Abstract: An application-specific dictionary is provided that includes a plurality of entries, where each entry matches to one or more items that comprise one or more records of a record store. For at least some of the plurality of entries, each entry has multiple phonetic representations, including one or more phonetic representations that are at least one of (i) an abbreviation of that entry, or (ii) a null use of the entry when that entry is combined with another entry.

Abstract: Searching a database involves creating an access structure including a first tree data structure having a root node and at least one child node. Each child node is associated with match data corresponding to a data value of a field of a database record. Leaf child nodes of the first tree data structure include a link to another tree data structure in the access structure. Leaf child nodes of a further tree data structure include a link to a database record. The tree structures are traversed and scores are computed for the paths traversed that reflect the level of matching between the match pattern data of the nodes in a path and a search request to identify a database record that best matches the request.

Abstract: A speech recognition method, medium, and system. The method includes detecting an energy change of each frame making up signals including speech and non-speech signals, and identifying a speech segment corresponding to frames that include only speech signals from among the frames based inclusive of the detected energy change.

Abstract: A speech recognition method includes a step of receiving a phonetic sequence output by a phonetic recognizer. The method also includes a step of matching the phonetic sequence with one of a plurality of reference phoneme sequences stored in a reference list that matches closest thereto. At least one of the plurality of reference phoneme sequences stored in the reference list includes additional information with respect to a phonetic sequence that is capable of being output by the phonetic recognizer.