiving a signal from said user indicative of a selection by said user of one of said likely addresses; and storing said user-selected address in a storage area.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said filtering step comprises the step of screening out one or more likely addresses for which street numbers as recognized in said speech signal, are outside of a predetermined range for street names associated with said one or more likely addresses.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said received zip code is provided by said user as speech data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein received zip code is provided by said user as dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal from a keypad.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
92 words
A speech recognition system for recognizing address identifiers comprising: a first database for storing zip codes; a second database for storing address identifiers indexed by said zip codes; and a speech recognizer which a) is coupled to said first and second databases and which retrieves address identifiers from said second database in response to receiving a user-provided zip code and b) includes a software-driven processor that recognizes speech signals received from a user and c) means for prompting said user to provide data via a device capable of producing a DTMF signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
92 words
A speech recognition system for recognizing address identifiers comprising: a first database for storing zip codes; a second database for storing address identifiers indexed by said zip codes; and a speech recognizer which a) is coupled to said first and second databases and which retrieves address identifiers from said second database in response to receiving a user-provided zip code and b) includes a software-driven processor that recognizes speech signals received from a user and c) means for prompting said user to provide data via a device capable of producing a DTMF signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The speech recognition system of claim 23 , further comprising means for prompting said user to provide data to said speech recognition system via a microphone of a communications device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-21 | 2004-11-20 | 2005-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-21 | 2008-11-20 | 2009-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-21 | 2012-11-20 | 2013-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |