Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to improving language communication and, more particularly, concerns a method and apparatus for improving understanding between persons having different levels of skill in a target language when they communicate in the target language. 
     Increasingly, communications are carried on between individuals with different levels of skill in the language of communication. For example, a businessman who is a native English speaker may be communicating in English with a foreign colleague whose level of skill in English is far below his. In the course of a discussion, for example by telephone, the English speaker may converse at a level which is beyond his colleague&#39;s ability. Communication can suffer because of incomplete or incorrect understanding. In extreme circumstances, the foreign colleague can become overwhelmed fairly quickly. The English speaker is usually not aware of the deteriorating communication, and the foreign colleague may not tell, owing to embarrassment. 
     In learning a foreign language, much is to be gained by a student from communicating with a native speaker of the language. Not only does the student learn a natural style of communication, but he becomes immersed in the rhythm and flow of the language. This is particularly true when it comes to verbal communication. However, unless the student learning the language is a fairly advanced student, it becomes all too likely that the native speaker&#39;s vocabulary or sentence structure will be too sophisticated for the student, or the native speaker&#39;s speed of communication may be too fast. Consequently, the student may not understand enough of the native speaker&#39;s communication to benefit fully from the experience, or he may not be able to keep up with the native speaker. 
     Therefore, there exists a need to improve communications between individuals having substantially different levels of skill in a language to communicate, most particularly, for the purpose of allowing a language learner of a target language to practice with a native speaker. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, in a communication between individuals having different levels of skill in a language, communication by the more skilled individual is controlled so as to keep it at a level understandable by the lesser skilled individual. For example, a native speaker&#39;s communication with a student learning his language (the target language) is monitored by an interface and compared with a stored model representing the student&#39;s knowledge and ability in the language. Should the native speaker communicate in a way that would not be understood by the student, for example, by using vocabulary or a sentence structure beyond the student&#39;s ability, the interface will notify the native speaker. The interface might then suggest an alternate word or sentence structure to the native speaker, inviting him to use the alternate communication. The native speaker can then substitute the suggested alternative language and send on the alternate communication. 
     Alternately, such as when a word that is not in the student&#39;s vocabulary but is at his level, or when it is in an upcoming lesson, the interface might permit the native speaker&#39;s communication to be received by the student, but it could include an explanation or an image defining the unknown word. 
     In any event, the lesser skilled individual receives the maximum benefit from communicating with a higher skilled individual, and the understanding between them is improved by ensuring that the communication will not be beyond the ability of the lesser skilled individual. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing brief description and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood more completely from the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments in accordance with the present invention, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a language skills teaching system embodying the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of controller  24  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a training and support module, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram illustrating a language skills teaching system  10  embodying the present invention. A student learning a target language and a native speaker of the language communicate in the language with respective communication devices  12 ,  14 . Preferably, communication devices  12 ,  14  are personal computers or communication terminals, but they may be any type of communication devices, such as a smart telephone or al PDA. Preferably, communication is verbal, so communication devices  12 ,  14  will include some form of microphone and means for playing an audible signal. 
     The student&#39;s terminal  12  communicates with the native speaker&#39;s terminal  14  by sending thereto a verbal communication in the target language from the student. The native speaker responds, in the target language, and his response is stored in a buffer  16 . The native speaker&#39;s response is also provided to a monitor  18 , which isolates language elements like vocabulary words and grammatical structures from his response and provides them to a query generator  20 . Query generator  20  then formulates an appropriate query for a database manager  22  which contains the student&#39;s database, representing his skill in the target language. Query generation and database management are well known technologies. Similarly, the use of speech recognition used to convert speech to text for use by the database is a well known technology. 
     The student&#39;s database contains a current description of the student&#39;s ability in the target language. It may include the complete vocabulary known by the student and a complete description of his ability in the target language. 
     Such a database could be derived from a computerized teaching machine being used by the student to learn the target language. Such a system is described in copending application Ser. No. 12/052,435, owned by the assignee of the present invention, and the contents of which are hereby fully incorporated by reference. 
