Systems and methods for providing information discovery and retrieval

Abstract

This invention relates generally to software and computers, and more specifically, to systems and methods for providing information discovery and retrieval. In one embodiment, the invention includes a system for providing information discovery and retrieval, the system including a processor module, the processor module configurable to performing the steps of receiving an information request from a consumer device over a communications network; decoding the information request; discovering information using the decoded information request; preparing instructions for accessing the information; and communicating the prepared instructions to the consumer device, wherein the consumer device is configurable to retrieving the information for presentation using the prepared instructions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing information discovery and retrieval, the system comprising:
 a processor module, the processor module configurable to performing the steps of receiving an information request from a consumer device over a communications network;
 decoding the information request; 
 discovering information using the decoded information request; 
 preparing instructions for accessing the information; and 
 communicating the prepared instructions to the consumer device, wherein the consumer device is configurable to retrieving the information for presentation using the prepared instructions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the decoding the information request further comprises:
 performing speech recognition on the information request using CFG ASR that is assisted by SLM ASR.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the performing speech recognition on the information request using CFG ASR that is assisted by SLM ASR further comprises:
 performing speech recognition on the information request using CFG ASR against a general grammar module to recognize at least one terminal;   determining a context of the at least one terminal;   performing speech recognition on the information request using CFG ASR against a grammar module defined by the context; and   performing speech recognition on the information request using SLM ASR to supplement the speech recognition performed using CFG ASR.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor module is configurable to dynamically invoke at least one additional processor module to assist in decoding the information request. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the discovering information using the decoded information request comprises:
 accessing a database, the database configurable to containing references to information available from a third party source; and   identifying a reference to the information.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the preparing instructions for accessing the discovered information comprises:
 preparing instructions for accessing the referenced information from the third party source,   wherein the consumer device is configurable to retrieving the referenced information from the third party source for presentation using the prepared instructions.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the prepared instructions are contained within an active metadata file, the active metadata file further comprising:
 an identity of the referenced information;   a location of the referenced information;   a sample of the referenced information; and   access instructions for the referenced information, the access instructions including any of a login, password, and digital rights management code for use with the third party source.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein processor module communicates the prepared instructions to a second consumer device instead of the consumer device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information request is a media request and the information is media.