JPH05207163A - Telephone system with translation function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute a call with a foreign country in Japanese in any case. CONSTITUTION:This telephone system is constituted of a host computer for translation provided at a station side and a telephone set having a key input part 1 where a special key on an operation surface is assigned for generating a signal for connecting the host computer for translation. At the time of connection, the special key of the key input part 1 is lowered so as to connect the computer for translation and, after that, a disired language is selected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone system with a translation function capable of directly speaking in Japanese with a caller who does not understand Japanese.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has become easy to use international calls, but if the other party who does not speak Japanese does not understand Japanese, it is necessary to speak in a foreign language such as English. However, since most Japanese are virtually unable to speak in foreign languages, translation services mediated by operators are also provided.

[0003]

However, since the demand for translation services by such operators is not so large, the number of operators is small, and the services are not always available. And because there is a time difference between Japan and foreign countries, it may be late at night in Japan even if the other party is during work hours, and it is difficult to rely on the operator even if it is necessary to make an emergency call in such a case. Is. In addition, even if it is English, in other foreign languages, it is difficult to get such a service because it is difficult to get on the commercial base due to the relationship between supply and demand.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is intended to make it possible to communicate with a foreign language in Japanese in any case.

[0005]

In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a translation host computer provided on the station side and a specific key on the operation surface for generating a signal for connecting the translation host computer. It consists of the assigned telephone.

[0006]

When a translation service is desired, a call is made via the machine translation device by the translation host computer on the bureau side. The translation host computer selects which foreign language is to be translated before the call is started, and the voice translated from Japanese to foreign language and from foreign language to Japanese is output through the device.

[0007]

Embodiments Next, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
A normal telephone call is made by the telephone 6 and the telephone controller 7. When a translation service is desired at the time of making or receiving a call, when the corresponding key of the key input unit 1 assigned for setting the translation service of the telephone is pressed, the key is changed to that key via the call / host communication switching control unit 2. A corresponding PB signal is sent to the station, and the station receives the signal to connect the line to the translation host computer 5 which is an automatic translation device. In the case of the dial type, the station side is equipped with a dial receiving device, and if you operate the dial, you will be connected to the translation host computer, but if you dial during a call, the dial will interfere with noise, so be sure to do it before the connection is completed. It has become.

The telephone side controls the time / translation display switching control unit 3 via the call / host communication switching control unit 2, switches the display unit 4 from the time display to the translation display, and displays a message requesting the translation service. Is performed on the display unit 4. When the connection is completed, the station returns an announcement to that effect and the fact is displayed on the display unit 4. After that, if you press the predetermined key and select the language to receive the service,
The PB signal corresponding to this key is sent to the station, and the language selected by the user is displayed on the display unit 4. The station receiving this signal selects the function of translating the selected language in the translation host computer 5. As a result, the translation host computer 5 is connected to the lines of both parties.

Then, the conversation of the caller is input to the translation host computer 5 and from Japanese to the selected foreign language,
Although a translation from a foreign language to Japanese is performed, in this state, the translation host computer 5 is in a state of being branched to the telephone line, so that both Japanese and a foreign language can be heard at the same time. If you can speak a foreign language to some extent, you can listen in this state while compensating for unnatural translations. However, the person who does not understand foreign language at all or the person who does not understand Japanese at all will disturb the call if both languages are heard.

Most of the devices using the device of the present application should not understand each other's languages at all, like the latter. Therefore, when a predetermined key of the key input unit 1 is pressed after the connection is completed, a signal corresponding to the key is transmitted, and the translation host computer 5 is connected to the line in series at the station. After that, both parties can talk in the translated language.

Although the case of making a call from Japan has been described above, when there is an incoming call from a foreign country, the incoming call comes directly without going through the translation host computer 5, so when you pick up the handset, you immediately hear the call contents in a foreign language. It will be. If a foreign language call arrives in a planned state, most of the Japanese may not be able to respond if they receive an incoming call in a foreign language, even if they are able to respond appropriately. In preparation for such a case, when a predetermined key of the key input unit 1 is pressed, the voice synthesizer provided inside the call / host communication switching control unit 2 "introduces the number of the telephone station providing the translation service. Then, I do not speak a foreign language, so I want you to call me through that telephone station. " When receiving a call, the language of the other party is unspecified, so the announcement will be in English.

When a call is made to a foreign country, the call is usually made using a satellite line. However, since the distance from the satellite is long, a slight time lag occurs, and communication that reverberates when hit is not performed. Therefore, since the translation device is originally in a state in which real-time communication cannot be performed even if it takes some time for the translation process, communication can be performed without a sense of discomfort.

In addition, since a considerable amount of dead time is essentially generated, and in addition, there is a dead time in the conversation itself, there is much waste in fixing the translation device exclusively for the talker. Therefore, at the station side, the translation device is connected to the line only when a voice signal is input, and is provided for the services of other users at other times.

By the way, the speed of words spoken by humans is not so high although there are individual differences. Therefore, if the translation speed of the translation device is fast, it is wasteful to fix the translation device for both parties during the presence of a voice signal. Therefore, even when a voice signal is input, the voice signal is stored in a memory, and the translation device side takes in it in a time-division manner and performs processing, so that more users can use the translation device. It can be used and can be translated economically.

The result translated by the automatic translator is transmitted as a voice signal, which is displayed. This is to help understanding, because translations are somewhat unreasonable as a way of communicating languages, because different languages often have different concepts. That is, even if automatic translation is performed, there is a limit to the number of vocabularies of the translation device, and there is a possibility that translation will be uncomfortable. In addition, the sound quality of the telephone line is not very good, and sometimes there are words that cannot be understood directly by listening. In such a case, seeing what is displayed helps understanding. For this purpose, grammar analysis is performed and the most suitable Kanji is selected and displayed. By doing this, it is possible to speed up understanding even if a somewhat unnatural translation is performed.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the station side is provided with the automatic translation device and the telephone side controls the automatic translation device. Therefore, the translation device can be used at any time, and the translation device is not required. Since a large number of specific ones are shared, there is an effect that the translation device can be used with good economical efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 key input unit 2 call / host communication switching control unit 3 time / translation display switching control unit 4 display unit 5 translation host computer (automatic translation device) 6 handset 7 telephone control unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A translation function comprising: a translation host computer provided on the station side; and a telephone to which a specific key on the operation surface is assigned for generating the translation host computer connection signal. Telephone system.