Patent Application
20050114122
Speech recognition systems have become important tools in certain work environments. In particular, environments with considerable amounts of dictation and transcription, as in the medical and legal professions, benefit from the speed and cost savings of speech recognition software and advancements. However, speech recognition engines are often generic and not initially customized for specific work environments.
Often, the speech recognition engine employed by a company or institution does not fully address the requirements of the working environment. For example, a medical facility needs a speech recognition system capable of identifying and transcribing the names of the doctors at the site, words not typically included in the general speech recognition input files.
Also, documents generated by a speech recognition engine are not always consistent with a desired format. For example, physicians may dictate dates in many ways and a general speech recognition engine transcribes the dictation verbatim. However, the medical facility's document management system requires the date in a particular standardized date format.
Conventionally, specialized administrators or human speech recognition agents have customized the speech recognition input files for a particular site. These input files control the number and types of words that the speech recognition engine recognizes and transcribes. These input files also control the format and appearance of the output or text file from the speech recognition engine.
Unfortunately, the conventional approach to modifying input files and customizing the speech recognition engine for a particular site, like a hospital, is a time-intensive and expensive process. The special administrator updates the input files by including specific new words one at a time. Furthermore, the special administrator usually has no expertise in the words being added to customize the speech recognition engine. For example, when customizing a speech recognition engine for a hospital, the special administrator's expertise is in computer programming and not in prescription drugs. Conversely, while choosing hospital personnel familiar with medical terms and hospital jargon could rectify this, conventional systems do not facilitate this process for personnel without computer programming expertise.
The present invention includes an embodiment that relates to customizing the input and output of a speech recognition engine. In particular, site-specific customization may facilitate automated speech recognition systems by providing a customization client for site-specific individuals to update and modify language model input files and post processor input files. The method may include collecting data having a predetermined format. The method may also include formatting the data into flat files or compiling the data into files suitable for importation into the customization client. The method may include normalizing the data and a filtering step to organize the data in preparation for display of the data to the user.
The method may further include actually displaying the data for user review. During review by the user, the data may be filtered and normalized according to user preferences to better present the data in the customization client. The method includes categorizing the data according to user-specified rules. The user may also specify the format and appearance of the final report according to user-specified rules. The customization client may also prompt the user to specify the amount of logging information to record for technical purposes.
The method may also include outputting categorized data or word list files for modifying a language model used by an automated speech recognition system. The method may include exporting categorized data or word list files as formatting data to the post processor for use in formatting a final report. The method may also include outputting a delta file to the post processor instructing the post processor of the user-specified rules for formatting and appearance of a final report.
The above features are of representative embodiments only, and are presented only to assist in understanding the invention. It should be understood that they are not to be considered limitations on the invention as defined by the claims, or limitations on equivalents to the claims. Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings, the following description, and the claims.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it may be believed the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, in a non-limiting fashion, the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention, and in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures, wherein:
For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present invention are described by referring mainly to exemplary embodiments thereof. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to, and can be implemented in, all types of network systems, and that any such variations do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, in the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying figures, which illustrate specific embodiments. Electrical, mechanical, logical and structural changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to customizing the input and output of a speech recognition engine. In particular, site-specific customization may facilitate automated speech recognition systems by providing a customization client for site personnel to update and modify language model input files and post processor input files. The customization may also be applied to customize a speech recognition engine and post processor for a small group or an individual.
The automated speech recognition system may include a speech recognition phase and a post processor phase. During the speech recognition phase, a speech recognition engine turns voice data into corresponding text data using language models. During the post processor phase, a post processor formats the unformatted result of the speech recognition phase using site-specific user-specified rules.
The customization client may be configured to provide a user at a site with two graphic user interfaces (GUI): an add words interface and a formatting rules interface. The add words interface may be used to add words and/or phrases to the various lists of words and generate or modify the language model used by a speech recognition engine to transcribe a dictated or voice file into an unformatted text file. The formatting rules interface may allow a user to specify formatting rules used by a post processor to format the unformatted text file generated by the speech recognition engine.
