Patent ID: 6161090
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: G10L

Abstract:
A method of controlling access of a speaker to one of a service and a facility, the method comprising the steps of:(a) receiving first spoken utterances of the speaker, the first spoken utterances containing indicia of the speaker;(b) decoding the first spoken utterances;(c) accessing a database corresponding to the decoded first spoken utterances, the database containing information attributable to a speaker candidate having indicia substantially similar to the speaker;(d) querying the speaker with at least one question based on the information contained in the accessed database;(e) receiving second spoken utterances of the speaker, the second spoken utterances being representative of at least one answer to the at least one question;(f) decoding the second spoken utterances;(g) verifying the accuracy of the decoded answer against the information contained in the accessed database serving as the basis for the question;(h) taking a voice sample from the utterances of the speaker and processing the voice sample against an acoustic model attributable to the speaker candidate;(i) generating a score corresponding to the accuracy of the decoded answer and the closeness of the match between the voice sample and the model; and(j) comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value and if the score is one of substantially equivalent to and above the threshold value, then permitting speaker access to one of the service and the facility.