Browser Agent Contextual Command Sheet Voice Interface

The patent introduces a Contextual Command Sheet (CCS) as an intermediary component that bridges web applications and voice interfaces. The CCS contains contextual information about the web application's current state and available commands, allowing the speech engine to understand and process voice inputs without requiring the web application itself to have native voice functionality. This mediator enables voice interaction while keeping the web application development simple.

The system creates a universal voice interface layer that can work with multiple different web applications through the CCS mechanism. Instead of requiring each web application to implement its own voice interface, a single speech-enabled browser component can serve multiple applications by reading their CCS information, making the voice interface capability universal across different web applications.

The patent segments the voice interface functionality into separate components: the speech engine, the CCS, and the web application itself. The CCS is divided into specific elements (context information, command information, parameter information) that can be independently managed. This segmentation allows web developers to work with simplified CCS templates rather than implementing complex voice recognition logic directly in their applications.

The system enables web applications to self-describe their voice interface requirements through the CCS. Instead of requiring external configuration or complex integration, the web application can generate or update its own CCS based on its current state, allowing it to self-service its voice interface needs without increasing development complexity.

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for voice interaction from the web page into the CCS. Instead of monitoring and processing all DOM elements, the system extracts specifically the context information, available commands, and relevant parameters into a streamlined CCS structure. This extraction process reduces the amount of data the speech engine must process while maintaining voice interaction accuracy.

The CCS is prepared in advance with all the contextual and command information the speech engine will need. By pre-organizing this information in a structured format before voice interaction begins, the system eliminates the need for real-time analysis of the entire web page structure during speech processing, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.

The CCS is updated in advance to reflect the current state of the web application after each speech act. Instead of requiring the speech engine to re-read the entire DOM, the CCS is preliminarily updated with new context and command information, allowing the speech engine to continue operating with accurate information without the overhead of repeated DOM parsing.

The CCS serves as a simplified copy or representation of the relevant web application state. Instead of working with the complex, full DOM structure, the speech engine operates with this streamlined copy that contains only the necessary information. This copying approach maintains accuracy while dramatically improving processing speed by avoiding repeated full DOM reads.