Patent ID: 7636651
Filing Date: 2009-12-22
Classification: G06F,G06K,G06N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: selecting a modeling parameter from a plurality of modeling parameters characterizing a mixture of Student distribution components; computing an approximation of a posterior distribution for the selected modeling parameter based on an input set of data, the input set of data having been obtained from at least one microphone, and a current estimate of a posterior distribution of at least one unselected modeling parameter in the plurality of modeling parameters, computing the approximation being performed by a processor calculating computing a lower bound of a log marginal likelihood as a function of current estimates of the posterior distributions of the modeling parameters, the current estimates of the posterior distributions of the modeling parameters including the computed approximation of the posterior distribution of the selected modeling parameter; determining if the lower bound has been satisfactorily optimized, wherein the lower bound is satisfactorily optimized when the computed lower bound has changed less than a threshold amount from a previously computed lower bound; generating a probability density modeling the input set of data, the probability density including the mixture of Student distribution components, the mixture of Student distribution components being characterized by the current estimates of the posterior distributions of the modeling parameters, when the lower bound is satisfactorily optimized; outputting the probability density, and outputting a number of speakers from the probability density.