Virtual cultural attache

• US 8,875,019 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tan, Martin, Youngson, Melanie June
• Primary Examiner(s): Kujundzic, Dino
• Application Number:
  US12/724,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/703, 715/708, 715/751, 715/753
• US Class Current: 715/703
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

A method and system for presenting choices of different translations of a message and corresponding interpretations of the different translations. The message that is input by a sender to be sent to an intended recipient is received. Choices of the different translations of the message and different corresponding interpretations of the different translations are retrieved and presented. The different translations are in a language understood by the recipient. The different interpretations are specific to a culture of the recipient. A selection of a translation of the different translations is received. The selection of the translation is based on a review of the different interpretations by the sender. The selected translation is presented to the recipient.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of presenting choices of different translations of a message and corresponding interpretations of said different translations, said method comprising:

a computer system receiving said message input by a first user (sender) to be sent to a second user (recipient);

said computer system receiving an indication of a culture of said recipient;

based on said received indication of said culture of said recipient, a processor of said computer system retrieving different translations of said message and respective levels of formality of said different translations, said levels of formality being levels of politeness that said culture of said recipient respectively associates with said different translations of said message;

said computer system presenting to said sender choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality, wherein said different translations are in a language understood by said recipient;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of a translation included in said different translations, wherein said selection of said translation is based on a review by said sender of said presented choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality;

subsequent to said receiving said selection of said translation, said computer system searching a data repository for and subsequently finding in said data repository a gesture which is part of said culture of said recipient and which communicates at least a part of said translation, adds a meaning to said translation, removes an ambiguity in said translation, and adds a granular qualification to said translation;

in response to said finding said gesture, said computer system presenting to said sender an indicator of said gesture and said translation, said indicator being in proximity to a portion of said presented translation;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of said indicator of said gesture, and in response, presenting said gesture and notes about said gesture to said sender, said notes indicating to said sender how said gesture provides or facilitates an interpretation of said translation, said interpretation being specific to said culture of said recipient, and said notes further indicating to said sender that said gesture is required to prevent said ambiguity in said translation, wherein a result of said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture is an increase in knowledge of said sender about said culture of said recipient; and

said computer system presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising said computer system receiving updates of said levels of formality from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting said gesture and said notes comprises said computer system presenting a description of an etiquette for using said gesture in said culture of said recipient, and a specification of another culture in which said gesture is deemed offensive.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising said computer system receiving updates of different gestures corresponding to said different translations from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving identifiers of said culture of said recipient and said language understood by said recipient; and

updating a profile of said recipient based on said received identifiers of said culture and said language,

wherein said retrieving said levels of formality of said different translations includes;

retrieving said culture from said profile; and

retrieving said levels of formality from a database based on said database associating said levels of formality with said culture and with said different translations in a one-to-one correspondence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising educating said sender about said culture of said recipient based on said review of said levels of formality by said sender.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture, and prior to said presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient, said computer system determining a profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech rather than text; and

in response to said determining said profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech, said computer system performing said presenting said selected translation and said gesture by audibly presenting to said recipient said selected translation and a verbalization that describes said gesture.

8. A computer system comprising:

a hardware central processing unit (CPU);

a memory coupled to said CPU; and

a computer-readable, tangible storage device coupled to said CPU, said storage device containing instructions that when carried out by said CPU via said memory implement a method of presenting choices of different translations of a message and corresponding interpretations of said different translations, said method comprising;

said computer system receiving said message input by a first user (sender) to be sent to a second user (recipient);

said computer system receiving an indication of a culture of said recipient;

based on said received indication of said culture of said recipient, said computer system retrieving different translations of said message and respective levels of formality of said different translations, said levels of formality being levels of politeness that said culture of said recipient respectively associates with said different translations of said message;

said computer system presenting to said sender choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality, wherein said different translations are in a language understood by said recipient;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of a translation included in said different translations, wherein said selection of said translation is based on a review by said sender of said presented choices of said different translations and said levels of formality by said sender;

subsequent to said receiving said selection of said translation, said computer system searching a data repository for and subsequently finding in said data repository a gesture which is part of said culture of said recipient and which communicates at least a part of said translation, adds a meaning to said translation, removes an ambiguity in said translation, and adds a granular qualification to said translation;

in response to said finding said gesture, said computer system presenting to said sender an indicator of said gesture and said translation, said indicator being in proximity to a portion of said presented translation;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of said indicator of said gesture, and in response, presenting said gesture and notes about said gesture to said sender, said notes indicating to said sender how said gesture provides or facilitates an interpretation of said translation, said interpretation being specific to said culture of said recipient, and said notes further indicating to said sender that said gesture is required to prevent said ambiguity in said translation, wherein a result of said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture is an increase in knowledge of said sender about said culture of said recipient; and

presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises said computer system receiving updates of said levels of formality from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said presenting said gesture and said notes comprises said computer system presenting a description of an etiquette for using said gesture in said culture of said recipient, and a specification of another culture in which said gesture is deemed offensive.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises said computer system receiving updates of different gestures corresponding to said different translations from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture, and prior to said presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient, said computer system determining a profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech rather than text; and

in response to said determining said profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech, said computer system performing said presenting said selected translation and said gesture by audibly presenting to said recipient said selected translation and a verbalization that describes said gesture.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable, tangible storage device; and

a computer-readable program code stored on the computer-readable, tangible storage device, said computer-readable program code containing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, implement a method of presenting choices of different translations of a message and corresponding interpretations of said different translations, said method comprising the steps of;

said computer system receiving said message input by a first user (sender) to be sent to a second user (recipient);

said computer system receiving an indication of a culture of said recipient;

said computer system retrieving different translations of said message and respective levels of formality of said different translations, said levels of formality being levels of politeness that said culture of said recipient associates with said different translations of said message;

said computer system presenting to said sender choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality, wherein said different translations are in a language understood by said recipient;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of a translation included in said different translations, wherein said selection of said translation is based on a review by said sender of said presented choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality;

subsequent to said receiving said selection of said translation, said computer system searching a data repository for and subsequently finding in said data repository a gesture which is part of said culture of said recipient and which communicates at least a part of said translation, adds a meaning to said translation, removes an ambiguity in said translation, and adds a granular qualification to said translation;

in response to said finding said gesture, said computer system presenting to said sender an indicator of said gesture and said translation, said indicator being in proximity to a portion of said presented translation;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of said indicator of said gesture, and in response, presenting said gesture and notes about said gesture to said sender, said notes indicating to said sender how said gesture provides or facilitates an interpretation of said translation, said interpretation being specific to said culture of said recipient, and said notes further indicating to said sender that said gesture is required to prevent said ambiguity in said translation, wherein a result of said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture is an increase in knowledge of said sender about said culture of said recipient; and

presenting said selected translation to and said gesture said recipient.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises said computer system receiving updates of said levels of formality from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

15. The program product of claim 13, wherein said presenting said gesture and said notes comprises said computer system presenting a description of an etiquette for using said gesture in said culture of said recipient, and a specification of another culture in which said gesture is deemed offensive.

16. The program product of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises said computer system receiving updates of different gestures corresponding to said different translations from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

17. The program product of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture, and prior to said presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient, said computer system determining a profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech rather than text; and

in response to said determining said profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech, said computer system performing said presenting said selected translation and said gesture by audibly presenting to said recipient said selected translation and a verbalization that describes said gesture.

18. A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system comprising a processor, wherein said code, when carried out by said processor, implements a method of presenting choices of different translations of a message and corresponding interpretations of said different translations, said method comprising the steps of;

said computing system receiving said message input by a first user (sender) to be sent to a second user (recipient);

said computing system receiving an indication of a culture of said recipient;

said computing system retrieving different translations of said message and respective levels of formality of said different translations, said levels of formality being levels of politeness that said culture of said recipient respectively associates with said different translations of said message;

said computing system presenting to said sender choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality, wherein said different translations are in a language understood by said recipient;

said computing system receiving a selection by said sender of a translation included in said different translations, wherein said selection of said translation is based on a review by said sender of said presented choices of said different translations of said message and said levels of formality;

subsequent to said receiving said selection of said translation, said computer system searching a data repository for and subsequently finding in said data repository a gesture which is part of said culture of said recipient and which communicates at least a part of said translation, adds a meaning to said translation, removes an ambiguity in said translation, and adds a granular qualification to said translation;

in response to said finding said gesture, said computer system presenting to said sender an indicator of said gesture and said translation, said indicator being in proximity to a portion of said presented translation;

said computer system receiving a selection by said sender of said indicator of said gesture, and in response, presenting said gesture and notes about said gesture to said sender, said notes indicating to said sender how said gesture provides or facilitates an interpretation of said translation, said interpretation being specific to said culture of said recipient, and said notes further indicating to said sender that said gesture is required to prevent said ambiguity in said translation, wherein a result of said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture is an increase in knowledge of said sender about said culture of said recipient; and

said computing system presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises said computing system receiving updates of said levels of formality from a plurality of users utilizing a plurality of computer units that access said computer system via a computer network.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said presenting said gesture and said notes about said gesture, and prior to said presenting said selected translation and said gesture to said recipient, said computing system determining a profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech rather than text; and

in response to said determining said profile of said recipient indicates said recipient prefers said translation of said message to be presented in speech, said computing system performing said presenting said selected translation and said gesture by audibly presenting to said recipient said selected translation and a verbalization that describes said gesture.