The graphic user interfaces may provide a user at a site with all the tools necessary to customize the language model inputs and the post processor inputs without having any previous computer programming experience. The customization client may only require the user to be knowledgeable about the specifics of the data being entered for customization. For example, if the customization client is being implemented at a hospital for automatic transcription of dictated medical reports, the user should be knowledgeable about the hospital and medical terms.
The customization client may also be configured to receive data for use in customizing the input files. The entry of words or data into the customization client may be automated or manual. Lists of words, names, number or other characters and combinations may be entered in the customization client in an automated fashion by importing the entire list at one time. Individual words, phrases, or other data can be entered in the customization client one at a time as well. The customization client may have GUIs guiding the user through the importation of list entries and individual entries.
The customization client may also be configured to provide graphic user interfaces for guiding a user through customization. The customization client may normalize the entered data and display the data in a GUI for review by the site-specific user. The customization client may also present the data such that the user may categorize the entries into specific categories using preprogrammed category buttons. For example, the category buttons could provide options to divide words into categories such as headings, department names, doctor names, and brand medications.
The customization client may be configured to generate word list files categorized by the user. The language model input files may be made up of the word list files from the customization client. These word list files may include all words from previous word lists and any new words entered into the customization client since the word list files were last generated.
The customization client may be further configured to provide formatting rules to the post processor. The formatting rules may be presented to the user at the site as GUIs and may prompt the user to select formatting rules for subjects such as punctuation and capitalization. The user may customize the formatting rules by choosing from predetermined answer options. From these answers, the customization client may create an input file or delta file to be used by the post processor. For example, the customization client may ask the user for the desired style for formatting dates. The post processor may then format the dates present in the output from the speech recognition engine such that the resultant document from the post processor meets the user's expectations.
The customization client may also be configured to provide user-defined formatting rules that apply to words and phrases in a particular category. The customization client may ask the user how the words in a specific list should be formatted in the resultant document. According to the answers of the site user, the post processor input may contain formatting rules for how the words found in specific word lists should be formatted. For example, the user may indicate that the headings in the document should be all capitals and should be preceded and followed by blank lines in the resultant document. The post processor may then match the words in the headings word list file with words in the unformatted text file from the speech recognition engine and format the matched words according to the formatting rules specified by the user in the customization client.
The customization client may also be configured to record technical support data for both the speech recognition engine and the post processor. The customization client may provide a GUI of options for how much data, how often, and which specific kinds of data to record. A technical specialist may use the data to identify deficiencies and troubleshoot problems. Data to be recorded may include the number and percentage of correctly or incorrectly transcribed words by the speech recognition engine, or the amount of post processing required, or failed post processing attempts.
The customization may save valuable time in the dictation and transcription process by quickly customizing a generic speech recognition engine to recognize words specifically associated with a particular site. An additional benefit of the present invention is that transcriptions will likely be more complete, as the customized speech recognition engine will transcribe more of the dictated words. The customized speech recognition engine may also provide more accurate transcriptions due to the fact that a user at that site performs the customization rather than a computer programmer who is not familiar with the particular site.
The customization may also save valuable time and effort by providing better and more customized automatic post processing. The results of customized post processing may in fact require less intensive editing and review by transcriptionists. The correctly formatted text files may also conform to the specific requirements of a particular site and therefore more efficiently and accurately work within a site's document management system.
As shown in
The customization client 10 may be configured to present the inputs 40 in a manner that enables a user at a site to quickly perform functions on inputs 40. Specifically, the customization client 10 may consist of a series of screens where a user may be presented with a series of radio buttons and other options for making decisions about inputs 40.
Inputs 40 are shown in
Once the words have been inputted into the add words interface 20, the words may be normalized, spell-checked, and/or undergo other functions to prepare the words for display to the user in the add words interface 20. The add words interface 20 may present the words for categorization into predetermined categories. The user may select a displayed word and then select a word list to categorize the word. Once some or all of the words are categorized, the word list(s) may be generated by the add words interface 20 in the form of outputs 50. The word list(s) generated may be general list 61, physician list 62, places list 63, hospital list 64, generic drug list 65, brand drug list 66, heading list 67, and department name list 68. The predetermined categories of the add words interface 20 may correspond to the out put word lists 61-68. The customized data may be considered to be made up of the combination the word lists 61-68. The language model may then be considered to be made up of the combination the word lists 61-68 together with a factory language model.
