Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving efficiency of operation and convenience of access to a fleet of taxis, or other service vehicles, requiring rapid, on-demand dispatch to customer-determined locations. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) and/or radiolocation technology are used to automate the entry of the customer pickup location, and optionally the dropoff location and other relevant information as well. A customer speaks the pickup location into a cellular telephone which then digitizes and transmits it as a data communication to an ASR system. The ASR system decodes the digitized utterance into a pickup location which is passed to a vehicle matching and dispatch system. The vehicle matching and dispatch system matches a taxi and dispatches it to the pickup location. In one embodiment, the identified pickup location is transmitted to the customer's cellular telephone for confirmation or correction, before dispatch of the requested taxi.

Abstract: Traditional techniques for data reception in burst-mode receivers are of significant complexity. To aid detection, most burst-mode systems transmit a preamble, or predetermined data pattern, at the start of each new block of data. Using current methods, the detection of a new preamble, indicating the arrival of a new burst of data, is particularly complex. A method and apparatus is disclosed that significantly reduces this detection complexity, while maintaining superior signaling performance. This simplification can lead to higher data throughput within processing-limited receivers, and/or a greater degree of parallelism in multiple channel receivers.

Abstract: A global speech user interface (GSUI) comprises an input system to receive a user's spoken command, a feedback system along with a set of feedback overlays to give the user information on the progress of his spoken requests, a set of visual cues on the television screen to help the user understand what he can say, a help system, and a model for navigation among applications. The interface is extensible to make it easy to add new applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for remotely processing voice commands for controlling a television. A voice command is uttered by a user into a microphone contained in a remote control. The voice command is digitized, modulated, compressed, and wirelessly transmitted to a wireless receiver connected to a set-top box. The voice command is then transmitted to a cable head-end unit for voice and word recognition processing. Once the command function is determined, the function is transmitted back to the set-top box where the set-top box performs the command. The microphone is activated and deactivated by pressing and releasing a push-to-talk (PTT) switch. The PTT activates other functions by being turned, double-clicked and toggled up and down, left and right.