Patent ID: 6801891
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: G10L

Abstract:
An apparatus for identifying one or more words corresponding to a sequence of sub-word units output by a recognition system in response to a rendition of the one or more words, the apparatus comprising:first receiving means for receiving the recognised sequence of sub-word units representative of the one or more words to be identified; second receiving means for receiving a plurality of dictionary sub-word sequences, each representative of one or more known words; means for comparing sub-word units of the recognised sequence with sub-word units of each dictionary sequence to provide a set of comparison scores; means for combining the comparison scores obtained by comparing the sub-word units of the recognised sequence with the sub-word units of the same dictionary sequence to provide, for each dictionary word, a measure of the similarity between the recognised sequence and the dictionary sequence; and means for identifying said one or more words using the similarity measures provided by the combining means; wherein said comparing means comprises: means for aligning sub-word units of the recognised sequence with sub-word units of the same dictionary sequence to form, for each dictionary sequence, a number of aligned pairs of sub-word units; first sub-comparing means for comparing, for each aligned pair, the recognised sequence sub-word unit in the aligned pair with each of a plurality of sub-word units taken from a set of predetermined sub-word units, to generate a corresponding plurality of intermediate comparison scores representative of the similarities between the recognised sequence sub-word unit and the respective sub-word units of the set; second sub-comparing means for comparing, for each aligned pair, the dictionary sequence sub-word unit in the aligned pair with each of said plurality of sub-word units from the set to separate a further corresponding plurality of intermediate comparison scores representative of the similarities between said dictionary sequence sub-word unit and the respective sub-word units of the set; and means for calculating, for each aligned pair, a comparison score representative of the similarity between the sub-word units of the aligned pair by combining the pluralities of intermediate comparison scores generated by said first and second sub-comparing means, to provide said set of comparison scores.