Functionality

How LinguaNet technology handles messages

The powerful theoretical base of LinguaNet permits a broad range of functions. The choice offered in the present system build is, however, controlled to some extent by the practical concerns of a professional sector. Genuine operational demands, ease and speed of use, a minimal training requirement, reliability of support technologies and cost are examples of considerations which have already moulded the police and emergency services prototype and which will continue to influence its successor.

It is anticipated, nevertheless, that the version of LinguaNet currently being prepared will require, alongside the more familiar system features, technologies derived from the most promising results of recent language engineering and telematics research. The following example features are included in the illustrations provided in this document:

LinguaNet: example features and technologies:

interfaces in all network languages

user specified templates for routine operational messages

translation modules for templated and controlled text

integrated paralinguistic media: sounds images fingerprints

text to speech conversion in all network languages

interaction with system by way of controlled speech

search facilities and message scanning

on-line operational police/services' multilingual lexicons

on-line 'directories': emergency plans contacts procedures

LinguaNet: example message topics and message segments

person descriptions

vehicle descriptions

major incident situation reports

casualty details

firearms reports

drugs reports

credit card details

fraud profiles

property descriptions

LinguaNet: Modes of use

Within the police sector there are contrasting modes of use. Routine cross-border enquiries differ from major incident communications and both differ from the exchanges conducted between national bureaux. LinguaNet must address the pace, the content and the protocols of all three if it is to serve the sector effectively. The simple example illustrated attempts to show the functionality used in a typical cross-border person enquiry.