Translating paralinguistic indicators

• US 8,473,441 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bill, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, David H
• Application Number:
  US13/189,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 706/46, 715/706
• US Class Current: 706/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation

Abstract

Paralinguistic indicators are translated at a paralinguistic translation server by receiving from a source a first set of data related to a first paralinguistic indicator that is configured to enable non-verbal communications between a source and a destination. The source is one of an instant messaging system and a virtual world system and the destination is one of the textual instant messaging system and a virtual world system but differs from the source. The first set of data related to the first paralinguistic indicator is translated into a second set of data related to a second paralinguistic indicator, such that the second paralinguistic indicator that is at least partially synonymous to the non-verbal communications associated with the first paralinguistic indicator. The second set of data related to the second paralinguistic indicator is transmitted to the destination.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for electronic communications, comprising:

receiving data representing a paralinguistic indicator from a first user using a gaming platform, wherein the paralinguistic indicator has a first appearance and is associated with the gaming platform;

translating the paralinguistic indicator to have a second appearance which is different from the first appearance, wherein the translated paralinguistic indicator is associated with a real time messaging platform; and

sending the translated paralinguistic indicator to a second user using the real time messaging platform,

wherein the gaming platform is a virtual world platform and the real time messaging platform is an instant messaging platform.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first and second paralinguistic indicators represent emotions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first and second paralinguistic indicators represent actions.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the first paralinguistic indicator represents an avatar'"'"'s actions.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received paralinguistic indicator comprises a non-verbal indicator.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the gaming platform and the real time messaging platform is a proprietary communications platform.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator from the first user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the second appearance is influenced by the plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the second appearance comprises a complex emotional appearance based on the plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator.

10. A computer-based system for electronic communications comprising at least one processor and at least one storage medium storing a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions being executable by the at least one processor for:

receiving data representing a paralinguistic indicator from a first user using a gaming platform, wherein the paralinguistic indicator has a first appearance and is associated with the gaming platform;

translating, using the at least one processor, the paralinguistic indicator to have a second appearance which is different from the first appearance, wherein the translated paralinguistic indicator is associated with a real time messaging platform; and

sending the translated paralinguistic indicator to a second user using the real time messaging platform,

wherein the gaming platform is a virtual world platform and the real time messaging platform is an instant messaging platform.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second paralinguistic indicators represent emotions.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second paralinguistic indicators represent actions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first paralinguistic indicator represents an avatar'"'"'s actions.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the received paralinguistic indicator comprises a non-verbal indicator.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the gaming platform and the real time messaging platform is a proprietary communications platform.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising executable instructions for receiving a plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator from the first user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second appearance is influenced by the plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second appearance comprises a complex emotional appearance based on the plurality of types of data representing the paralinguistic indicator.