System and method for using a correspondence table to compress a pronunciation guide

A system for storing a pronunciation guide comprising:

• a memory element storing:
• a correspondence table for storing pronunciation data;
• and
• a tuning function for optimizing said correspondence table;
• wherein said correspondence table includes at least one correspondence set having
• a correspondence text entry that is part of a dictionary word,
• a correspondence phonetic entry representing the pronunciation of said correspondence text entry, and
• a correspondence symbol for identifying the correspondence set;
• and
• wherein a matching system uses said correspondence phonetic entry to match said at least one correspondence set in generating a compressed pronunciation dictionary.

A method of storing generating a pronunciation guide, comprising the steps of:

• inputting a correspondence set into a correspondence table, the correspondence set comprising a text entry and a phoneme entry representing the pronunciation of the text entry;
• and
• inputting into said correspondence table a correspondence symbol corresponding to identifying said correspondence set;
• wherein at least one said correspondence symbol forms a symbol set for use as a compressed entry in generating a compressed pronunciation dictionary and
• generating a pronunciation guide, wherein said correspondence symbol comprises an entry in the pronunciation guide.

A computer program product for generating a compressed pronunciation dictionary, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code for:

• generating a plurality of correspondence sets each including
• a correspondence text that is part of a dictionary word;
• a correspondence phoneme representing the pronunciation of the correspondence text;
• and
• a correspondence symbol for identifying the correspondence set;
• storing wherein the correspondence symbol in the compressed pronunciation dictionary.

A system for storing a pronunciation guide comprising:

• a memory element storing:
• a correspondence table for storing pronunciation data;
• and
• a tuning function for optimizing the correspondence data structure;
• wherein the correspondence table includes at least one correspondence set having
• a correspondence text that is part of a dictionary word,
• a correspondence phoneme representing the pronunciation of the correspondence text, and
• a correspondence symbol for identifying the correspondence set;
• and
• wherein a matching system uses the correspondence phoneme to match the correspondence set in generating a compressed pronunciation dictionary.

A method of generating a pronunciation guide, comprising the steps of:

• inputting a correspondence set into a correspondence table, the correspondence set comprising a text entry and a phoneme entry representing the pronunciation of the text entry;
• and
• inputting into the correspondence table a correspondence symbol identifying the correspondence set;
• and
• generating a pronunciation guide, wherein the correspondence symbol comprises an entry in the pronunciation guide.

A computer-readable medium having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the operations of:

• inputting a correspondence set into a correspondence table
• inputting into the correspondence table a correspondence symbol identifying the correspondence set;
• and
• generating a compressed pronunciation dictionary, wherein the correspondence symbol is used as an entry in the compressed pronunciation dictionary.

A system for compressing a pronunciation dictionary guide which includes a plurality of dictionary entries, each entry having a guide word and at least one associated phoneme representing the pronunciation of the word, the system comprising:

• a computer-readable medium storing
• (1) correspondence data which includes a plurality of correspondence sets, each set having
• (i) a text entry,
• (ii) a phoneme entry representing a pronunciation of the text entry, and
• (iii) a symbol identifying the correspondence set;
• and
• (2) a matching process for comparing a selected dictionary entry and the associated phonemes with the correspondence sets, and storing correspondence symbols which represent matching correspondence sets as a compressed pronunciation guide entry in the computer-readable medium;
• and
• a processor coupled to the computer-readable medium for controlling the operations of the matching system.

A system for using a compressed pronunciation dictionary and decoder data to decode selected text, comprising:

• memory storing
• decoder data having a plurality of decoder code sets for translating symbol sets, each decoder code set including a decoder text entry, a decoder phoneme entry and a decoder symbol representing the decoder code set;
• a decoder process for using the decoder data to translate symbol sets to find a dictionary entry which matches the selected text, and upon finding a match using the decoder data
• to retrieve the decoder phonemes from the matching symbol set;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory for controlling the operations of the decoder system.

A computer-based method for compressing a pronunciation guide which includes a plurality of dictionary entries, each entry having a dictionary text entry and at least one associated dictionary phoneme representing the pronunciation of the guide word dictionary text entry, comprising the steps of:

• storing in a first portion of a computer memory correspondence data which includes a plurality of correspondence sets, each correspondence set including a correspondence text entry, a correspondence phoneme entry representing a pronunciation of the correspondence text entry and a unique correspondence symbol identifying the correspondence set;
• receiving a dictionary text entry and at least one dictionary phoneme representing the pronunciation of the guide word;
• comparing the dictionary text entry and dictionary phonemes with correspondence sets;
• and
• storing the correspondence symbols representing matching correspondence sets as compressed pronunciation guide entries in a second portion of the computer memory.

A computer storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

• storing decoder data which includes a plurality of decoder sets, each decoder set having a decoder text entry, a decoder phoneme entry representing the pronunciation of the decoder text entry, and a unique decoder set identifying symbol;
• receiving selected text;
• using the decoder data to decode a symbol set to produce a dictionary entry;
• comparing the selected text with the dictionary entry to determine if they match;
• and
• if a match is made, using the decoder data to retrieve the phoneme entries corresponding to a matching symbol set.