Patent ID: 6513009
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: G10L

Abstract:
Apparatus for providing a spoken language interface between a user and at least one application or system, the apparatus operating in accordance with a computer processing system including a processor, an audio input system for receiving speech data provided by the user, an audio output system for outputting speech data to the user, a speech decoding engine and a speech synthesizing engine, the apparatus comprising:a dialog manager operatively coupled to the application or system, the audio input system, the audio output system, the speech decoding engine and the speech synthesizing engine; and at least one user interface data set operatively coupled to the dialog manager, the user interface data set representing spoken language interface elements and data recognizable by the application; wherein: (i) the dialog manager enables connection between the input audio system and the speech decoding engine such that the spoken utterance provided by the user is provided from the input audio system to the speech decoding engine; (ii) the speech decoding engine decodes the spoken utterance to generate a decoded output which is returned to the dialog manager; (iii) the dialog manager uses the decoded output to search the user interface data set for a corresponding spoken language interface element and data which is returned to the dialog manager when found; (iv) the dialog manager provides the spoken language interface element associated data to the application or system for processing in accordance therewith; (v) the application, on processing that element, provides a reference to an interface element to be spoken; (vi) the dialog manager enables connection between the audio output system and the speech synthesizing engine such that the speech synthesizing engine which, accepting data from that element, generates a synthesized output that expresses that element; and (vii) the audio output system audibly presenting the synthesized output to the user.