Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-26
2001-01-30
Dorvil, Richemond (Department: 2741)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S272000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182046
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of managing speech applications, and in particular, to an improved “What Can I Say” function.
2. Description of Related Art
The What-Can-I-Say (WCIS) function is critical to speech product usability. WCIS is important even for experienced users. Even though a user's dependence may decrease as the user gains experience, there are always instances when even the most experienced user wants to know how to issue a voice command and whether or not a particular action is voice-enabled. The use of WCIS information is especially fundamental to a speech recognition application, where its usability is of major concern. All users, regardless of experience level, find usability value in the WCIS function.
Previous versions of speech products had WCIS functions. The problem with these previous versions is that the functionality was too complicated for the user to find the voice commands they were looking for. In the Simply Speaking Gold application, for example, the WCIS window used tabs for the different categories of commands. When the number of tabs exceeds four or five, the name of the command becomes harder to see and the overall look is very cluttered. Subcategories were indicated by using the “+” and “−” signs.
In previous designs of WCIS, all voice commands were shown even if it was otherwise quite evident to the users what the commands were. Previous versions of WCIS showed the complete menu structure of an application even though to navigate a menu item was as simple as saying the menu name. The same is true of buttons. This approach resulted in a very complicated structure for users to find voice commands.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Voice commands are much easier for the user to find in accordance with the inventive arrangements. The inventive arrangements are based on realization of a simple but elegant principle, namely that the user can always say what the user sees, and accordingly, a WCIS function only needs to show the commands a user cannot see. This principle enables the structure of a WCIS function to be greatly simplified by dividing voice commands into several categories and then only showing those voice commands that cannot be seen in the graphical user interface (GUI) of the speech application.
Functionality is further enhanced in the inventive arrangements by providing a simple alphabetic list of all the available voice commands that is easily searched. One of the reasons to provide such a list of all commands is to provide the user some way of training a command even though they can see it in the GUI.
A method for managing a What Can I Say (WCIS) function in an application having a plurality of commands which can be voice activated, in accordance with an inventive arrangement, comprises the steps of: storing a set of substantially all voice activatable commands associated with the application; identifying those of the commands in the set which are being displayed by the application; and, displaying in a graphical user interface, in response to a user input, a subset of the voice activatable commands which are not being displayed.
The method comprise the step of continuously tracking those of the commands in the set which are being displayed by the application or identifying those of the commands in the set which are being displayed by the application in response to the user input, prior to the displaying step.
The subset of the commands are advantageously arranged by category.
The method can further comprise the step of displaying in the GUI a list of the stored set of substantially all voice activatable commands associated with the application.
The method can further comprise the steps of providing the GUI with a pull down menu identifying different categories by which the commands can be viewed in the GUI and/or providing the GUI with a pull down menu identifying commands that can be performed against a voice command.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5386494 (1995-01-01), White
patent: 5748191 (1998-05-01), Rozack et al.
patent: 5754873 (1998-05-01), Nolan
patent: 5864819 (1999-01-01), De Armas et al.
patent: 5890122 (1999-03-01), Van Kleeck et al
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin. Integrated Audio Graphics User Interface, p. 368-371. Apr. 1991.
Ballard Barbara E.
Boyer Linda M.
Keller Arthur
Kist Thomas A.
Lewis James R.
Dorvil Richemond
International Business Machines Corp.
Quarles & Brady LLP
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