Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition
models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to
support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited
capabilities including business computer systems, personal data
assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via
a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture
capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the
Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g.,
speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services,
in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models
and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the
speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition
capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a
device's speech processing capability. Voice dialing, telephone control
and/or other services are provided by the speech processing facility in
response to speech recognition results.