Communication device, method, and program

Abstract

Disclosed is a communication device including a first communication part, a calling processing part, and a second communication part. The first communication part generates a response by a virtual communication party to a user's input and outputs the response from an output unit to realize first communication. The calling processing part controls a communication unit and performs calling processing on a communication device of a real communication party to call the real communication party when the first communication is realized by the first communication part. The second communication part controls the communication unit to supply the user's input accepted by the input unit to the communication device of the real communication party, acquires a response to the user's input from the communication device of the real communication party, and outputs the response to the output unit to realize second communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 circuitry configured to:   receive a user input, from a first user, intended to a second user;   generate a response by a virtual communication party on behalf of the second user in response to the user input; and   perform communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party,   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the response by the virtual communication party is generated in a state in which the second user does not respond to the user input. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual communication party is determined based on at least one of a plurality of profiles of the second user. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the response by the virtual communication party is generated based on at least a relationship between the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual communication party is configured to determine whether to generate the response to the user input based on context of the user input. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the context of the user input includes at least one of a voice tone of the first user, keywords in the user input, a facial expression of the first user, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein in an event the voice tone of the first user falls outside a predetermined range of a tone of a voice of a general conversation, the circuitry is configured to switch from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party to the communication between the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein in an event at least one of the keywords in the user input is a negative keyword, the circuitry is configured to switch from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party to the communication between the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein in an event a facial expression of the first user falls outside a predetermined range, the circuitry is configured to switch from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party to the communication between the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus, comprising:
 circuitry configured to:   send a user input, from a first user, intended to a second user;   receive a response generated by a virtual communication party on behalf of the second user in response to the user input from the first user; and   perform communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party,   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.   
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a user input, from a first user, intended to a second user;   generating a response by a virtual communication party on behalf of the second user in response to the user input; and   performing communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party,   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 sending a user input, from a first user, intended to a second user;   receiving a response generated by a virtual communication party on behalf of the second user in response to the user input; and   performing communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party,   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 circuitry configured to:   receive a user input, from a first user, intended to a second user;   generate a response by a virtual communication party on behalf of the second user in response to the user input;   perform communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party; and   generate another response by the virtual communication party in response to the communication between the first user and the second user,   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising:
 circuitry configured to:   send a user input of a first user;   receive a response generated by a virtual communication party in response to the user input;   perform communication between the first user and the second user in succession to communication between the first user and the virtual communication party; and   receive another response generated by the virtual communication party in response to the communication between the first user and the second user;   wherein the communication between the first user and the second user is displayed to be distinguishable from the communication between the first user and the virtual communication party on a user device of the first user.