摘要:
In a speech recognition system, apparatus and method for modelling words with label-based Markov models is disclosed. The modelling includes: entering a first speech input, corresponding to words in a vocabulary, into an acoustic processor which converts each spoken word into a sequence of standard labels, where each standard label corresponds to a sound type assignable to an interval of time; representing each standard label as a probabilistic model which has a plurality of states, at least one transition from a state to a state, and at least one settable output probability at some transitions; entering selected acoustic inputs into an acoustic processor which converts the selected acoustic inputs into personalized labels, each personalized label corresponding to a sound type assigned to an interval of time; and setting each output probability as the probability of the standard label represented by a given model producing a particular personalized label at a given transition in the given model. The present invention addresses the problem of generating models of words simply and automatically in a speech recognition system.
摘要:
In a system that (i) defines each word in a vocabulary by a fenemic baseform of fenemic phones, (ii) defines an alphabet of composite phones each of which corresponds to at least one fenemic phone, and (iii) generates a string of fenemes in response to speech input, the method provides for converting a word baseform comprised of fenemic phones into a stunted word baseform of composite phones by (a) replacing each fenemic phone in the fenemic phone word baseform by the composite phone corresponding thereto; and (b) merging together at least one pair of adjacent composite phones by a single composite phone where the adverse effect of the merging is below a predefined threshold.
摘要:
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for segmenting multiple utterances of a vocabulary word in a consistent and coherent manner and determining a Markov model sequence for each segment. A fenemic Markov model corresponds to each label.
摘要:
Speech recognition is improved by splitting each feneme string at a consistent point into a left portion and a right portion. The present invention addresses the problem of constructing fenemic baseforms which take into account variations in pronunciation of words from one utterance thereof to another. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of constructing a fenemic baseform for a word in a vocabulary of word segments including the steps of: (a) transforming multiple utterances of the word into respective strings of fenemes; (b) defining a set of fenemic Markov model phone machines; (c) determining the best single phone machine P.sub.1 for producing the multiple feneme strings; (d) determining the best two phone baseform of the form P.sub.1 P.sub.2 or P.sub.2 P.sub.1 for producing the multiple feneme strings; (e) aligning the best two phone baseform against each feneme string; (f) splitting each feneme string into a left portion and a right portion with the left portion corresponding to the first phone machine of the two phone baseform and the right portion corresponding to the second phone machine of the two phone baseform; (g) identifying each left portion as a left substring and each right portion as a right substring; (h) processing the set of left substrings and the set of right substrings in the same manner as the set of feneme strings corresponding to the multiple utterances including the further step of inhibiting further splitting of a substring when the single phone baseform thereof has a higher probability of producing the substring than does the best two phone baseform; and (k) concatenating the unsplit single phones in an order corresponding to the order of the feneme substrings to which they correspond.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for constructing word baseforms which can be matched against a string of generated acoustic labels. A set of phonetic phone machines are formed, wherein each phone machine has (i) a plurality of states, (ii) a plurality of transitions each of which extends from a state to a state, (iii) a stored probability for each transition, and (iv) stored label output probabilities, each label output probability corresponding to the probability of each phone machine producing a corresponding label. The set of phonetic machines is formed to include a subset of onset phone machines. The stored probabilities of each onset phone macine correspond to at least one phonetic element being uttered at the beginning of a speech segment. The set of phonetic machines is formed to include a subset of trailing phone machines. The stored probabilities of each trailing phone machine correspond to at least one single phonetic element being uttered at the end of a speech segment. Word baseforms are constructed by concatenating phone machines selected from the set.
摘要:
Apparatus and method for synthesizing word baseforms for words not spoken during a training session, wherein each synthesized baseform represents a series of models from a first set of models, which include: (a) uttering speech during a training session and representing the uttered speech as a sequence of models from a second set of models; (b) for each of at least some of the second set models spoken in a given phonetic model context during the training session, storing a respective string of first set models; and (c) constructing a word baseform of first set models for a word not spoken during the training session, including the step of representing each piece of a word that corresponds to a second set model in a given context by the stored respective string, if any, corresponding thereto.
摘要:
An apparatus for generating a set of acoustic prototype signals for encoding speech includes a memory for storing a training script model comprising a series of word-segment models. Each word-segment model comprises a series of elementary models. An acoustic measure is provided for measuring the value of at least one feature of an utterance of the training script during each of a series of time intervals to produce a series of feature vector signals representing the feature values of the utterance. An acoustic matcher is provided for estimating at least one path through the training script model which would produce the entire series of measured feature vector signals. From the estimated path, the elementary model in the training script model which would produce each feature vector signal is estimated. The apparatus further comprises a cluster processor for clustering the feature vector signals into a plurality of clusters. Each feature vector signal in a cluster corresponds to a single elementary model in a single location in a single word-segment model. Each cluster signal has a cluster value equal to an average of the feature values of all feature vectors in the signal. Finally, the apparatus includes a memory for storing a plurality of prototype vector signals. Each prototype vector signal corresponds to an elementary model, has an identifier, and comprises at least two partition values. The partition values are equal to combinations of the cluster values of one or more cluster signals corresponding to the elementary model.
摘要:
In order to determine a next event based upon available data, a binary decision tree is constructed having true or false questions at each node and a probability distribution of the unknown next event based upon available data at each leaf. Starting at the root of the tree, the construction process proceeds from node-to-node towards a leaf by answering the question at each node encountered and following either the true or false path depending upon the answer. The questions are phrased in terms of the available data and are designed to provide as much information as possible about the next unknown event. The process is particularly useful in speech recognition when the next word to be spoken is determined on the basis of the previously spoken words.
摘要:
Speech words are recognized by first recognizing each spectral vector identified by a label (feneme), then identifying the word by matching the string of labels against phones using simplified phone machines based on label and transition probabilities and Merkov chains. In one embodiment, a detailed acoustic match word score is combined with an approximate acoustic match word score to provide a total word score for a subject word. In another embodiment, a polling word score is combined with an acoustic match word score to provide a total word score for a subject word. The acoustic models employed in the acoustic matching may correspond, alternatively, to phonetic elements or to fenemes. Fenemes represent labels generated by an acoustic processor in response to a spoken input. Apparatus and method for determining word scores according to approximate acoustic matching and for determining word scores according to a polling methodology are disclosed.
摘要:
In a speech recognition system, discrimination between similar-sounding uttered words is improved by weighting the probability vector data stored for the Markov model representing the reference word sequence of phones. The weighting vector is derived for each reference word by comparing similar sounding utterances using Viterbi alignment and multivariate analysis which maximizes the differences between correct and incorrect recognition multivariate distributions.