Dialogue supporting apparatus

A dialogue supporting system which supports a dialogue carried out in different languages through dialogue supporting apparatuses, for respective users, which carry out mutual communication via a communication network,

• wherein a first dialogue supporting apparatus includes:
• a first input accepting unit operable to accept, as an input, an utterance of a first user which is in a first language;
• a first translation processing unit operable to translate the accepted utterance of the first user into a predetermined language, and to output first translated utterance information which is acquired through the translation;
• a first transmission unit operable to transmit the outputted first translated utterance information to a second dialogue supporting apparatus;
• a first output time determination unit operable to analyze a characteristic included in the utterance of a first user, and to determine an output time indicating an upper limit of a translation time for translating an utterance to be accepted subsequent to the utterance of the first user;
• and
• a first output time transmission unit operable to transmit the determined output time to said second dialogue supporting apparatus, and
• a second dialogue supporting apparatus includes:
• a second receiving unit operable to receive the first translated utterance information from said first dialogue supporting apparatus, and to notify the first translated utterance information to a second user;
• a second output time receiving unit operable to receive the output time determined by said first dialogue supporting apparatus, from said first dialogue supporting apparatus;
• a second input accepting unit operable to accept, as an input, an utterance of the second user which is in the predetermined language;
• a second translation processing unit operable to translate the accepted utterance of the second user into the first language, and to output second translated utterance information which is acquired through the translation;
• and
• a second transmission unit operable to transmit the outputted second translated utterance information to said first dialogue supporting apparatus, and
• said second translation processing unit is operable to output the second translated utterance information which is a translation result acquired by the received output time.

A dialogue supporting system which supports a dialogue carried out in different languages, using a first dialogue supporting apparatus and a second dialogue supporting apparatus which are connected to a server via a communication network,

• wherein said first dialogue supporting apparatus includes:
• a first input accepting unit operable to accept, as an input, an utterance of a first user which is spoken in a first language;
• a first transmission unit operable to transmit the accepted utterance of the first user to said server;
• a second receiving unit operable to receive, from said server, second translated utterance information which is a translation result of translating, into the first language, an utterance of a second user in response to the utterance of the first user;
• and
• a first output notification unit operable to notify the received second translated utterance information to the first user, and
• said second dialogue supporting apparatus includes:
• a second input accepting unit operable to accept, as an input, an utterance of a second user which is spoken in a second language;
• a second transmission unit operable to transmit the accepted utterance of the second user to said server;
• a first receiving unit operable to receive, from said server, first translated utterance information which is a translation result of translating, into the second language, an utterance of the first user in response to the utterance of the second user;
• and
• a second output notification unit operable to notify the received first translated utterance information to the second user, and
• said server includes:
• a first utterance receiving unit operable to receive the utterance of the first user from said first dialogue supporting apparatus;
• a first translation processing unit operable to translate the received utterance of the first user into the second language, and to output first translated utterance information which is acquired through the translation;
• a first transmission unit operable to transmit the outputted first translated utterance information to said second dialogue supporting apparatus;
• a second utterance receiving unit operable to receive the utterance of the second user from said second dialogue supporting apparatus;
• a second translation processing unit operable to translate the received utterance of the second user into the first language, and to output second translated utterance information which is acquired through the translation;
• a second transmission unit operable to transmit the outputted second translated utterance information to said first dialogue supporting apparatus;
• and
• an output time determination unit operable to analyze a characteristic included in the utterance of the first user or the utterance of the second user that is received, and to determine an output time indicating an upper limit of a translation time for the translation, by said first translation processing unit or said second translation processing unit, of an utterance subsequent to the utterance, and
• said first translation processing unit or said second translation processing unit is operable to output the first translated utterance information or the second translated utterance information which is a translation result acquired by the determined output time.

A dialogue supporting method for supporting a dialogue carried out in different languages, said method comprising steps of:

• accepting, as an input, an utterance of a user;
• translating the accepted utterance into a predetermined language, and outputting translated utterance information which is acquired through said translating;
• notifying the outputted translated utterance information to a user;
• and
• analyzing a characteristic included in the utterance of the user, and determining a translation time for translating an utterance to be accepted subsequently.

A program for use in a dialogue supporting apparatus which supports a dialogue carried out in different languages, said program causing a computer to execute steps of:

• accepting, as an input, an utterance of a user;
• translating the accepted utterance into a predetermined language, and outputting translated utterance information which is acquired through said translating;
• notifying the outputted translated utterance information to a user;
• and
• analyzing a characteristic included in the utterance of the user, and determining a translation time for translating an utterance to be accepted subsequently.

A dialogue supporting apparatus which supports a dialogue carried out in different languages, said dialogue supporting apparatus comprising:

• an input accepting unit operable to accept, as an input, an utterance of a user;
• and
• a memory unit which stores a program including steps of (i) translating the accepted utterance into a predetermined language, and outputting translated utterance information which is acquired through the translating, and (ii) analyzing a characteristic included in the utterance of the user, and determining a translation time for translation of an utterance which is to be accepted subsequently;
• a processor operable to execute the program stored in said memory unit;
• and
• an output notification unit operable to notify the translated utterance information outputted by said processor to a user.