Speech recognition front end controller to voice mail systems

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Briefly stated in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the aforementioned long felt needs are addressed by providing a speech recognition system (SRS) that is used as a front end to an attached voice mail system.
This SRS provides a speech recognition control using a speech recognition proxy with a hairpin connection arrangement.
When a subscriber calls the Voice Mail system, the subscriber gets connected to the SRS.
The SRS automatically calls the Voice Mail system, thereby forming a hairpin connection.
This hairpin connection is different, though, because the SRS has control over the voice paths to and from the subscriber and the Voice Mail system.
Additionally, the SRS listens to the subscriber's line for speech or DTMF.
When recognized, the SRS outputs to the Voice Mail system a DTMF equivalent response to the speech or DTMF received from the subscriber's line.
This operation is why this method and apparatus is referred to as a speech recognition proxy.