BACKGROUND SPEECH RECOGNITION FOR VOICE MESSAGING APPLICATIONS

Recorded telephone messages may be automatically handled as specified by the called party by means of a background speech recognition server for a telephone network, a private branch exchange, or a personal computer telephone manager. The called party initializes the method by storing multiple action records in a computer, each containing a key word and an action description. Incoming telephone messages can then be automatically processed by subjecting the audio record of each message to a speech recognition program to produce a text record. The computer then compares the text record with the key words in the action records. When a match is found, the action specified in the action record bearing the matching key words, is performed. In this manner, recorded telephone messages may be automatically handled and prioritized as specified by the called party.