Methods and apparatus for conversational name dialing systems

摘要

Techniques for providing an automated conversational name dialing system for placing a call in response to an input by a user. One technique begins with the step of analyzing an input from a user, wherein the input includes information directed to identifying an intended recipient of a telephone call from the user. At least one candidate for the intended recipient is identified in response to the input, wherein the at least one candidate represents at least one potential match between the intended recipient and a predetermined vocabulary. A confidence measure indicative of a likelihood that the at least one candidate is the intended recipient is determined, and additional information is obtained from the user to increase the likelihood that the at least one candidate is the intended recipient, based on the determined confidence measure.