     Alternately, the description may simply include a vocabulary level indicator for the target language, and the query could then be directed to a central database containing the entire vocabulary for that level. In either event, the query containing the words in the native speaker&#39;s response is addressed to the database, and a determination is made whether the student should understand all of the words in the query. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that further levels of sophistication may be incorporated within the query. For example, the query could include a description of the sentence structure of the native speaker&#39;s response, and the database could include a description of the sentence structures understood by the student. It would then be possible to determine whether or not, apart from the vocabulary, the student would understand the sentence structure. Tense and grammatical form can also be processed in a similar manner. Similarly, the database could include information regarding words that the student will be learning soon, so a determination could be made whether it might be beneficial for the student to be exposed to such words. In such a case, an image or other hind can be given to the student, which image or hint would not be given if the words used were already known to the student. 
     In response to the query, database manager  22  provides a response to a controller  24  related to the last query. The response might be a simple indication that the words of the query are all within the vocabulary understood by the student in the target language. In that case, controller  24  enables buffer  16  to transmit the native speaker&#39;s response to the student&#39;s terminal  12 . 
     On the other hand, the response provided to the controller  24  might indicate that one or more words in the query or sentence structure are too sophisticated for the student. The response might also include words understood by the student which could be substituted for words in the query. Controller  24  would then cause a message generator  26  to generate an appropriate message on the native speaker&#39;s communication device  14 . The message would inform the native speaker that his response is too complex and suggest an alternate response. The native speaker could then provide the alternate response, which is stored in buffer  16  in place of the original response. He then provides an indication to his terminal that an alternate response has been provided, and his terminal enables the new message in buffer  16  to be sent to the student&#39;s communication device  12 . 
     Alternatively, the alternate response could be generated and sent to the student&#39;s communication device  12  automatically. It would be preferable, however, to provide some delay before the alternate response is sent, in order to give the native speaker the opportunity to cancel its transmission. 
     Further levels of sophistication could be built into controller  24 . For example, should the response from the database manager  22  indicate that the student does not know one of the words in the query but will be learning it soon, controller  24  could enable the message in buffer  16  to be sent to the students communicational terminal and could simultaneously cause a message generator  28  to send an appropriate message to the student&#39;s communication device  12 . That message could include a definition of the unknown word or, more preferably, a descriptive graphic for the word. It is also contemplated that the message could include an excerpt from a future lesson in which the unknown word or words are taught. 
     A further level of sophistication that could be added in a system involving spoken communication would be to provide voice transformation technology in the student&#39;s computing device. Software and devices which perform voice transformation are well known. Such technology can speed up or slow down speech without changing the sound of the voice. Thus, by entering a code or clicking on an area of a display screen of his computing device the student may slow down the native speaker&#39;s voice until he understands what is being said. Preferably, a message would be sent to the native speaker when the student performs this action, in order to notify him that he needs to slow down his speech. As a further level of sophistication, the voice transformer could retain the slower version of the native speaker&#39;s speech after the student has slowed it down a predetermined number of times within a predetermined interval of time. 
     Message generators  26  and  28  could have a fixed set of messages, with controller  24  indicating the message to be sent and the content to be inserted. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of controller  24 . In block  100 , controller  24  awaits a response from database manager  22  and, upon receiving the response, transfers control to block  102 . At block  102 , a test is performed to determine if the response from database manager  22  indicates that all words in the query are known by the student. If so, transmission of the message in buffer  16  is enabled at block  104 , and control returns to block  100 , where receipt of further responses awaited. 
     Should the test at block  102  indicate that all of the words in the query were not known by the student, a further test is performed at block  106  to determine if any of the unknown words will be learned soon by the student. If not, control transfers to block  108 , where message generator  26  is caused to generate a message to the native speaker suggesting an alternate response. 
