Speech Recognition Using Partial Utterance Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional speech recognition systems fail to accurately recognize entire text from partial utterances, leading to hindered usability and incomplete function execution, as they rely solely on exact matches with candidate words or sentences.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device and speech recognition method that convert speech signals into text, determine the highest matching text sets based on word ratios and order, allowing for partial phrase recognition and execution of intended functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional speech recognition requires exact match with candidate words or sentences, then recognition accuracy is maintained, but usability is hindered when users utter only partial text

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveusabilityVSAvoidrecognition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by allowing speech recognition to succeed with only a portion of the complete candidate text being uttered. The system calculates a coincidence ratio between the uttered speech and the candidate text, and determines that recognition is successful when this ratio exceeds a predetermined threshold, rather than requiring complete text matching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the recognition parameter from binary (exact match or no match) to a continuous coincidence ratio measurement. By introducing this ratio parameter and comparing it against a threshold, the system enables flexible recognition that adapts to partial utterances while maintaining controlled accuracy through the threshold mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If speech recognition waits for complete text utterance, then full context is captured, but recognition speed and user responsiveness are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecognition speedVSAvoidtext completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing recognition determination during the speech utterance process itself, rather than waiting for completion. The system continuously monitors the coincidence ratio as speech is being uttered and can determine recognition success mid-utterance, enabling faster response while still capturing sufficient contextual information through the ratio threshold mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If conventional systems only operate when final result coincides with candidate text, then false positives are minimized, but post-processing opportunities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefalse positive rateVSAvoidpost-processing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables post-processing by allowing recognition to proceed when the coincidence ratio exceeds the threshold, even if it's not a perfect match. This partial matching approach provides more opportunities for beneficial post-processing operations while the threshold mechanism continues to filter out clearly incorrect matches, maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3678131B1Electronic device and speech recognition method
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3678131B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3678131B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3678131B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device comprises: a microphone for receiving voice; a memory for storing a plurality of text sets; and a processor for converting the voice, received via the microphone, into text, searching for words common to the converted text with respect to each of the plurality of text sets, and determining at least one text set of the plurality of text sets on the basis of the ratio of the searched common words.