Patent ID: 8612032

Claim:
An apparatus for speech recognition comprising: a computer device having bi-directional speech capabilities including a speech recognition functionality operable for processing audio signals to convert user speech to a digital format for speech recognition in accordance with one or more speech recognizer algorithms and including a text-to-speech functionality for converting data in a digital format into audio signals; a headset for coupling to the computer device and having at least one line for coupling the headset to the computer device, the headset providing at least one characterizing signal in the form of a non-speech data signal that is associated with the headset, the at least one characterizing signal being associated with one or more operational parameters for the computer device, including speech recognizer algorithms; the headset configured to forward the characterizing signal on the at least one line to the computer device; the computer device operable for receiving the characterizing signal and for configuring the speech recognition functionality of the computer device by selecting a speech recognizer algorithm based upon the characterizing signal, the speech recognizer algorithm used for recognizing user speech.