Speech-to-text dictation system with audio message capability

Data processing apparatus comprising

• means for receiving recognition data from a speech recognition engine and audio data, the recognition data including recognised characters corresponding to received audio data;
• display means for displaying the recognised characters;
• storage means for storing the recognised characters as a file;
• means for selectively disabling one of the display and storage of the recognised characters and the speech recognition engine for a period of time;
• and means for storing received audio data during said period of time in said storage means as an audio message associated with the file.

A computer usable medium having computer readable instructions stored therein for causing the processor in a data processing apparatus to process signals defining a string of characters and audio data to store the characters and the audio data, the instructions comprising instructions for

• a) causing the processor to receive the string of characters from a speech recognition engine and the audio data;
• b) causing the processor to generate an image of the characters on a display;
• c) causing the processor to generate an image of the characters as a file;
• d) causing the processor to selectively disable one of the display and storage of the characters and the speech recognition engine for a period of time;
• and
• e) causing the processor to store received audio data during said period of time as an audio message associated with the file.

Data processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting audio data;
• means for receiving recognition data from a speech recognition engine, said recognition data including recognised characters corresponding to input audio data;
• storage means for storing the recognised characters in a file and for storing the audio data;
• and
• user operable selection means for selecting one of the recognised characters and corresponding audio data for storage in said storage means, or only audio data for storage in said storage means in association with a file of recognised characters.

A computer usable medium having computer readable instructions stored therein for causing the processor in a data processing apparatus to process signals defining recognition data from a speech recognition engine and audio data to store the recognition data and the audio data, the instructions comprising instructions for:

• a) causing the processor to receive audio data signals;
• b) causing the processor to receive recognition data signals from a speech recognition engine;
• and
• c) selectively causing the processor to store the recognition data signals in a file in storage means and to store corresponding audio data signals in said storage means, or to store only the audio data signals in association with a file of recognition data signals in said storage means.

A speech recognition method comprising:

• inputting speech data;
• selectively performing speech recognition on input speech data to generate the recognised characters;
• visibly outputting the recognised characters;
• storing recognised characters corresponding to a portion of input speech data as a file when speech recognition is performed;
• and
• storing a portion of the input speech data in association with a file of recognised characters as an audio message when speech recognition is not performed.

Speech recognition apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting speech data;
• recogniser means for receiving input speech data and for selectively performing speech recognition to generate recognised characters;
• output means for visibly outputting the recognised characters, storage means for storing the input speech data and recognised characters;
• storage control means for:
• controlling said storage means to store recognised characters from said recogniser means corresponding to a portion of input speech data as a file when said recogniser means is operating, and
• for controlling said storage means to store a portion of the input speech data in association with a file of recognised characters as an audio message when said recogniser means is not operating.

A computer usable medium having computer readable instructions stored therein for causing a processor in a speech recognition apparatus to process signal defining recognised characters and audio data to store the recognised characters and audio data, the instructions comprising instructions for:

• a) causing the processor to receive input speech data;
• b) causing the processor to perform speech recognition on the input speech data to generate recognised characters;
• c) causing the processor to visibly output the recognised characters;
• d) causing the processor to store the input speech data and recognised characters, in storage means;
• and
• e) causing the processor to control said storage means to store recognised characters corresponding to a portion of input speech data as a file when speech recognition is being carried out, and to control said storage means to store a portion of the input speech data in association with a file of recognised characters as an audio message when speech recognition is not being carried out.