Lexicon

The Lexicon is an advanced tool to fine-tune name pronunciations using phonetics. It is used to improve the voice recognition of proper names. Proper names are not always pronounced correctly in languages other than the person's ethnic origin. This is why it is extremely important to use phonetic tuning to help the virtual assistant recognize names the way people say them.

As the System Administrator, you are responsible for managing the Lexicon, including the phonetic name entries created by users in their voice directory. For example, when several users create an entry for the same name, it is recommended to consolidate and fine tune the name under a single Lexicon entry.

Lexicon changes may affect the accuracy of name recognition either positively or negatively. You should not make changes if you don't have the skills and experience with the phonetization techniques of the Lexicon Editor. You need special training to use this tool. Please contact the virtual assistant software vendor for more information on how to use the Lexicon Editor.

From the Lexicon page you can:

1. Create Lexicon entries.
2. Delete Lexicon entries.
3. Modify Lexicon entries.
4. Change the status of a Lexicon entry.
5. Export a list of Lexicon entries to a CSV or PDF file.
6. Filter the Lexicon entries based on their status or language.
7. Sort and search Lexicon entries.

Interface Overview

This page lists the Lexicon entries defined on the system and their status in a table with the following columns (some headings are context-sensitive):

COLUMN HEADING	DESCRIPTION
Checkbox	Check the box next to one or several items in order to apply certain actions (ex: export).
Word or Name	Name or word handled by this Lexicon phonetic entry.
Language	Language for which the phonetic entry is defined. Click this language link to access the settings of the Lexicon entry.
Spelling(s)	Phonetic syntax to be used by the speech engine to recognize this word or name. Click this spelling link to access the settings of the Lexicon entry.
Company	Name of the Company where the phonetic adjustment was created. Click this Company name link to access the settings of the Lexicon entry.
Status	Current status of the Lexicon entry. Click this Status link to access the settings of the Lexicon entry.

Status of Lexicon Entries

Regardless of their status, all Lexicon entries are recognized and used by the virtual assistant. The purpose of the status is to allow the System Administrator to fine tune and consolidate entries, and ultimately feed them into the main voice recognition database to make them available for all customers. When a name matches a Lexicon entry, the user will see that the name exists in the Lexicon and that no fine-tuning is required.

Lexicon entries can have the following statuses:

• ToDo: This status means that the Lexicon entry is still a "draft" or "work-in-progress". The ToDo status is automatically assigned to entries created when users change the phonetic name field in their voice directory. When multiple users adjust the pronunciation of the same name, multiple lexicon entries will be created for the same name. It is therefor recommended to consolidate and fine tune the different pronunciations into a single Lexicon entry.
• Ready: This status means that the Lexicon entry is ready to be integrated into the system Lexicon and made available to all users. The Ready status is assigned to a Lexicon entry that has been fine-tuned and confirmed using the Add to Lexicon button. All Lexicon entries marked as Ready will automatically be for inclusion in the system Lexicon following a Lexicon Refresh (when clicking the  Refresh button).
• Production: This status means that the Lexicon entry is integrated into the voice recognition engine and is available to all users on the system. The Production status is assigned to all Lexicon entries marked as Ready after clicking the Refresh button.

Create a Lexicon Entry

To create a new entry in the Lexicon:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Click the New button.
• Fill in the fields as required. See Lexicon Settings for details.
• Click Add to Lexicon to create the new Lexicon entry with status Ready, or click Submit and continue later to save a draft version with status ToDo.

Delete a Lexicon Entry

To delete a Lexicon entry:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Check the box next to one or several entries you want to delete.
• Click the button.
• A confirmation window will open.
• Click OK to confirm the deletion.

Modify a Lexicon Entry

To modify an entry in the Lexicon:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Click any field in the Lexicon entry row to open its properties form.
• Fill in the fields as required. See Lexicon Settings for details.
• Click Add to Lexicon to create the new Lexicon entry and set its status to Ready or click Submit and continue later to save a draft version and set its status to ToDo.

Change the Status of a Lexicon Entry

Lexicon entries can have one of the following statuses:

1.  ToDo which means that the Lexicon entry is still a "draft" or work-in-progress.
2.  Ready which means that the Lexicon entry is ready to deploy on the system after the next refresh process.
3.  Production which means that the Lexicon entry is officially part of the system's voice recognition Lexicon.

