Patent ID: 8032383

Claim:
A method of controlling a hardware device comprising: receiving a voice command and a device identifier over a network from a remote hardware device, said voice command originating with a user, wherein said voice command requests a function be performed by said hardware device that is desired by said user, and wherein said device identifier identifies said hardware device; identifying a user speech profile using said device identifier, wherein said user speech profile is a device profile that represents a plurality of users that speak to said remote hardware device, the vocabulary of said device profile being built up using the speech input of said plurality of users; retrieving said identified user speech profile from a central database; converting said voice command to a corresponding text command using a speech-to-text engine and said user speech profile; delivering said text command to a device service provider; mapping said text command into a corresponding device command by said device service provider, said device command being executable by said hardware device; and delivering said device command over said network to said remote hardware device in order that said hardware device perform said function requested by said user.