Using speech recognition to access the internet, including access via a telephone

Claim 2

A remote server to enable a local user to increase the functionality of a local browser having a graphical user interface, comprising: a remote web browser residing on the remote server; a speech controller electronically coupled to said remote web browser, said controller being configured to form control links coupling the local browser to said remote browser via an Internet data communication link to enable said remote web browser and the local browser to function cooperatively; and a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said controller to a telephone network so that a telephonic voice communication link may be established between the user and said controller; wherein voice commands to control browsing may be input via said telephonic voice communication link and wherein graphical user interface commands to control browsing may also be input via the local browser.

Claim 3

The server of claim 1, wherein said controller and said server are configured to form said telephonic voice communication link in response to the user accessing a web site via said Internet data communication link.

Claim 4

The server of claim 1 wherein said control links are configured to enable the local browser to control the telephonic function of said speech server.

Claim 5

The server of claim 1, wherein said controller is a software module contained in said remote browser.

Claim 6

The server of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to download a software program to the local browser to form persistent control links.

Claim 7

A remote server to enable a local user to increase the functionality of a local browser, comprising: a remote web browser residing on the remote server; a speech controller electronically coupled to said remote web browser, said controller being configured to form control links coupling the local browser to said remote browser via an Internet data communication link to enable said remote web browser and the local browser to function cooperatively; and a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said controller to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said controller; wherein said control links are configured to enable voice commands to be uploaded to control the browsing function while information from the Internet is downloaded to a graphical user interface of the local browser.

Claim 8

A remote server to enable a local user to increase the functionality of a local browser, comprising: a remote web browser residing on the remote server; a speech controller electronically coupled to said remote web browser, said controller being configured to form control links coupling the local browser to said remote browser via an Internet data communication link to enable said remote web browser and the local browser to function cooperatively; and a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said controller to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said controller; wherein said control links are configured to enable voice commands to be uploaded to control the browsing function while information from the Internet is downloaded to a graphical user interface of the local browser.

Claim 9

The server of claim 6, wherein said control links are configured so that the user may browse by both voice commands and by inputting commands via said graphical user interface.

Claim 10

A network system, comprising: a) a local browser disposed on a local computer; and b) a remote server including: i) a remote browser residing on said remote server; ii) a speech controller software module electronically coupled to said remote browser; and iii) a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said speech controller software module to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said speech controller software module; said controller software module having an interface protocol for remotely controlling web browsers configured to form control links coupling said local browser to said remote browser via a network data link to enable said remote web browser and said local browser to function cooperatively, wherein said control links are configured so that auxiliary voice commands may be input by the user to control browsing of the network.

Claim 11

A network system, comprising: a) a local browser disposed on a local computer; and b) a remote server including: i) a remote browser residing on said remote server; ii) a speech controller software module electronically coupled to said remote browser; and iii) a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said speech controller software module to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said speech controller software module; said controller software module having an interface protocol for remotely controlling web browsers configured to form control links coupling said local browser to said remote browser via a network data link to enable said remote web browser and said local browser to function cooperatively, wherein said control links are configured so that auxiliary voice commands may be input by the user to control browsing of the network.

Claim 12

The system of claim 8, wherein said local browser includes a graphical user interface and said control links are configured so that the user may browse by both voice commands and by inputting commands via said graphical user interface.

Claim 13

A network system, comprising: a) a local browser disposed on a local computer; and b) a remote server including: i) a remote browser residing on said remote server; ii) a speech controller software module electronically coupled to said remote browser, said controller software module being configured to form control links coupling said local browser to said remote browser via a network data link to enable said remote web browser and said local browser to function cooperatively; and iii) a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said speech controller software module to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said speech controller software module; wherein said control links are configured to enable voice commands to be uploaded to control the browsing function while information from the network is downloaded to the graphical user interface of said local browser.

Claim 14

A network system, comprising: a) a local browser disposed on a local computer; and b) a remote server including: i) a remote browser residing on said remote server; ii) a speech controller software module electronically coupled to said remote browser, said controller software module being configured to form control links coupling said local browser to said remote browser via a network data link to enable said remote web browser and said local browser to function cooperatively; and iii) a speech server having a speech recognition function residing on the remote server, said speech server coupling said speech controller software module to a telephone network so that a voice communication link may be established between the user and said speech controller software module; wherein said control links are configured to enable voice commands to be uploaded to control the browsing function while information from the network is downloaded to the graphical user interface of said local browser.

Claim 15

The system of claim 10 wherein said controller software module includes an interface protocol for remotely controlling a web browser.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12, further comprising after step "b" the step of: uploading the phone number of the local user.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12, wherein said controller software module is contained in said remote web browser.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15, wherein the network comprises the Internet and further wherein the controller is contained in a remote browser residing on said remote server.

Claim 23

The method of claim 16, wherein said speech server is coupled to a telephone network and further comprising after step "b" the step of: uploading a local telephone number.

Claim 24

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of: downloading a software program to said local browser to enable a persistent link to be formed between the controller and the local browser.

Claim 25

The method of claim 15, wherein said speech server is coupled to a telephone network and further comprising the step of: accessing a hot-linked phone number on a web-site to initiate dialing of said phone number by said speech server.