Virtual cultural attache

• US 9,411,805 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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:
  US14/505,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20150058724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

An approach is provided for presenting a translation of a message and a gesture to a sender of the message. A selection of the translation from multiple translations of the message in a language of a recipient of the message is received from the sender. The gesture, which is part of a culture of the recipient, is found in a data repository. The selected translation and an indicator of the gesture are presented to the sender. A selection of the indicator of the gesture is received from the sender. The gesture and notes indicating how the gesture provides an interpretation of the translation are presented to the sender. The interpretation is specific to the culture of the recipient. Presenting the gesture and the notes increases the knowledge of the sender about the culture of the recipient. The selected translation and the gesture are presented to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a translation of a message and a gesture that provides an interpretation of the translation, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer receiving from a sender of the message a selection of the translation from a plurality of different translations of the message, the different translations being in a language understood by a recipient of the message;

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

in response to the step of finding the gesture, a hardware processor of the computer presenting to the sender the translation and an indicator of the gesture, which is in proximity to a portion of the presented translation;

the computer receiving from the sender a selection of the indicator of the gesture, and in response, presenting the gesture and notes about the gesture to the sender, the notes indicating to the sender how the gesture provides the interpretation of the translation, the interpretation being specific to the culture of the recipient, wherein a result of the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture is an increase in knowledge of the sender about the culture of the recipient; and

the computer presenting the selected translation and the gesture to the recipient.

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the computer receiving identifiers of the culture of the recipient and the language understood by the recipient;

the computer updating a profile of the recipient based on the received identifiers of the culture and the language;

the computer retrieving the identifier of the culture of the recipient from the updated profile of the recipient; and

the computer retrieving levels of formality of the different translations from a database which associates the levels of formality with the culture of the recipient and with the different translations in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the selection of the translation is in part based on a review by the sender of the levels of formality.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising educating the sender about the culture of the recipient based on the review by the sender of the levels of formality.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

subsequent to the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture to the sender, and prior to the step of presenting the selected translation and the gesture to the recipient, the computer determining that the gesture cannot be verbalized; and

in response to the steps of determining that the profile of the recipient indicates the recipient prefers the translation of the message to be presented in speech and determining that the description of the gesture cannot be verbalized, the computer audibly presenting to the recipient the selected translation and one or more sounds that indicate the gesture.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of audibly presenting the one or more sounds includes audibly presenting a cough to indicate sarcasm, a chuckle to indicate slight humor, a gasp to indicate surprise or awe, or a laugh to indicate embarrassment or nervousness.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable program code in the computer, the program code being executed by the processor to implement the steps of receiving the selection of the translation, searching the data repository, finding the gesture, presenting to the sender the translation and the indicator of the gesture, receiving the selection of the indicator of the gesture, presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture to the sender, and presenting the selected translation and the gesture to the recipient.

9. A computer system comprising:

a hardware central processing unit (CPU);

a memory coupled to the CPU; and

a computer-readable, tangible storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device containing instructions that when carried out by the CPU via the memory implement a method of presenting a translation of a message and a gesture that provides an interpretation of the translation, the method comprising the steps of;

the computer system receiving from a sender of the message a selection of the translation from a plurality of different translations of the message, the different translations being in a language understood by a recipient of the message;

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

in response to the step of finding the gesture, a hardware processor of the computer system presenting to the sender the translation and an indicator of the gesture, which is in proximity to a portion of the presented translation;

the computer system receiving from the sender a selection of the indicator of the gesture, and in response, presenting the gesture and notes about the gesture to the sender, the notes indicating to the sender how the gesture provides the interpretation of the translation, the interpretation being specific to the culture of the recipient, wherein a result of the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture is an increase in knowledge of the sender about the culture of the recipient; and

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

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the step of presenting the gesture and the notes comprises the computer system presenting a description of an etiquette for using the gesture in the culture of the recipient, and a specification of another culture in which the gesture is offensive.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

the computer system receiving identifiers of the culture of the recipient and the language understood by the recipient;

the computer system updating a profile of the recipient based on the received identifiers of the culture and the language;

the computer system retrieving the identifier of the culture of the recipient from the updated profile of the recipient; and

the computer system retrieving levels of formality of the different translations from a database which associates the levels of formality with the culture of the recipient and with the different translations in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the selection of the translation is in part based on a review by the sender of the levels of formality.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system educating the sender about the culture of the recipient based on the review by the sender of the levels of formality.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

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

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

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

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

subsequent to the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture to the sender, and prior to the step of presenting the selected translation and the gesture to the recipient, the computer system determining that the gesture cannot be verbalized; and

in response to the steps of determining that the profile of the recipient indicates the recipient prefers the translation of the message to be presented in speech and determining that the description of the gesture cannot be verbalized, the computer system audibly presenting to the recipient the selected translation and one or more sounds that indicate the gesture.

15. 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, the computer-readable program code containing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, implement a method of presenting a translation of a message and a gesture that provides an interpretation of the translation, the method comprising the steps of;

the computer system receiving from a sender of the message a selection of the translation from a plurality of different translations of the message, the different translations being in a language understood by a recipient of the message;

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

in response to the step of finding the gesture, a hardware processor of the computer system presenting to the sender the translation and an indicator of the gesture, which is in proximity to a portion of the presented translation;

the computer system receiving from the sender a selection of the indicator of the gesture, and in response, presenting the gesture and notes about the gesture to the sender, the notes indicating to the sender how the gesture provides the interpretation of the translation, the interpretation being specific to the culture of the recipient, wherein a result of the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture is an increase in knowledge of the sender about the culture of the recipient; and

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

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

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

the computer system receiving identifiers of the culture of the recipient and the language understood by the recipient;

the computer system updating a profile of the recipient based on the received identifiers of the culture and the language;

the computer system retrieving the identifier of the culture of the recipient from the updated profile of the recipient; and

the computer system retrieving levels of formality of the different translations from a database which associates the levels of formality with the culture of the recipient and with the different translations in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the selection of the translation is in part based on a review by the sender of the levels of formality.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer system educating the sender about the culture of the recipient based on the review by the sender of the levels of formality.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

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

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

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

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

subsequent to the step of presenting the gesture and the notes about the gesture to the sender, and prior to the step of presenting the selected translation and the gesture to the recipient, the computer system determining that the gesture cannot be verbalized; and

in response to the steps of determining that the profile of the recipient indicates the recipient prefers the translation of the message to be presented in speech and determining that the description of the gesture cannot be verbalized, the computer system audibly presenting to the recipient the selected translation and one or more sounds that indicate the gesture.