Abstract: A voice activated and operated Internet web browser where voiced utterances are digitized and the digitized representation is input to a speech recognition program is disclosed. The speech recognition program determines the most likely set of words from a stored vocabulary making up the utterances. The words are analyzed and searched against a database of topics or micro-domain areas. If a match occurs the words are analyzed by a subprogram associated with the specific topic area and key words are identified and other words discarded. The key words are input to a search engine or the equivalent. The search engine returns information associated with the topic. If no topic match is found a general search on the recognized words is performed. The recognized words are fed to a identification module where key words are extracted that are associated with names of people, organizations, locations, and companies; times; money amounts; percentages; dates; and not-a-name.

Abstract: A voice activated and operated Internet web browser where voiced utterances are digitized and the digitized representation is input to a speech recognition program is disclosed. The speech recognition program determines the most likely set of words from a stored vocabulary making up the utterances. The words are analyzed and searched against a database of topics or micro-domain areas. If a match occurs the words are analyzed by a subprogram associated with the specific topic area and key words are identified and other words discarded. The key words are input to a search engine or the equivalent. The search engine returns information associated with the topic. If no topic match is found a general search on the recognized words is performed. The recognized words are fed to a identification module where key words are extracted that are associated with names of people, organizations, locations, and companies; times; money amounts; percentages; dates; and not-a-name.

Abstract: A voice activated system for retrieving information from relation files in a database incorporating a "help" mechanism that leads the user to relevant information. The apparatus and method provides the user with a message that the spoken queries are understood or not. If understood the system outputs the desired information. If not understood the system asks for key words from the user. The system will respond with phrases using such key words that were built into the system vocabulary. The user may input the phrases into the recognition part of the apparatus or may voice new queries based on the phrase/sentences. The system responds with the desired information.