Multi-cursor transcription editing

Abstract

A device, for use by a transcriptionist in a transcription editing system for editing transcriptions dictated by speakers, includes, in combination, a monitor configured to display visual text of transcribed dictations, an audio mechanism configured to cause playback of portions of an audio file associated with a dictation, and a cursor-control module coupled to the audio mechanism and to the monitor and configured to cause the monitor to display multiple cursors in the text.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for use by a transcriptionist in a transcription editing system for editing transcriptions dictated by speakers, the device comprising, in combination:
 a monitor configured to display visual text of transcribed dictations;   an audio mechanism configured to cause playback of portions of an audio file associated with a dictation; and   a cursor-control module coupled to the audio mechanism and to the monitor and configured to cause the monitor to display multiple cursors in the text.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the cursor-control module is configured to cause the monitor to display multiple cursors in the text that indicate different functionality. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the cursor-control module is configured to cause the monitor to display:
 an audio cursor accentuating a portion of the text, the audio cursor accentuating different text as the audio file is played using the audio mechanism; and 
 a text cursor indicative of a position in the text where editing commands will be implemented. 
 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the audio cursor comprises at least one of a rectangular box surrounding text corresponding to a portion of the audio file, a rectangular box surrounding a line of text, a vertical line, an inverse-video portion of the monitor, and bolding of a portion of the text. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the cursor-control module is configured to determine wherein to cause the monitor to display the audio cursor by using a token-alignment file that associates portions of the audio file with portions of the text. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the cursor-control module is configured to move at least one of the audio cursor and the text cursor to a location of the other of the text cursor and the audio cursor, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the audio mechanism is configured to determine and play a portion of the audio file corresponding to text at the location of the audio cursor when the audio cursor is moved to the location of the text cursor. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a change-recording apparatus configured to record changes made to the text and associate the changes with portions of the audio file whereby the recorded changes can be used to adapt speech recognition apparatus in accordance with the changed text and the associated portions of the audio file. 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product residing on a computer-readable medium and comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to:
 display visual text of transcribed dictations;   cause playback of portions of an audio file associated with a dictation; and   cause the monitor to display multiple cursors in the text.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the instructions are configured to cause the monitor to display:
 an audio cursor accentuating a portion of the text with the audio cursor accentuating different text as the audio file is played; and 
 a text cursor indicative of a position in the text where editing commands will be implemented. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the cursor-control module is configured to determine where to cause the monitor to display the audio cursor by using a token-alignment file that associates portions of the audio file with portions of the text. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10  further comprising instructions for causing the computer to move at least one of the audio cursor and the text cursor to a location of the other of the text cursor and the audio cursor, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12  further comprising instructions for causing the computer to determine and cause playing of a portion of the audio file corresponding to text at the location of the audio cursor when the audio cursor is moved to the location of the text cursor. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9  further comprising instructions for causing the computer to record changes made to the text and associate the changes with portions of the audio file whereby the recorded changes can be used to adapt speech recognition apparatus in accordance with the changed text and the associated portions of the audio file. 
     
     
         15 . A method of processing text transcribed from an audio file, the method comprising:
 displaying text of a transcribed dictation on a monitor;   playing portions of an audio file associated with the dictation;   displaying an audio cursor in the text on the monitor, the audio cursor accentuating a portion of the text with the audio cursor accentuating different text as the audio file is played; and   displaying a text cursor in the text on the monitor, the text cursor being indicative of a position in the text where editing commands will be implemented.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising using a token-alignment file that associates portions of the audio file with portions of the text to determine where to display the audio cursor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising moving at least one of the audio cursor and the text cursor to a location of the other of the text cursor and the audio cursor, respectively, in response to receiving a corresponding command. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising playing of a portion of the audio file corresponding to text at the location of the audio cursor if the audio cursor is moved to the location of the text cursor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 recording changes made to the text; and 
 associating the changes with portions of the audio file. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising using the recorded changes to adapt speech recognition apparatus in accordance with the changed text and the associated portions of the audio file. 
     
     
         21 . A method of processing a recorded dictation, the method comprising:
 analyzing the recorded dictation in accordance with speech models to convert the recorded dictation to a draft text;   storing the draft text; and   producing and recording a token-alignment file that associates portions of the draft text with portions of the audio file, the token-alignment file including tokens at least some of which are indicative of portions of the draft text, the tokens indicating beginnings and ends of portions of the recorded dictation associated with the portions of the draft text such that the portions of the recorded dictation are associated with corresponding portions of the draft text even if the corresponding portions of the draft text, if spoken, do not correspond identically to the corresponding portions of the recorded dictation.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein producing and recording the token-alignment file includes producing and recording tokens for which there is no corresponding draft text. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 receiving a revised text associated with the recorded dictation; and 
 using indicia of differences between the revised text and the draft text and the associated recorded dictation to modify the speech models for converting other recorded dictations to other draft texts.