Personal Voice-Based Information Retrieval System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for retrieving information from a network such as the Internet. A user creates a user-defined record in a database that identifies an information source, such as a web site, containing information of interest to the user. This record identifies the location of the information source and also contains a recognition grammar based upon a speech command assigned by the user. Upon receiving the speech command from the user that is described within the recognition grammar, a network interface system accesses the information source and retrieves the information requested by the user.

1 . A method of executing improved functionality of a voice-responsive system to allow selective retrieval of different kinds of information in response to commands spoken via an electronic communication device of a user in communication with the voice-responsive system, the method comprising:
 (a) storing, in a storage device accessible by the voice-responsive system, a speech recognition grammar that is associated with an executable function; and   (b) storing, in the storage device, for the executable function, an executable function definition configured to be executed by a web browsing server of the voice-responsive system upon recognizing that a command, spoken by a user of an electronic-communication device, corresponds to the speech recognition grammar;   (c) wherein the executable function definition identifies:
 (i) information used to generate requests to an information source that includes a URL to identify the information source and to extract content from a named object within response data obtainable from the information source accessible by the URL; and 
 (ii) information used to format an audible message from extracted content, so that a command to synthesize an audio response message will generate a coherent sentence that responds to the command spoken by a user, wherein the audio response message is adapted to be played on a speaker of the electronic-communication device of the user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: storing, in the storage device, a pronounceable name associated with an improved executable functionality. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the pronounceable name serves as an identification word. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: an agent usable by a user to create a set of instructions for use by a voice-browsing system of the voice-responsive system to return personalized information upon request. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: using a web page to input the speech recognition grammar associated with the executable function into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: using a web page to input the executable function into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: using a web page to input the information used to format a responsive message into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executable function includes instructions specifying information to be retrieved when a request is made. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executable function definition contains instructions for generating the URL in a form that depends on a word of the first speech recognition grammar. 
     
     
         10 . A system of executing improved functionality of a voice-responsive system to allow selective retrieval of different kinds of information in response to commands spoken via an electronic communication device of a user in communication with the voice-responsive system, the system comprising:
 (a) a storage device, accessible by the voice-responsive system, and storing a speech recognition grammar that is associated with an executable function; and   (b) in the storage device, storing for the executable function, an executable function definition configured to be executed by a web browsing server of the voice-responsive system upon recognizing that a command, spoken by a user of an electronic-communication device, corresponds to the speech recognition grammar;   (c) wherein the executable function definition identifies:
 (i) information used to generate requests to an information source that includes a URL to identify the information source and to extract content from a named object within response data obtainable from the information source accessible by the URL; and 
 (ii) information used to format an audible message from extracted content, so that a command to synthesize an audio response message will generate a coherent sentence that responds to the command spoken by a user, wherein the audio response message is adapted to be played on a speaker of the electronic-communication device of the user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: in the storage device, including a pronounceable name associated with an improved executable functionality. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the pronounceable name serves as an identification word. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: in the storage device of the voice-responsive system, importing the speech recognition grammer, by using a web page to input the speech recognition grammar associated with the executable function. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: in the storage device of the voice-responsive system, using a web page to input the executable function into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: in the storage device of the voice-responsive system, using a web page to input the information used to format a responsive message into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the executable function includes instructions specifying information to be retrieved when a request is made. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the executable function definition contains instructions for generating the URL in a form that depends on a word of the first speech recognition grammar. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: an agent usable by a user to create a set of instructions for use by a voice-browsing system of the voice-responsive system to return personalized information upon request. 
     
     
         19 . A system of executing improved functionality in a voice-responsive system to allow selective retrieval of different kinds of information in response to commands spoken via an electronic communication device of a user in communication with the voice-responsive system over a network, the system comprising:
 (a) means for storing a speech recognition grammar that is associated with an executable function; and   (b) means for storing an executable function, in the storing means, for the executable function, the executable function definition configured to be executed by a web browsing server of the voice-responsive system upon recognizing that a command, spoken by a user of an electronic-communication device, corresponds to the speech recognition grammar;   (c) wherein the executable function definition identifies:
 (i) information used to generate requests to an information source that includes a URL to identify the information source and to extract content from a named object within response data obtainable from the information source accessible by the URL; and 
 (ii) information used to format an audible message from extracted content, so that a command to synthesize an audio response message will generate a coherent sentence that responds to the command spoken by a user, wherein the audio response message is adapted to be played on a speaker of the electronic-communication device of the user. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-responsive system of  claim 1 , further comprising: means for storing a pronounceable name associated with an improved executable functionality. 
     
     
         21 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-responsive system, wherein the pronounceable name serves as an identification word. 
     
     
         22 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-responsive system of  claim 1 , further comprising: means for using a web page to input the speech recognition grammar associated with the executable function into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         23 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-responsive system of  claim 1 , further comprising: means for using a web page to input the executable function into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         24 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-responsive system of  claim 1 , further comprising: means for using a web page to input the information used to format a responsive message into the storage device of the voice-responsive system. 
     
     
         25 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 1 , wherein the executable function includes instructions specifying information to be retrieved when a request is made. 
     
     
         26 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 1 , wherein the executable function definition contains instructions for generating the URL in a form that depends on a word of the first speech recognition grammar. 
     
     
         27 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 1 , further comprising: a means for creating instructions usable by a user for use by a voice-browsing system of the voice-responsive system to return personalized information upon request. 
     
     
         28 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 1 , further comprising: means for taking information from an identified website to create instructions usable by the user. 
     
     
         29 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are created by selecting a URL address for the identified website. 
     
     
         30 . The system for executing improved functionality in the voice-response system of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions are created by highlighting and copying the URL address for the identified web site.