Voice XML: Chapter 9 Exercises

VoiceXML: Introduction to Developing
Speech Applications

9-1 Construct a list of commands for use by the driver of a car.

A. Identify and list commands for controlling a car's radio.

• (Turn) Radio off
• (Turn) Radio on
• (Select) AM
• (Select) FM
• Increase volume
• Decrease volume
• (Select)Previous station
• (Select Station) 1 (previously set a station frequently listened to)
• (Select Station) 2 (previously set a station frequently listened to)
• (Select Station) 3 (previously set a station frequently listened to)
• (Select Station) 4 (previously set a station frequently listened to)

B. Identify and list commands for controlling a car's environment (heater, air conditioner, defroster, etc.)

• Increase temperature
• Decrease temperature
• (Turn) temperature (control) off
• (Turn) temperature (control) on
• (Turn) defroster on
• (Turn) defroster off

C. Identify and list commands for controlling a cell phone.

• (Turn) phone on
• (Turn) phone off
• Dial nnnnnnnnnn
• Increase volume
• Decrease volume
• Hangup

D. Integrate the lists (a) - (b) into a single list of commands for use in a car.

After combining the above three lists, notice that there are two pairs of identical commands that must be extended to indicate the device being controlled:

• Increase radio volume
• Decrease radio volume
• Increase phone volume
• Decrease phone volume

B. Construct a VoiceXML form that captures a query for accessing the following relational database table:

• Table name: Employee
  
  
• Column name: Name
• Column name: ID
• Column name: Monthly salary
• Column name: Street address
• Column name: City
• Column name: State (or country)
• Column name: Postal code Hint: keep the query simple by allowing only one condition on each field (e.g., ID = 14234) and no disjunctions (ID=14234 or name= "Jones").

<?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE vxml PUBLIC "-//BeVocal Inc//VoiceXML 2.0//EN" "http://cafe.bevocal.com/libraries/dtd/vxml2-0-bevocal.dtd"> <vxml version="2.0" xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/2001/vxml"> <!-- Exercise 9.2 --> <!-- Formulate database query --> <form id = "database_query"> <block> <prompt> Database query system. Speak value or say skip for each field. </prompt> </block> <!-- pass indicates that the user does not specify a value for the field --> <field name="name"> <prompt>Employee name?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" xml:lang = "en" root="employee_name"> <rule id = "employee_name" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>sam</item> <item>fred</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="id"> <prompt>employee number?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" xml:lang = "en" root="employee_id"> <rule id = "employee_id" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>seventeen</item> <item>nineteen</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="salary" type = "digits"> <prompt>monthly salary?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" xml:lang = "en" root="salary"> <rule id = "salary" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>2000</item> <item>3000</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="address"> <prompt>street address?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" xml:lang = "en" root="street"> <rule id = "street" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>elm</item> <item>main</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="city"> <prompt>city?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" xml:lang = "en" root="city"> <rule id = "city" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>seattle</item> <item>portland</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="state"> <prompt>state?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0" xml:lang = "en" root="USState"> <rule id = "USState" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>oregon</item> <item >washington</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <field name="zip"> <prompt>zip code?</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0" xml:lang = "en" root="zip"> <rule id = "zip" scope = "public"> <one-of> <item>skip</item> <item>00000</item> <item >11111</item> </one-of> </rule> </grammar> </field> <block> <prompt> employee name is <value expr = "name"/> employee number is <value expr = "id"/> employee salary is <value expr = "salary"/> street address is <value expr = "address"/> city is <value expr = "city"/> state is <value expr = "state"/> zip code is <value expr = "zip"/> </prompt> </block> </form> <!-- the backend application constructs an SQL request from the parameters--> <!-The "skip" value indicates that this field is not involved with the query --> <!-- and submits the SQL to a relational database management system --> </vxml>

9-3 Construct a VoiceXML form that presents the result of the query of exercise 9-2 to the caller.

The VoiceXML code in Figure 4.9 enables callers to browse a list of call rings, we will modify that code to browse a list of employees returned by the database management system.

