Speech Translation Apparatus Output Timing Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional speech translation apparatuses often result in communication errors due to overlapping output of synthesized speech and original speech, particularly in non-face-to-face interactions, leading to misunderstandings between users of different languages.
Innovation Solution
A speech translation apparatus with input and output units for each language, a speech detecting unit to identify speech durations, and an output timing adjustment unit that synchronizes the timing of synthesized speech output to avoid overlap with the original speech durations, ensuring non-overlapping speech synthesis and improved communication clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the speech translation apparatus outputs synthesized speech continuously without timing adjustment, then the translation function is achieved, but communication errors occur due to overlapping speech outputs
Solution Approach 1:
The speech detecting unit detects the duration of the original speech in advance before the synthesized speech is generated. The output timing adjustment unit uses this pre-detected duration information to determine the appropriate timing for outputting the synthesized speech, ensuring it does not overlap with the original speech. This preliminary detection and planning prevents communication errors without requiring complex real-time coordination mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the output timing of synthesized speech is adjusted to avoid overlap, then communication clarity is improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional detection and control units
Solution Approach 1:
The speech translation apparatus is divided into functionally independent units: a speech detecting unit that measures original speech duration, a translation unit that converts speech between languages, and an output timing adjustment unit that coordinates output timing. This segmentation allows each unit to perform its specific function independently, making the overall system easier to implement and maintain despite the added functionality for timing control.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a speech translation apparatus includes a first input unit configured to input a first speech of a first speaker; a second input unit configured to input a second speech of a second speaker that is different from the first speaker; a first translation unit configured to translate the first speech to a first target language sentence; a second translation unit configured to translate the second speech to a second target language sentence; a first output unit configured to output the first target language sentence; a second output unit configured to output the second target language sentence; a speech detecting unit configured to detect a first speech duration from the first speech and detect a second speech duration from the second speech; and an output timing adjustment unit configured to adjust at least one of the first output unit and the second output unit, when the first speech duration and the second speech duration overlap each other.