Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Linguistics
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-10
2001-07-31
Korzuch, William (Department: 2641)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Linguistics
C704S258000, C706S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269329
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to communication in a data processing system of the “intelligent” type such as an expert system. Such a system may, for example, be based on the neural network principle and may be exclusively rule-based or may include a case based reasoning (CBR) system.
PRIOR ART DISCUSSION
The purpose of intelligent systems is to learn or adjust to a multitude of inputs or stimuli and allow a multitude of possible results, i.e. there may be a number of “correct” results. These results cause events to occur such as the automatic transmission of a signal to a financial institution to cause lodgement of money to an account. Development of such systems has progressed to the stage where some can operate in a “hands off” mode for considerable periods of time.
However, such features are of little benefit if there is inadequate input and output communication. For output communication, in some cases system events can be communicated by display of numbers or numerical functions in a clear manner.
However, it is increasingly the case that for the important events to be understood, much more comprehensive communication is required. For example, it is desirable that the system be capable of outputting coherent speech to indicate the events which have occurred, and indeed events which may occur in the future, depending on user inputs. It is also desirable that the system be capable of understanding inputs with much less human intervention, and preferably little or no human intervention.
Heretofore, the approach to generating output communication has been to select or build pre-determined messages. For example, in DE4323021 a system accesses, interrelates, and combines prototype patterns to generate a composite image output. In JP07319538 a building monitoring system is described in which audio data is selected and outputted according to abnormal state information. In EP0052757B a method is described in which various tables are used by a message build program to display one of a set of pre-determined messages.
In these systems the basic principle is operation of a communication means to select portions of messages and to combine them together. This approach is apparently satisfactory for many situations, such as for generating alerts to indicate specific and predetermined events, such as a fault in a diskette door. However, where comprehensive system event information is to be communicated for a complex data processing system it would be necessary to store a very large number of message parts and it would be unworkable to retrieve and process these messages in a meaningful manner. Further, it would be extremely difficult to foresee all possible communication which may arise in the future. The prior systems do not generate coherent communication describing any and every possible system event irrespective of the probability of them arising.
European Patent Specification Nos. EP0720090A2 and EP0720106A2 both describe systems which provide a speech output. In these specifications, a “concept” is described as an entity having successive sub-sets in “ever decreasing circles”. The speech output is based on user inputs and the knowledge base is user-dependent. While these systems are undoubtedly of benefit in some applications, there is limited capability for providing a coherent output and for understanding a wide range of inputs.
Further, while the prior art includes many systems for reading inputs such as OCR systems, little has been done to integrate this function with the data processing. In addition, the prior art does not generate a coherent and contents-related output.
The invention is directed towards providing a data processing system and method to overcome these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a communication method for interpreting communication and building output communication, the method being carried out by a system comprising a processor, a memory, an input device, and an output device, characterized in that:
the processor automatically interprets inputs, and
the processor generates coherent contents-related communication using a communication means linked with data processing program code.
According to another aspect, the invention provides a data processing system comprising a processor, a memory, an input device, and an output device, characterized in that:
the processor comprises means for automatically interpreting inputs, and
the processor comprises means for generating coherent contents-related communication using a communication means linked with data processing system code.
An important point is that because communication is generated in-line in a manner linked with the data processing program code, the communication is contents-related and it is therefore possible to provide coherent communication within the confines of the knowledge base of the system.
In one embodiment, the communication means comprises communication elements, each communication element being linked to a part of program code. Because the data processing system links the communication elements with the associated data processing code as a unit, the communication is bound strongly to the contents of the communication as it arises from the data processing.
Preferably, the communication elements are processed in one memory area, either actual or virtual. By processing in the one memory area, the processor can efficiently combine the communication elements and also update a knowledge base. The memory area may be time-dependent or time-independent.
In one embodiment, the processor processes communication elements linked with program code representing processing results, and communication elements linked with program code used for interim processing before a result is determined. This allows very comprehensive output communication as it provides not only the results of data processing, but also the methodology behind the results.
Preferably, the processor operates according to a matrix manager for capturing communication elements during data processing. This is a very simple tool for capturing communication elements from various different strands of data processing and it in effect synchronizes the generation of communication.
Preferably, the matrix manager directs capture of communication elements for each of a plurality of data processing simulations. There are many situations in which different simulations are required and only one simulation is eventually chosen. By capturing elements from all simulations, there is no delay in generation of the communication after one is chosen.
Preferably, the matrix manager is a parallel recursive function. This is a very effective type of function for the task involved.
In one embodiment, the communication elements are triggers which are used to retrieve resources including text or speech strings. The use of triggers opens up the possibility of a wide range of further processing to manipulate the output as desired. In one example, the matrix manager comprises output communication rules which are activated by the triggers to generate processed communication elements. Such rules may comprise prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules. Such processed elements may be used to retrieve resources to control a synthesiser. It will therefore be appreciated that by use of triggers, a large degree of additional processing can be carried out to enhance the quality of the output in terms of such things as loudness and intonation, pauses etc.
In one embodiment, the system comprises speech resources, a speech resources assembly manager, and a speech resources reference buffer , the assembly manager and the reference buffer performing the steps of:
loading blocks of resources to a memory;
monitoring speech output and determining when resources of a block are nearly Utilized;
loading a fresh block; and
clearing the previous block when a fresh block is activated.
This is a particularly efficient way of handling resources for generation of output communication.
Preferably, the resources are used to build coherent ou
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Korzuch William
Lerner Martin
Softmark Limited
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