Method and apparatus for generating acoustic models for speaker independent speech recognition of foreign words uttered by non-native speakers

US7415411B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ) · SE

Inventors

• Klaus Reinhard · Arnstadt, DE
• Jochen Junkawitsch · Hersbruck, DE
• Andreas Kieβling · Marloffstein, DE
• Rainer Klisch · Koblenzer Straße, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 4, 2004
• Grant date: Aug 19, 2008
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10L2015/025
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Acoustic models for speech recognition are automatically generated utilizing trained acoustic models from a native language and a foreign language. A phoneme-to-phoneme mapping is utilized to enable the description of foreign language words with native language phonemes. The phoneme-to-phoneme mapping is used for training foreign language words, described by native language phonemes on foreign language speech material. A new phonetic lexicon is created containing foreign language words and native language words transcribed by native language phonemes. Robust native language acoustic models can be derived utilizing foreign language and native language training material. The mapping may be used for training a grapheme to phoneme transducer (i.e., foreign language to native language) to generate native language pronunciations for new foreign language words.