<?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE vxml PUBLIC "-//BeVocal Inc//VoiceXML 2.0//EN" "http://cafe.bevocal.com/libraries/dtd/vxml2-0-bevocal.dtd"> <vxml version="2.0" xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/2001/vxml"> <!-- Example data --> <!-- Exercise 9.3 --> <script> <![CDATA[ var name = new Array() name[0] = "Able"; name[1] = "Baker"; name[2] = "Carson"; var ID = new Array() ID[0] = "001"; ID[1] = "002"; ID[2] = "003"; var salary = new Array() salary[0] = "87000"; salary[1] = "94000"; salary[2] = "53000"; var address = new Array() address[0] = "Anchorage Avenue"; address[1] = "Brookhaven Street"; address[2] = "Carlisle Drive"; var city = new Array() city[0] = "Seattle"; city[1] = "Portland"; city[2] = "Seattle"; var state = new Array() state[0] = "Washington"; state[1] = "Oregon"; state[2] = "Washington"; var zip = new Array() zip[0] = "98766"; zip[1] = "97012"; zip[2] = "98763"; // set listindex var listindex = 0; var listlength = name.length; //set current as first list element var current_name = name[listindex]; var current_ID = ID[listindex]; var current_salary = salary[listindex]; var current_address = address [listindex]; var current_city = city[listindex]; var current_state = state[listindex]; var current_zip = zip[listindex]; ]]> </script> <form id="start"> <block> <prompt> There are <value expr="listlength"/> employees satisfying your query </prompt> <prompt>To hear them, say repeat, next, or previous </prompt> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> <menu id="navchoice"> <prompt> the employee name is <value expr="current_name"/>. the employee number is <value expr="current_ID"/>. the employee salary is <value expr="current_salary"/>. the employee address is <value expr="current_address"/>. the employee city <value expr="current_city"/>. the employee state is <value expr="current_state"/>. the employee zip code is <value expr="current_zip"/>. </prompt> <choice next="#next"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0" root = "choose_next"> <rule id = "choose_next" scope = "public"> <item> next </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#previous"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0" root = "choose_previous"> <rule id = "choose_previous" scope = "public"> <item> previous </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#navchoice"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0" root = "choose_repeat"> <rule id = "choose_repeat" scope = "public"> <item> repeat </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> </menu> <form id="previous"> <block> <script> <![CDATA[ if (listindex > 0) { listindex--; current_name = name[listindex]; current_ID = ID[listindex]; current_salary = salary[listindex]; current_address = address [listindex]; current_city = city[listindex]; current_state = state[listindex]; current_zip = zip[listindex]; } else { listindex = listlength - 1; current_name = name[listindex]; current_ID = ID[listindex]; current_salary = salary[listindex]; current_address = address [listindex]; current_city = city[listindex]; current_state = state[listindex]; current_zip = zip[listindex]; } ]]> </script> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> <form id="next"> <block> <script> <![CDATA[ listindex++; if (listindex < listlength) { current_name = name[listindex]; current_ID = ID[listindex]; current_salary = salary[listindex]; current_address = address [listindex]; current_city = city[listindex]; current_state = state[listindex]; current_zip = zip[listindex]; } else { listindex = 0; current_name = name[listindex]; current_ID = ID[listindex]; current_salary = salary[listindex]; current_address = address [listindex]; current_city = city[listindex]; current_state = state[listindex]; current_zip = zip[listindex]; } ]]> </script> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> </vxml>

9-4 Investigate the use of a dictation application in a telephone environment.

A. Install a dictation program on your computer. See the companion web site for a partial list of available dictation programs.

B. Before you train the dictation application, try to use the dictation program to dictate a three-paragraph memo.

C. Train the system, and then use the dictation program to dictate another three-paragraph memo. Briefly describe the difference in use of the dictation program with and without training.

D. Simulate using the telephone by asking a friend to play the role of a speech synthesizer and keeping your eyes closed as you use the dictation program. Dictate a third three-paragraph memo without opening your eyes and looking at the screen. You may ask your friend to read portions of what you have dictated by speaking commands such as "read previous sentence" and "read this paragraph." Based on this simulation, evaluate the usability of dictating text over the telephone. Comment on the ease of editing what you dictated.

9-5 Discuss the similarities and differences between application-directed user-directed dialogs.

A. Compare the flows of an application-directed dialog (Figure 8.8) with the flow of a user-directed dialog (Figure 9.2). What are the principle differences?

In the application-directed dialog, the user answers questions. In the user-directed dialog, the user speaks commands.

B. Revise Figure 9.2 from a user-directed dialog to an application-directed dialog. What are the principle differences between the dialog document of Figure 9.2 and the application-directed dialog?

The application-directed version of the user-directed dialog is similar to that in Figure 8.8.

In the application-directed dialog, the user answers questions. In the user-directed dialog, the user speaks commands.

a