1. An input system employing an automatic speech recognizer that can recognize and confirm words and numbers used as program commands and can recognize and confirm alpha-numeric symbols (the letters of the alphabet and the digits 0-9); said input system being used for entering search parameters into a data-base system, in order to find names in said data-base; said input system builds a set of search parameters, called an abbreviation, said abbreviation minimizing the inputs necessary to specify a name in said data-base; said input system comprising in combination the following elements: a computer with memory, processor, and output means, along with said speech recognizer as an input means, and a program directing the operation of said input system; said program enabling the system to accept speech inputs from a speaker speaking into said recognizer, said program enabling the system to distinguish among three sets of inputs: a. letter inputs that make up words, said letter inputs including the letters of the alphabet and the digits 0-9, b. word identifier inputs that denote the ordinal position of words in a name, each identifier including a different number corresponding to a different ordinal position for a word, each number being used to define a field that identifies which word a speaker's letter inputs correspond to, c. a termination input that signifies that no more letters or word identifiers will be stored in an abbreviation; said program directing said input system to execute the following steps: first, waiting for a word identifier to be entered, then, after the entry of said identifier, beginning to build an abbreviation and, storing said word identifier in said abbreviation, after which, if a word identifier is entered, storing it in said abbreviation, if a letter is entered, storing it in said abbreviation in the field defined by the last word identifier entered, if a termination input is entered, storing no more inputs in said abbreviation and returning to the first step above; said input system being combined with a data-base system provided with search means that use said abbreviation to find a name and data corresponding to said name in said data-base; said data-base system executing the following steps upon an input being stored in said abbreviation: searching said data-base for a name uniquely matching said abbreviation, if said abbreviation matches no name, outputting a message saying that no name matches the name being abbreviated, if said abbreviation matches a set of multiple names, outputting no message and waiting for another input to be stored in said abbreviation, if said abbreviation matches one name, outputting said name and data corresponding to said name.
1. An input system employing an automatic speech recognizer that can recognize and confirm words and numbers used as program commands and can recognize and confirm alpha-numeric symbols (the letters of the alphabet and the digits 0-9); said input system being used for entering search parameters into a data-base system, in order to find names in said data-base; said input system builds a set of search parameters, called an abbreviation, said abbreviation minimizing the inputs necessary to specify a name in said data-base; said input system comprising in combination the following elements: a computer with memory, processor, and output means, along with said speech recognizer as an input means, and a program directing the operation of said input system; said program enabling the system to accept speech inputs from a speaker speaking into said recognizer, said program enabling the system to distinguish among three sets of inputs: a. letter inputs that make up words, said letter inputs including the letters of the alphabet and the digits 0-9, b. word identifier inputs that denote the ordinal position of words in a name, each identifier including a different number corresponding to a different ordinal position for a word, each number being used to define a field that identifies which word a speaker's letter inputs correspond to, c. a termination input that signifies that no more letters or word identifiers will be stored in an abbreviation; said program directing said input system to execute the following steps: first, waiting for a word identifier to be entered, then, after the entry of said identifier, beginning to build an abbreviation and, storing said word identifier in said abbreviation, after which, if a word identifier is entered, storing it in said abbreviation, if a letter is entered, storing it in said abbreviation in the field defined by the last word identifier entered, if a termination input is entered, storing no more inputs in said abbreviation and returning to the first step above; said input system being combined with a data-base system provided with search means that use said abbreviation to find a name and data corresponding to said name in said data-base; said data-base system executing the following steps upon an input being stored in said abbreviation: searching said data-base for a name uniquely matching said abbreviation, if said abbreviation matches no name, outputting a message saying that no name matches the name being abbreviated, if said abbreviation matches a set of multiple names, outputting no message and waiting for another input to be stored in said abbreviation, if said abbreviation matches one name, outputting said name and data corresponding to said name. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said program further distinguishes another set of inputs: said inputs being numeric value inputs that denote the number of letters in the word corresponding to the last word identifier entered, each numeric value input including a different number for denoting a different number of letters in a word, said program further directing said input system to execute the following steps, if a numeric value input is entered, storing the number of said numeric value input in said abbreviation in the field defined by the last word identifier entered and, using said number to denote the number of letters in the word corresponding to said word identifier.