Patent ID: 8407056

Claim:
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a communications system, configures a processor to establish a global speech user interface (GSUI) system comprising modules for: performing speech recognition to transcribe spoken commands into commands acceptable by said communications system; using the transcribed spoken commands to navigate among applications hosted on said communications system; and displaying a set of visual cues to guide a user in issuing proper spoken commands, said visual cues comprising: a set of immediate speech feedback overlays, each of which provides non-textual feedback information about a state of said communications system; a set of help overlays, each of which provides a context-sensitive list of frequently used speech-activated commands for each screen of every speech-activated application; a set of feedback overlays, each of which provides information about a problem that said communications system is experiencing; and a main menu overlay that shows a list of services available to the user, each of said services being accessible by spoken command; further comprising a user center that provides any of: training and tutorials on how to use said communications system; more help with specific speech-activated applications; user account management; and user settings and preferences for said communications system; wherein said set of feedback overlays comprises any of: a set of recognition feedback overlays that informs the user of a situation related to recognition; and a set of application overlays that informs the user of an error or a problem related to an application used in said GSUI; and wherein said set of recognition feedback overlays, in responding to unsuccessful recognitions that immediately follow one another, is displayed in three different modes comprising: a first mode wherein said immediate speech feedback indicator changes to a question mark in responding to the first unsuccessful recognition; a second mode wherein a textual message and a link to said help overlay are displayed in responding to the second unsuccessful recognition; and a third mode wherein a textual message, a link to said help overlay, and a link to said more help overlay are displayed in responding to the third and subsequent unsuccessful recognition.