Mark J Epstein

US Patent:

6556972, Apr 29, 2003

Filed:

Mar 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/526986

Inventors:

Raimo Bakis - Briarcliff Manor NY
Mark Edward Epstein - Katonah NY
William Stuart Meisel - Tarzana CA
Miroslav Novak - Mohegan Lake NY
Michael Picheny - White Plains NY
Ridley M. Whitaker - Katonah NY

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G10L 2100

US Classification:

704277, 704270, 704 2, 704 9

Abstract:

A multi-lingual time-synchronized translation system and method provide automatic time-synchronized spoken translations of spoken phrases. The multi-lingual time-synchronized translation system includes a phrase-spotting mechanism, optionally, a language understanding mechanism, a translation mechanism, a speech output mechanism and an event measuring mechanism. The phrase-spotting mechanism identifies a spoken phrase from a restricted domain of phrases. The language understanding mechanism, if present, maps the identified phrase onto a small set of formal phrases. The translation mechanism maps the formal phrase onto a well-formed phrase in one or more target languages. The speech output mechanism produces high-quality output speech using the output of the event measuring mechanism for time synchronization. The event-measuring mechanism measures the duration of various key events in the source phrase. Event duration could be, for example, the overall duration of the input phrase, the duration of the phrase with interword silences omitted, or some other relevant durational features.

US Patent:

6859778, Feb 22, 2005

Filed:

Mar 16, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/526985

Inventors:

Raimo Bakis - Briarcliff Manor NY, US
Mark Edward Epstein - Katonah NY, US
William Stuart Meisel - Tarzana CA, US
Miroslav Novak - Mohegan Lake NY, US
Michael Picheny - White Plains NY, US
Ridley M. Whitaker - Katonah NY, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY
OIPENN, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L021/00

US Classification:

704277, 704 2, 704 8

Abstract:

A multi-lingual translation system that provides multiple output sentences for a given word or phrase. Each output sentence for a given word or phrase reflects, for example, a different emotional emphasis, dialect, accents, loudness or rates of speech. A given output sentence could be selected automatically, or manually as desired, to create a desired effect. For example, the same output sentence for a given word or phrase can be recorded three times, to selectively reflect excitement, sadness or fear. The multi-lingual translation system includes a phrase-spotting mechanism, a translation mechanism, a speech output mechanism and optionally, a language understanding mechanism or an event measuring mechanism or both. The phrase-spotting mechanism identifies a spoken phrase from a restricted domain of phrases. The language understanding mechanism, if present, maps the identified phrase onto a small set of formal phrases.

US Patent:

6959095, Oct 25, 2005

Filed:

Aug 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/927690

Inventors:

Raimo Bakis - Briarcliff Manor NY, US
Mark E. Epstein - Katonah NY, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H04R003/00

US Classification:

381122, 704231

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for providing multiple output channels in a microphone. More particularly, provision is made for an arrangement wherein a single microphone is adapted to produce one or more different audio outputs depending upon characteristics of a speaker or user of the microphone while facilitating a high degree of accuracy in the recognition of the user or speaker by the arrangement. The microphone is adapted to produce one or more different audio streams or outputs depending upon the speaker presently using the microphone. In effect, this can be readily implemented by a main user or speaker, such as an interviewer on a radio or TV talk show, or any speaker in a conference room, intending to control the audio output streams by suitably activating a button or switch.

US Patent:

20020103837, Aug 1, 2002

Filed:

Jan 31, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/773157

Inventors:

Rajesh Balchandran - Elmsford NY, US
Mark Epstein - Katonah NY, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F017/27

US Classification:

707/534000

Abstract:

A multi-pass method for processing text for use with a natural language understanding system can include a series of steps. The steps can include determining at least one contextual marker in the text and identifying a referrent in a question in the text. In a separate referrent mapping pass through the text, the method can include classifying the identified referrent as a particular type of referrent using the contextual marker and the identified referrent.

US Patent:

52934519, Mar 8, 1994

Filed:

Oct 23, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/602020

Inventors:

Peter F. Brown - New York NY
Steven V. De Gennaro - Pawling NY
Peter V. Desouza - Mahopac Falls NY
Mark E. Epstein - Katonah NY

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G10L 904

US Classification:

395 254

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for modeling words based on match scores representing (a) the closeness of a match between probabilistic word models and the acoustic features of at least two utterances, and (b) the closeness of a match between word models and the spelling of the word. A match score is calculated for a selection set of one or more probabilistic word models. A match score is also calculated for an expansion set comprising the probabilistic word models in the selection set and one probabilistic word model from a candidate set. If the expansion set match score improves the selection set match score by a selected nonzero threshold value, the word is modelled with the word models in the expansion set. If the expansion set match score does not improve the selection set match score by the selected nonzero threshold value, the word is modelled with the words in the selection set.