System and method for automatically sending text of spoken messages in voice conversations with voice over IP software

1. A communications method, comprising:

receiving a conversational speech input from a first user;

converting the received speech input to a text representation thereof using an automated processor;

communicating the text representation and speech input remotely from the first user to a second user in real time, as part of a conversation; and

automatically reproducing the speech input and displaying the text representation in real time to the second user through an automated interface device,

wherein the speech input is received by a speech application executing on the automated processor, the speech application further comprising a text dialog interface, further comprising the step of transferring the text representation to the text dialog interface and communicating the text representation by the speech application from the text dial;

wherein the text dialog interface is in a separate application executing on the automated processor and the speech application transfers the text representation to said text dialog interface; and

wherein the speech application receives the speech input as dictation and commands, and sends at least one command derived from the speech input to said separate application.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the speech input is reproduced remotely from the first user.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the text representation is converted into speech remotely from the first user.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said communicating comprises conveying the received speech as voice over internet protocol packets to a remote location.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the text representation is communicated in the voice over internet protocol packets.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second user is presented with both the reproduced speech input and the converted text representation communicated together as IP packets through the Internet.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reproduced speech input is at least partially synthesized based on the text representation.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein text representation is stored as a transcript.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the speech input is received by a speech-enabled application executing on the automated processor, the speech-enabled application further comprising a digital file transfer interface, further comprising the step of transferring the text representation through the digital file transfer interface and automatically presenting the text representation so transferred to the second user.

10. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a speech input for receiving conversational speech information from a first user;

a speech to text process for converting the received speech information to a text representation thereof;

a communications interface for communicating the text representation and the speech input remotely from the user as part of a real time conversation with a second user; and

an audio interface configured to reproduce a second speech input and a visual interface displaying the text representation from the second user to the first user.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the speech input is reproduced remotely from the first user.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the text representation is converted into speech remotely from the first user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said communicating comprises conveying the received speech as voice over internet protocol packets to a remote location.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the text representation is communicated in the voice over internet protocol packets.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the speech input is received by a speech application, the speech application further comprising a text dialog interface, the text representation being transferred to the text dialog interface and the text representation being communicated by the speech application from the text dialog interface.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the text dialog interface is in a separate application and the speech application transfers the text representation to said text dialog interface.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the speech application is configured to receive the speech information as dictation and commands, and to send at least one command derived from the speech information to said separate application.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first user is presented both the reproduced speech input and the converted text representation from the second user.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the reproduced speech input is at least partially synthesized based on the text representation.

20. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the speech input is received by a speech-enabled application, the speech-enabled application further comprising a digital file transfer interface, the text representation being transferred through the digital file transfer interface and automatically presented to the second user.

21. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a speech input for receiving speech information from a user;

a speech to text process for converting the received speech information to a text representation thereof;

a communications interface for communicating the text representation remotely from the user and for receiving a text representation of speech;

a text to speech interface configured to receive the text representation of speech, and to convert at least a portion of the text representation of speech into speech; and

an automated processor configured to distinguish between a linguistic communication and a command in the received text representation of speech, and to selectively process and execute the command in an application separate from the text to speech interface.