Method and apparatus providing improved voice activated functions

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

providing, from a computerized user model, a grammar from a collection of names for use in a voice activated operation, said grammar including said names and variations of said names;

associating, by a computerized name manager, a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar based on at least one end-user input;

updating, by said computerized name manager, said computerized user model based on said at least one end-user input;

receiving, at a computerized name manager, said preferred one of said variations of said name, and determining, by said computerized user action predictor, a task to be performed based at least on said preferred one of said variations of said name; and

performing, by a computerized response generator, said task using said name associated with said variation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying, by said computerized name manager, said grammar so that there is one variation of a name for said name.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said task comprises communicating with another person or an application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein variations of said names involves variations for one of the group consisting of a two element name and a three element name.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said associating, by said computerized name manager, a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar is based on said at least one end-user input and end-user history.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said names are in a Chinese dialect.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said performing, by said computerized response generator, said task using said name associated with said variation comprises providing a dialog for said end-user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said dialog is selected from the group consisting of a dialing dialog, a selection dialog and a confirmation dialog.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code thereon for providing voice-activated operation, the medium including instructions in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

providing, from a user model, a grammar from a collection of names for use in a voice activated operation, said grammar including said names and variations of said names;

associating a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar based on at least one end-user input;

updating said user model based on said at least one end-user input;

receiving said preferred one of said variations of said name;

determining a task to be performed based at least on said preferred one of said variations of said name; and

performing said task using said name associated with said variation.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for modifying said grammar so that there is one variation of a name for said name.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions wherein said task comprises communicating with another person or an application.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions wherein variations of said names involves variations for one of the group consisting of a two element name and a three element name.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions wherein said associating a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar is based on said at least one end-user input and end-user history.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions wherein said names are in a Chinese dialect.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions wherein said using said name associated with said variation to perform a task comprises providing a dialog for said end-user.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions wherein said dialog is selected from the group consisting of a dialing dialog, a selection dialog and a confirmation dialog.

17. A computer system, comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a communications interface; and

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor, and the communications interface;

wherein the memory is encoded with an application providing voice activated operation, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of:

providing, from a user model, a grammar from a collection of names for use in a voice activated operation, said grammar including said names and variations of said names;

associating a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar based on at least one end-user input;

updating said user model based on said at least one end-user input;

receiving said preferred one of said variations of said name;

determining a task to be performed based at least on said preferred one of said variations of said name; and

performing said task using said name associated with said variation.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said processor includes a speech recognition element for receiving input from said end-user, a smart name dialing manager in communication with said speech recognition element, said user model in communication with said smart name dialing manager, a user action prediction module in communication with said smart name dialing manager, and a response generation module in communication with said user action prediction module and providing output to said end-user.

19. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said grammar is modified so that there is one variation of a name for said name.

20. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said associating a preferred one of said variations of a name with said name in said grammar is based on said at least one end-user input and end-user history.