Communication System Transcript Definition Lookup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VoIP and communication systems do not effectively facilitate the understanding of unfamiliar words, acronyms, or terms during conversations, requiring users to interrupt the flow or use separate devices for definitions, especially in multi-party conversations or technical contexts where common parlance is lacking.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that generates and displays a transcript of conversations, allowing users to identify and query definitions for selected subsets of characters without interrupting the conversation, using local or external sources, and providing context for relevant definitions, which can be stored for future reference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a user interrupts the conversation to ask for definitions, then the user can obtain clarification of unfamiliar terms, but the flow of conversation is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically detecting unfamiliar terms and preparing definition information before the user needs it. The transcript is continuously monitored and definitions are pre-fetched, so when a user encounters an unfamiliar term, the explanation is already available for immediate display, eliminating the need to interrupt the conversation flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism - an automated term detection and definition delivery system that acts as a mediator between the user and the information needed. Instead of direct user intervention to request definitions, the intermediary system automatically identifies unfamiliar terms and provides explanations through the communication device interface, maintaining conversation continuity.
2Loss of information
If a user conducts an internet search on a separate device, then the definition can be obtained, but the user is distracted from the phone call
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the definition lookup function with the communication device itself. The term detection, search, and definition delivery components are integrated into the phone or communication device, allowing users to receive term explanations on the same device they use for the conversation, eliminating the need to switch to a separate device and maintain focus on the call.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication device is enhanced with multi-functionality, serving both as the primary communication tool and as an automated dictionary/thesaurus. The device performs multiple functions: voice communication, transcript generation, term detection, and definition delivery, all through a single interface, making it universally useful for both conversation and information lookup.
3Loss of information
If the system provides definitions for all terms, then complete understanding is achieved, but information overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by selectively providing definitions only for specific terms that meet certain criteria - namely, unfamiliar terms detected in the conversation. Rather than providing all possible information uniformly, the system tailors the information delivery to the specific needs of the user at specific moments, providing definitions locally where needed in the conversation flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial action by providing definitions for only a subset of terms - specifically those identified as unfamiliar through detection algorithms. It does not provide all possible definitions excessively, but rather the necessary portion selectively, balancing completeness of understanding with avoidance of information overload.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a communication system includes generating a transcript of at least a portion of a conversation between a plurality of users. The transcript includes a plurality of subsets of characters. The method further includes displaying the transcript on a plurality of communication devices, identifying an occurrence of at least one selected subset of characters from the plurality of subsets of characters, and querying a definition source for at least one definition for the selected subset of characters. The definition for the selected subset of characters is displayed on the plurality of communication devices.