Automatic language identification/verification system

In a Language Verification System comprising a means for processing spoken text into frames of speech, a means for detecting and extracting speech features from said frames of speech, matching means for comparing said speech features with stored references speech features and establishing a matched score for said comparison proportional to a degree similarity between said speech features and said stored reference speech features, and decision means for identifying input speech to said system as corresponding to one of a plurality of languages, the improvement therewith comprising:

• means operable with said means for detecting and extracting speech features that are syllabic nuclei, to identify phonetic speech;
• means operable with said matching means to establish a match score proportional to a degree of similarity between the phonetic speech features and stored reference phonetic speech features;
• and,
• means operable with said decision means whereby said language identification for said input speech is established on the basis of a comparison of said matched scores with at least one predetermined threshold score associated with one of said plurality of languages, said means operable with said decision means encompasses a scoring methodology wherein multiple matched speakers within and across a multiplicity of languages are identified as to a language spoken based on a score selected from the group consisting of a minimum score, an average score and a combination minimum-average score.

A method for automatically identifying the language of a speaker as corresponding to one of a plurality of languages, including the steps of:

• processing spoken text, whereby said spoken text is converted into frames of speech and wherein variations in input speech signals extrinsic to those introduced by a speaker's vocal tract are attenuated;
• detecting and extracting phonetic features that are syllabic nuclei from said frames of input speech;
• comparing said phonetic speech features with stored reference phonetic speech features and establishing a match score for said comparison proportional to a degree of similarity between said phonetic speech features and said stored references phonetic speech features;
• and
• identifying said input speech as corresponding to one of a plurality of languages, whereby said language identification for said input speech is established on the basis of a comparison of said match score with at least one predetermined threshold score associated with at least one of said plurality of languages, wherein said match score and said at least one predetermined threshold score are both of a type selected from the group consisting of a minimum score, an average score and a combination minimum-average score.