     Should the test at block  106  indicate that one or more of the unknown words will be learned by the students soon, control transfers to block  110  where message generator  28  is caused to generate a message to the student defining those words. A test is then performed at block  112  to determine whether all of the unknown words are among those soon to be learned. If so, control transfers to block  104 , where transmission of the message stored in buffer  16  is enabled. If not, control transfers to block  108  for generation of a message to the native speaker and, ultimately, return to block  100  to await receipt of a further response from the database manager. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, it is contemplated that the native speaker be provided with training and support.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a preferred training and support module  40  that will achieve this. Preferably, this module is provided on the native speaker&#39;s computing device  14  or made accessible to it, such as through a network connection. Module  40  includes a speech recognition engine (SRE)  42  which is preferably part of monitor  18 . SRE  42  senses the native speaker&#39;s speech and converts it to text or some other processable form, for communication of information to query generator  20 . A whisper assistant  44  and a presentation module  46  are enhancements to message generator  26 . Whisper assistant  44  provides spoken communications, preferably synthesized, to the native speaker in his own language. That is, the communications provided by message generator  26  are presented to the native speaker as spoken messages. Similarly, presentation module  46  can present messages in the form of various types of presentations on the screen of the native speaker&#39;s computing device. 
     A training enabler  48  provided in the native speaker&#39;s computing device will place it into a training mode. That is, without receiving any communications from the student&#39;s computing device  12 , the native speaker is enabled to carry on his side of the communication. Training enabler  48  could, for example, present prerecorded “communications” as if they came from a student, and the native speaker could provide his own responses. System  10  would operate as explained above, monitoring the native speaker&#39;s communications and sending appropriate messages. In the present instance, the messages may also be verbal, via whisperer assistant  44  or a presentation provided via module  46 . 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although  FIG. 3  shows SRE  42  communicating functionally with whisperer assistant  44  and presentation module  46 , those communications are actually provided through system  10  as described previously. That is, the native speaker&#39;s communications are actually compared against the student&#39;s database and controller  24  causes communications with the native speaker as if he were actually communicating with the student. Thus, in preparation for a session with the student, the native speaker is able to get training just as if he were communicating with the student. 
     It is, however, contemplated that a collection of “standard” databases would be available to the native speaker. He would merely need to select the level of skill of the student (for example “8 th  grade”) and the system would provide training at that level. This would be particularly useful in a non-teaching environment, such as in business communications. The native speaker need merely estimate the level of skill of the other person, and he would then receive appropriate training. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this type of training could be free-standing, in that it all components could be incorporated into the native speaker&#39;s computing device. 
     Whisperer assistant  44  could provide a spoken version of messages that would normally be presented by message generator  26 . For example, it could tell the native speaker when he needed to slow down his rate of speech, or it cold suggest words or phrases for substitution in his communication. 
     Presentation module  46  is capable of presenting a collection of available presentation modules on the display in the native speaker&#39;s computing device. For example, it could display any kind of window, including one with an image or audio. It could also display parallel columns  52 , for example, one column showing the native speaker&#39;s communication and the other showing a recommended, modified form. It could also show topic clouds  54  with such topics as “food”, “family”, or “hobbies.” The native speaker could click on this and be presented with appropriate vocabulary to be used with the student. Among the topic clouds, there could also be a “browse” cloud permitting the native speaker to browse for appropriate topics. The presentation module might also present a series of tiles  56  on the screen of the native speaker&#39;s computing device. 
     It will be appreciated that with the flexibility provided to train the native speaker, he could become a “specialist” in a very short time. For example, he could specialize in students at a certain level, or he could quickly learn the language associated with a particular line of business. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that it would also be beneficial to provide the whisperer assistant  44  and presentation module  46  during actual communications with a student and not limit them to use during training. 
     Above, there has been a description of the present invention as embodied in a teaching system. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the utility of the present invention is not so limited. It would be useful in any instance in which a higher skilled person in a target language needs to communicate with a lesser skilled person in the language. For example, suppose an English speaker needs must carry out a business communication with a foreign individual whose ability in English is limited. Use of the present invention would facilitate communication between these two individuals. It would only be necessary to select the English level of skill for the foreign individual. This could be built in as an adjustment in the English speaker&#39;s communication device. For example, he could be offered a selection of a fifth-grade, eighth-grade or high school level of English proficiency, and he could then commence a verbal communication with the foreign individual at that level. If he suspects a communication is not going well. He could always adjust the level while carrying on the communication. 
     It will also be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to use with verbal communications. It could prove very valuable for written communications, as well. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions, modifications, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: 3