Abstract: An audio navigation system including an artificial intelligence routing algorithm which does not require any internal or external sensors to locate the vehicle. The interface with the driver is via voice input and voice output and is therefor visually non-distracting and safe to use when the vehicle is in motion. The hardware is built around an optical disk player and therefor can be used for entertainment as well as navigation functions. Digitized maps, compressed voice records and the computer programs are stored on an optical disk.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying any one of a plurality of words, each word having an audible form represented by a sequence of spoken speech elements, with each speech element having a respective position in the sequence, which involves: receiving spoken speech elements of a word and interpreting each received speech element, wherein each spoken speech element .alpha. may be interpreted as any one of a plurality of different speech elements .beta., one of the speech elements .beta. being the same as speech element .alpha.; assigning to each of the possible speech elements a respective plurality of probabilities, P.sub..alpha..beta., that the speech element will be interpreted as a speech element .beta. when a speech element .alpha.

Abstract: An audio navigation system incorporating an audio CD player for playing an audio format CD constituting a data storage medium for the navigation system. The CD may store a database containing map data and navigation information, software including an algorithm for selecting a desired route between a designated starting point and destination, and speech data for generating audible spoken statements through a sound system. The audio CD player may be part of a sound system and may also play audio CDs carrying musical selections.

Abstract: A method for identifying any one of a plurality of utterances using a programmed digital computing system, each utterance having an audible form representable by a sequence of speech elements each having a respective position in the sequence. In the computing system, a digital representation corresponding to each of the plurality of utterances is stored a designation respective identifying is assigned to each utterance.