Displaying speech command input state information in a multimodal browser

1. A method for displaying speech command input state information for a multimodal application that is configured to accept speech commands of multiple different types, the method comprising:

displaying on a screen an input widget configured to accept from a user a particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the input widget is configured to accept;

displaying on the screen in association with the input widget a text-free icon that indicates the type of speech command the input widget is configured to accept, and input state status of the speech command through an attribute that allows the user to determine the input state status of the speech command; and

in response to a change in the input state of the speech command, altering the the input state status of the icon so as to allow the user to determine that the input state of the speech command has changed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the attribute of the icon indicates that the input state of the speech command is in a first state, accepting from the user via the input widget a speech command of the type indicated by the configuration of the icon;

changing the input state of the speech command from the first state to a second state; and

altering the attribute of the icon so as to allow the user to determine that the input state of the speech command has changed from the first state to the second state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the icon comprises a graphical user interface display icon.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying in association with the icon text describing the particular type of speech command the input widget is configured to accept.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the icon comprises a non-word symbol.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input widget comprises a first input widget configured to accept from the user a first particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and the icon comprises a first icon that is configured to allow the user to identify the first particular type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept, and the method further comprises:

interpreting a first speech command using a first grammar associated with the first type of speech command indicated by the configuration of the first icon;

displaying on the screen a second input widget configured to accept from the user a second particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept;

displaying on the screen in association with the second input widget a second icon, which is different than the first icon, that is configured to allow the user to identify the second particular type of speech command the second input widget is configured to accept; and

interpreting a second speech command using a second grammar, which is different than the first grammar, associated with the second type of speech command indicated by the configuration of the second icon.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the first input widget comprises a first menu field configured to accept speech commands of the first type indicated by the configuration of the first icon; and

the second input widget comprises a second menu field configured to accept speech commands of the second type indicated by the configuration of the second icon.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first icon comprises a graphical user interface display icon.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first icon is free of text.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying in association with the first icon text describing the first type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second icon is free of text of specific speech commands the second input widget is configured to accept.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first icon comprises a non-word symbol.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input widget comprises a first input widget configured to accept from the user a first particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and the icon comprises a first icon comprising a graphical user interface icon that is configured to allow the user to identify the first particular type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept, and the method further comprises:

displaying on the screen a second input widget configured to accept from the user a second particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept; and

displaying on the screen in association with the second input widget a second icon, which is different than the first icon, that is configured to allow the user to identify the second particular type of speech command the second input widget is configured to accept.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input widget comprises a first input widget configured to accept from the user a first particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a first speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the first input widget is configured to accept, and the icon comprises a first icon configured to allow the user to identify the first particular type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept, and the method further comprises:

displaying on the screen a second input widget configured to accept from the user a second particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a second speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the second input widget is configured to accept; and

displaying on the screen in association with the second input widget a second icon, which is different than the first icon, that is configured to allow the user to identify the second particular type of speech command the second input widget is configured to accept.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising displaying in association with the first icon text describing the first type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input widget comprises a first input widget configured to accept from the user a first particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a first speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the first input widget is configured to accept, and the icon comprises a first icon configured to allow the user to identify the first particular type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept, and the method further comprises:

displaying on the screen a second input widget configured to accept from the user a second particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a second speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the second input widget is configured to accept; and

displaying on the screen in association with the second input widget a second icon, which is different than the first icon, that is configured to allow the user to identify the second particular type of speech command the second input widget is configured to accept.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input widget comprises a first input widget configured to accept from the user a first particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a first speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the first input widget is configured to accept, and the icon comprises a first icon comprising a non-word symbol that is configured to allow the user to identify the first particular type of speech command the first input widget is configured to accept, and the method further comprises:

displaying on the screen a second input widget configured to accept from the user a second particular type of speech command included among the multiple different types of speech commands the application is configured to accept, and to display transcribed text of a second speech command uttered by the user without having first displayed to the user a set of specific speech commands the second input widget is configured to accept; and

displaying on the screen in association with the second input widget a second icon, which is different than the first icon, that is configured to allow the user to identify the second particular type of speech command the second input widget is configured to accept.