If words are misspelled in the displayed words of the add words interface 20, the user may elect to place the misspelled words in a rejected list. Words in the rejected list may be suppressed from the word lists presented to the speech recognition engine. The rejected list may also be maintained and used to screen input words so that the user does not have to continuously reject the same misspelled words over and over.
The user may elect to place words in an ignore list for further investigation and/or future disposition. Words in the ignore list may be suppressed from the word lists presented to the speech recognition engine. The ignore list may also be maintained and used to screen input words so that the user does not have to continuously process or ignore the same words over and over.
The formatting rules interface 31 may provide the user at the site with optional preferences for the formatted text file after automatic speech recognition and post processing has taken place. The formatting rules interface 31 more specifically may present the user with a series of formatting questions requiring manual input 44 to answer according to user preferences. The answers may be used to generate the formatting rules and the output delta file 71. The post processor may use the delta file 71 to implement the user-specified formatting rules.
The last option of the customization client 10 may be the technical support interface 32. The technical support interface 32 requires manual input 44 to answer questions and select preferences similar to the formatting rules interface 31. The output of the technical support interface 32 may be the output delta file 71. The post processor may use the delta file 71 to select the level of logging information.
The customization client 10 may also be configured to pass along two additional word lists: system list 81 and update system list 82. The system list 81 may be issued only once to upgrade the customization client 10 from a previous release of the system. The update system list 82 may be replaced periodically to incorporate corrections and additions to the language models. Both the system list 81 and the update system list 82 may be part of the customization process, but they are not visible in the customization client for modification by the user. They are tools for transparently delivering updates to users by the language model developers.
The customization client 10 may be implemented as a software program, a utility, a subroutine, or other similar programming entity. In this respect, the customization client 10 may be implemented using software languages such as C, C++, Java, etc. Alternatively, the customization client 10 may be implemented as an electronic device utilizing an application-specific integrated circuit, discrete components, solid-state components or a combination thereof.
As shown in
The steps 120 and 130 correspond to the add words interface 20. Step 120 may include the user categorizing the words from the step 100 into the predetermined categories. Once the user has categorized the words, step 130 may generate the output word list files. The step 130 may generate the output files 61-68 according to
The steps 140 and 150 correspond to the formatting rules interface 31. Step 140 may include the user supplying the manual inputs 44 such that the formatting rules may be determined. The manual inputs 44 determine the user-preferred formatting rules and the step 150 generates the delta file 71. The delta file 71 may then be delivered to the post processor.
Additionally, the technical support interface 32 is shown in
As shown in
The language model add word list 202 may be configured to offer the user different ways of viewing added words. The words added in previous sessions tab 231 and the words added in this session tab 232 may offer the user the ability to view all words that have been entered in the previous sessions under one option and under another option may present all words added in the present customization client session.
The list of buttons 220 may be located between the import word list 201 and the language model add word list 202 and may also correspond to the word lists generated by the add words interface 20 according to
The add words interface GUI 200 may also be configured to select multiple words at a time and categorize the selected words from the import word list 201 by selecting a category from the list of buttons 220. The add words interface GUI 200 may be configured to save the word lists and update the language models using save lists/update language model button 242. When finished, the add words interface GUI 200 may be configured to provide the user with a done button 241. Button 241 may be configured to take the words and their corresponding categories in the language model add word list 202 and generate the word list files 61-68 according to the categories in the list of buttons 220.
