Indirect Speech to Direct Speech Conversion in Voice Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current voice-to-text communication systems require users to speak unnatural command phrases followed by exact direct speech messages, making the process awkward and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A method that receives voice inputs, classifies indirect speech segments, and uses a machine translator to convert them into direct speech for initiating communications, allowing users to speak naturally without needing distinct command phrases and message phrases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users speak natural indirect speech commands, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for speech classification and machine translation components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary machine translation system that converts indirect speech to direct speech. This mediator component enables users to speak naturally without requiring the system to understand complex command structures, thus improving ease of operation while managing complexity through specialized translation processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical voice recognition systems with a machine translation-based approach. Instead of requiring exact phrase matching through complex pattern recognition, the system uses translation mechanisms to convert indirect speech into executable commands, simplifying the user interface while maintaining functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If the system requires distinct command phrases and message phrases, then processing accuracy is improved, but loss of time increases due to requiring two separate phrases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing accuracyVSAvoidloss of time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the command phrase and message phrase into a single unified speech input. By combining these separate elements into one indirect speech statement, the system reduces the time required for input while maintaining processing accuracy through the machine translation conversion process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary classification of the speech segment to identify indirect speech patterns before translation. This preliminary action ensures accurate processing by preparing the input data in advance, allowing the machine translation to proceed efficiently without requiring separate command and message phrases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the system uses machine translation to convert indirect speech to direct speech, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to translation system requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal machine translation system that handles multiple speech patterns and communication scenarios. This multi-functional translation approach improves productivity by processing various types of indirect speech into direct commands, while the system's versatility manages complexity through a single unified translation framework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9009042B1Machine translation of indirect speech
Publication Date: 2015.04.14 GOOGLE LLC
  • US9009042B1 patent drawing
  • US9009042B1 patent drawing
  • US9009042B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating direct speech messages based on voice commands that include indirect speech messages. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a voice input corresponding to an utterance. A determination is made whether a transcription of the utterance includes a command to initiate a communication to a user and a segment that is classified as indirect speech. In response to determining that the transcription of the utterance includes the command and the segment that is classified as indirect speech, the segment that is classified as indirect speech is provided as input to a machine translator. In response to providing the segment that is classified as indirect speech to the machine translator, a direct speech segment is received from the machine translator. A communication is initiated that includes the direct speech segment.