How Speech Recognizers Use Expected Answers to Speed Up
This patent describes how a speech recognition system can get faster and more accurate by first checking if what you said matches what it expects you to say, instead of listening for everything.
Original patent title: “Method and system for considering information about an expected response when performing speech recognition”
This patent describes how a speech recognition system can get faster and more accurate by first checking if what you said matches what it expects you to say, instead of listening for everything. Granted to Vocollect in 2013 with 22 claims and 6 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2032.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a method for a speech recognition system to process user input more efficiently. During a conversation, or "speech dialog," the system identifies a set of highly probable user responses, called the "expected response," which is a smaller part of all possible answers (the "grammar of possible responses"). Instead of comparing the sounds it hears (the "acoustic features") to every single possible word, the system first compares these sounds *only* to the sound pattern (the "model") of the expected response (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). If this initial comparison yields a high enough "confidence factor" compared to an "acceptance threshold," the system quickly accepts the expected response. If not, it can then proceed to compare the input to models for other possible responses (Claim 3). For example, if a voice assistant asks "Yes or No?" it would first check if the user's speech matches the models for "yes" or "no" before searching for other words.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Speech recognition systems that always compare input speech to all possible responses in a grammar simultaneously without prioritizing expected responses.
- Systems that do not have a pre-determined "expected response" known before the user speaks.
- Speech recognition that doesn't use a "confidence factor" and "acceptance threshold" for the expected response.
- Systems that do not perform an initial, direct comparison *only* to the expected response model before considering other options.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The core innovation is the initial, focused comparison of incoming speech *only* against the sound model of the *expected* response. This avoids the computational cost of a full search across all possible responses, making the system faster and more efficient when the user's input aligns with expectations.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Voice-controlled inventory management systems (e.g., in warehouses)
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems for customer service
Smart home voice commands where the system expects a specific action (e.g., "on" or "off")
In-car voice commands for navigation or media control
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This approach significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of speech recognition, particularly in structured conversational flows like those found in voice assistants or industrial voice-picking systems. By focusing the initial search on the most likely answers, it reduces the computational load and the chance of misinterpretations. This method is valuable in environments where quick and reliable voice interactions are critical, making voice-controlled systems more practical.
Filed
June 8, 2012
Granted
December 17, 2013
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Vocollect (now part of Honeywell), Nuance Communications, Google, Amazon, and Apple, who develop voice assistant technologies and industrial voice solutions, likely incorporate similar principles to optimize their speech recognition engines. These principles are fundamental to efficient conversational AI, enabling faster and more reliable interactions in various applications.
Market impact
This patent's approach contributed to making speech recognition more practical and responsive in specific applications. By improving speed and accuracy in predictable conversational flows, it enabled more reliable voice interfaces for tasks like warehouse management, call centers, and basic device control, helping to expand the commercial viability of speech-driven systems.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a method for a speech recognition system to process user input more efficiently. During a conversation, or "speech dialog," the system identifies a set of highly probable user responses, called the "expected response," which is a smaller part of all possible answers (the "grammar of possible responses"). Instead of comparing the sounds it hears (the "acoustic features") to every single possible word, the system first compares these sounds *only* to the sound pattern (the "model") of the expected response (Claim 1). If this initial comparison yields a high enough "confidence factor" compared to an "acceptance threshold," the system quickly accepts the expected response. If not, it can then proceed to compare the input to models for other possible responses (Claim 3). For example, if a voice assistant asks "Yes or No?" it would first check if the user's speech matches the models for "yes" or "no" before searching for other words.
The clever bit
The core innovation is the initial, focused comparison of incoming speech *only* against the sound model of the *expected* response. This avoids the computational cost of a full search across all possible responses, making the system faster and more efficient when the user's input aligns with expectations.
What it does not cover
- Speech recognition systems that always compare input speech to all possible responses in a grammar simultaneously without prioritizing expected responses.
- Systems that do not have a pre-determined "expected response" known before the user speaks.
- Speech recognition that doesn't use a "confidence factor" and "acceptance threshold" for the expected response.
- Systems that do not perform an initial, direct comparison *only* to the expected response model before considering other options.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
17/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$82K – $262K
Midpoint $164K · 5.8 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
El-Jaroudi, A., & Braho, K. (2013). How Speech Recognizers Use Expected Answers to Speed Up (U.S. Patent No. 8,612,235). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8612235/method-and-system-for-considering-information-about-an-expected-response-when-pe
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Speech Recognizers Use Expected Answers to Speed Up cover?
This patent describes how a speech recognition system can get faster and more accurate by first checking if what you said matches what it expects you to say, instead of listening for everything.
Who owns patent US 8612235?
Vocollect owns this patent, granted in 2013.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on June 8, 2032, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8612235 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 6 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This approach significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of speech recognition, particularly in structured conversational flows like those found in voice assistants or industrial voice-picking systems. By focusing the initial search on the most likely answers, it reduces the computational load and the chance of misinterpretations. This method is valuable in environments where quick and reliable voice interactions are critical, making voice-controlled systems more practical.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Speech recognition systems that always compare input speech to all possible responses in a grammar simultaneously without prioritizing expected responses.
Patent monitoring