To assign the ToDo status to a Lexicon entry and set it as a "draft" version:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Click any information in the entry row to open its properties form.
• If needed, modify or fill in the fields. See Lexicon Settings for details.
• Click Submit and continue later to save a draft Lexicon entry with a ToDo status.

To assign the Ready status to a Lexicon entry:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Click any information in the entry row to open its properties form.
• If needed, modify or fill in the fields. See Lexicon Settings for details.
• Click Add to Lexicon. All entries marked as Ready will automatically be processed for inclusion in the system when you click the  Refresh button.

To assign the Production status to a Lexicon entry:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• Click the Refresh button.
• The system will begin processing all Lexicon entries marked as Ready. You will be notified of any entry that triggers an error.

Lexicon Settings

Word or Name

Enter the word or name treated by the Lexicon entry. This is usually the actual proper name or word for which you are creating a Lexicon entry.

Language

Since the same word or name is usually pronounced differently from one language to another, you must specify for which language the Lexicon entry is created. Use the dropdown list to select the required language.

You can add more languages to an entry after its initial creation.

Phonetic Action Buttons

Press the  Add icon to add a phonetic variation.

To delete a phonetic variation, select an entry and click  Delete.

To modify a phonetic variation, select an entry and click  Edit.

Phoneme

This field contains the phonetization syntax interpreted by the voice recognition engine. Do not enter information in this field if you don't have the skills and experience with the phonetization techniques used by the Lexicon Editor. You need special training to use this tool. Please contact the virtual assistant software vendor for more information on how to use the Lexicon Editor.

Description

Enter the phonetic pronunciation of the proper name or word as you would say it in the selected language. Use text-to-speech tools to know how the assistant will interpret the phonetic name (Acapela or  SmartLink). Click the audio icon to hear the entry.

Add to Lexicon

Click this button to assign the Ready status to the Lexicon entry. All entries marked as Ready will automatically be processed for inclusion in the system when you click the  Refresh button.

Submit and Continue Later

Click this button to assign the ToDo status to the Lexicon entry. This option allows you to save the changes and continue fine tuning the Lexicon entry later.

Export a List of Lexicon Entries

You can export the list of Lexicon entries to a CSV or PDF file.

Export to a CSV File

To export a list of Lexicon entries to a CSV file:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• If required, use the Status and/or Languages dropdown lists to filter the entries and click Search.
• Select items to export:
  • One or several Lexicon entries: Check the box next to the names of the Lexicon entries to export.
  • All Lexicon entries: Check the box at the top of the list. All Lexicon entries will automatically be selected.
• Click the  CSV button to open the export window.
• By default the file is named Lexicon.csv and ready to be saved to a directory on your computer.
  • Change the file name if needed but keep the CSV extension. Example: rename Lexicon.csv to MyLexicon.csv.
  • Make sure that you are saving the file to the desired directory.
• Click Save.

Export to a PDF Document

To export details of Lexicon entries to a PDF file:

• From the main menu, click Lexicon.
• If required, use the Status and/or Languages dropdown lists to filter the entries and click Search.
• Select items to export:
  • One or several Lexicon entries: Check the box next to the name of the Lexicon entry to export.
  • All Lexicon entries: Check the box at the top of the list. All Lexicon entries will automatically be selected.
• Click the  PDF button to open the export window.
• The PDF document will automatically open in a new window and be saved to a default directory defined in your computer.

Search and Filter Lexicon Entries

You can quickly find Lexicon entries either by searching for a keyword or by filtering the list based on the type of entry.

Search

Enter a keyword in one of the blank fields on the first row of the list to show the Lexicon entries that have this keyword. For example, type "schwarzkopf" in the Entry Name column and press enter to view all Lexicon entry for the name "schwarzkopf".

Use the dropdown lists to filter the list based on the selected options.

To remove the search filter, erase the keyword and press enter.

Filter by Status and Language

You can simultaneously filter the list of Lexicon entries based on the status and language of the entries.

• Use the Status and/or Languages dropdown lists to filter the entries.
• Click Search to activate the filter.

Sort Lexicon Entries

You can sort the Lexicon entries alphabetically or numerically by clicking on any column heading.