Speech UI Bitmask Rendering via Secondary Window Manager
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current speech interfaces require developers to learn complex scripting languages, creating a high barrier for adoption, as they are often sophisticated and beyond the expertise of average application developers, limiting the widespread use of speech user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface bitmask is used to create and render speech user interfaces by re-designating bits for speech functionality, allowing a secondary window manager to handle speech recognition and text-to-speech engines, enabling developers to build speech interfaces using familiar GUI development paradigms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex scripting languages and grammars are used to create speech interfaces, then speech recognition and text-to-speech functionality is achieved, but the barrier to entry for developers increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a graphical user interface bitmask as an intermediary layer between developers and complex speech scripting languages. This bitmask serves as a simplified interface that maps directly to speech recognition and text-to-speech functionality, eliminating the need for developers to learn complex scripting languages while maintaining reliable speech processing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from complex scripting language syntax to a simplified bitmask format. By representing speech interface parameters as graphical elements and window control messages rather than complex scripts, the system maintains functional reliability while dramatically improving ease of development
2Measurement precision
If sophisticated language and speech processing is implemented, then accurate speech recognition is achieved, but the complexity of the interface increases beyond average developer expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex speech processing system into discrete, manageable components represented by individual bits in the graphical user interface bitmask. Each bit corresponds to a specific speech function or parameter, allowing developers to control sophisticated speech recognition through simple, atomic operations rather than complex unified interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the speech interface control mechanism using graphical elements and window control messages. This copy maintains the functionality of sophisticated speech processing while presenting it in a form that matches familiar GUI development paradigms, reducing the complexity barrier for developers
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional scripting languages are used for speech interfaces, then comprehensive speech control is achieved, but development time and learning requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the graphical user interface bitmask universal by designing it to handle multiple speech control functions through a single standardized interface. The same bitmask mechanism controls both speech recognition parameters and text-to-speech functionality, providing comprehensive speech interface control without requiring developers to learn multiple specialized scripting languages
Data Source
AI summary
Depiction of a speech user interface via graphical elements is provided. One or more bits of a graphical user interface bitmask are re-designated as speech bits. When a software application processes the re-designated speech bits, a window manager responsible for generating and rendering a graphical user interface for the application passes information to a secondary window manager responsible for generating and rendering a speech user interface. The secondary speech window manager may load a text-to-speech engine, a speech recognizer engine, a lexicon or library of recognizable words or phrases and a set of “grammars” (recognizable words and phrasing) for building a speech user interface that will receive, recognize and act on spoken input to the associated software application.