A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.

Provided is a system which allows a learner who is a non-native speaker of a given language to intuitively improve pronunciation of the language. A pronunciation conversion apparatus includes a conversion section which converts a first feature value corresponding to a first speech signal obtained when a first speaker who speaks a given language as his/her native language speaks another language such that the first feature value approaches a second feature value corresponding to a second speech signal obtained when a second speaker who speaks the other language as his/her native language speaks the other language, each of the first feature value and the second feature value is a feature value capable of representing a difference in pronunciation, and a speech signal obtained from the first feature value after the conversion is presented to the first speaker.

Provided is a system which allows a learner who is a non-native speaker of a given language to intuitively improve pronunciation of the language. A pronunciation conversion apparatus includes a conversion section which converts a first feature value corresponding to a first speech signal obtained when a first speaker who speaks a given language as his/her native language speaks another language such that the first feature value approaches a second feature value corresponding to a second speech signal obtained when a second speaker who speaks the other language as his/her native language speaks the other language, each of the first feature value and the second feature value is a feature value capable of representing a difference in pronunciation, and a speech signal obtained from the first feature value after the conversion is presented to the first speaker.

Systems and methods for distinguishing valid voice commands from false voice commands in an interactive media guidance application. In some aspects, the interactive media guidance application receives, at a user device, a signature sound sequence. The interactive media guidance application determines, using control circuitry, based on the signature sound sequence, a threshold gain for the current location of the user device. The interactive media guidance application receives, at the user device, a voice command. The interactive media guidance application determines, using the control circuitry, based on the voice command, a gain for the voice command. The interactive media guidance application determines, using the control circuitry, whether the gain for the voice command is different from the threshold gain. Based on determining that the gain for the voice command is different from the threshold gain, the interactive media guidance application executes, using the control circuitry, the voice command.

A speech recognition method includes receiving speech data, obtaining, from the received speech data, a candidate text including at least one word and a phonetic symbol sequence associated with a pronunciation of a target word included in the received speech data, using a speech recognition model, replacing the phonetic symbol sequence included in the candidate text with a replacement word corresponding to the phonetic symbol sequence, and determining a target text corresponding to the received speech data based on a result of the replacing.

A speech recognition method includes receiving speech data, obtaining, from the received speech data, a candidate text including at least one word and a phonetic symbol sequence associated with a pronunciation of a target word included in the received speech data, using a speech recognition model, replacing the phonetic symbol sequence included in the candidate text with a replacement word corresponding to the phonetic symbol sequence, and determining a target text corresponding to the received speech data based on a result of the replacing.

A method for detecting a hotword includes receiving a sequence of input frames that characterize streaming audio captured by a user device and generating a probability score indicating a presence of a hotword in the streaming audio using a memorized neural network. The network includes sequentially-stacked single value decomposition filter (SVDF) layers and each SVDF layer includes at least one neuron. Each neuron includes a respective memory component, a first stage configured to perform filtering on audio features of each input frame individually and output to the memory component, and a second stage configured to perform filtering on all the filtered audio features residing in the respective memory component. The method also includes determining whether the probability score satisfies a hotword detection threshold and initiating a wake-up process on the user device for processing additional terms.

A method for detecting a hotword includes receiving a sequence of input frames that characterize streaming audio captured by a user device and generating a probability score indicating a presence of a hotword in the streaming audio using a memorized neural network. The network includes sequentially-stacked single value decomposition filter (SVDF) layers and each SVDF layer includes at least one neuron. Each neuron includes a respective memory component, a first stage configured to perform filtering on audio features of each input frame individually and output to the memory component, and a second stage configured to perform filtering on all the filtered audio features residing in the respective memory component. The method also includes determining whether the probability score satisfies a hotword detection threshold and initiating a wake-up process on the user device for processing additional terms.

A method and a system for speech enhancement including a time synchronization unit configured to synchronize microphone signals sent from at least two microphones; a source separation unit configured to separate the synchronized microphone signals and output a separated speech signal, which corresponds to a speech source; and a noise reduction unit including a feature extraction unit configured to extract a speech feature of the separated speech signal and a neural network configured to receive the speech feature and output a clean speech feature.

A method and a system for speech enhancement including a time synchronization unit configured to synchronize microphone signals sent from at least two microphones; a source separation unit configured to separate the synchronized microphone signals and output a separated speech signal, which corresponds to a speech source; and a noise reduction unit including a feature extraction unit configured to extract a speech feature of the separated speech signal and a neural network configured to receive the speech feature and output a clean speech feature.