As shown in
Each of the formatting categories 301-309 may be configured to present the user with a set of questions 320 and a set of answer options 321. The example used in
Answering the sets of questions 320 and selecting answers from the set of answers 321 may define the formatting rules according to the user's preferences. For example, the formatting rule concerning thousands separators for numbers greater than four digits may be defined by the user selecting an answer from the drop down menu shown in
The formatting rules interface GUI 300 may also be configured to save the lists or update the language models or formatting rules by selecting the save lists/update language model button 242. The done button 241 may also be used to generate the delta file 71 and provide the delta file 71 to the post processor.
The technical support tab 309 may be configured to define the amount and type of information recorded through sets of questions 320 and sets of answers 321. The results of the technical support tab 309 may be included in the delta file 71 and may instruct the post processor to record data according to the rules defined in the technical support tab.
Certain embodiments may be performed as a computer program. The computer program may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive. For example, the computer program can exist as software program(s) comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; firmware program(s); or hardware description language (HDL) files. Any of the above can be embodied on a computer readable medium, which include storage devices and signals, in compressed or uncompressed form. Exemplary computer-readable storage devices include conventional computer system RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes. Exemplary computer readable signals, whether modulated using a carrier or not, are signals that a computer system hosting or running the present invention can be configured to access, including signals downloaded through the Internet or other networks. Concrete examples of the foregoing include distribution of executable software program(s) of the computer program on a CD-ROM or via Internet download. In a sense, the Internet itself, as an abstract entity, may be a computer readable medium. The same may be true of computer networks in general.
While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope. The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. In particular, although the method has been described by examples, the steps of the method may be performed in a different order than illustrated or simultaneously. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the spirit and scope as defined in the following claims and their equivalents.
For the convenience of the reader, the above description has focused on a representative sample of all possible embodiments, a sample that teaches the principles of the invention and conveys the best mode contemplated for carrying it out. The description has not attempted to exhaustively enumerate all possible variations. Further undescribed alternative embodiments are possible. It will be appreciated that many of those undescribed embodiments are within the literal scope of the following claims, and others are equivalent.
This application is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/506,763, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CUSTOMIZING SPEECH RECOGNITION INPUT AND OUTPUT”, filed Sep. 30, 2003, which application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application also relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/413,405, entitled, “INFORMATION CODING SYSTEM AND METHOD”, filed Apr. 15, 2003; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/447,290, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UTILIZING NATURAL LANGUAGE PATIENT RECORDS”, filed on May 29, 2003; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/448,317, entitled, “METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR VALIDATION”, filed on May 30, 2003; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/448,325, entitled, “METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR VIEWING DATA”, filed on May 30, 2003; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/448,320, entitled, “METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR DATA REUSE”, filed on May 30, 2003; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLY, TRANSPORT AND DISPLAY OF CLINICAL DATA”, filed Sep. 24, 2004; co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/507,136, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DATA DOCUMENT SECTION SEGMENTATIONS”, filed on Oct. 1, 2003; co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/507,135, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR POST PROCESSING SPEECH RECOGNITION OUTPUT”, filed on Oct. 1, 2003; co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/507,134, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODIFYING A LANGUAGE MODEL AND POST-PROCESSOR INFORMATION”, filed on Oct. 1, 2003; co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/533,217, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCENTED MODIFICATION OF A LANGUAGE MODEL” filed on Dec. 31, 2003, co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/547,801, entitled, “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A PHRASE PRONUNCIATION”, filed on Feb. 27, 2004, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/787,889 entitled, “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTION USING MINIMAL AFFIX PATTERNS”, filed on Feb. 27, 2004; co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/547,797, entitled “A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NORMALIZATION OF A STRING OF WORDS,” filed Feb. 27, 2004; and co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/505,428, entitled “CATEGORIZATION OF INFORMATION USING NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING AND PREDEFINED TEMPLATES”, filed Mar. 31, 2004, all of which co-pending applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60506763 | Sep 2003 | US | |
| 60507136 | Oct 2003 | US | |
| 60507135 | Oct 2003 | US | |
| 60507134 | Oct 2003 | US | |
| 60533217 | Dec 2003 | US | |
| 60547801 | Feb 2004 | US | |
| 60547797 | Feb 2004 | US | |
| 60505428 | Sep 2003 | US |
