Speech interactive apparatus and computer program product using output prompts and user responses

1. A speech interactive apparatus comprising:

an output unit configured to output a first prompt which needs to be notified to a user;

a receiving unit configured to receive a start instruction of a speech input from the user as a reply to the first prompt;

a speech recognizing unit configured to perform speech recognition of a response that is input by the user;

an interactive unit configured to decide on a second prompt, which is determined according to a speech recognition result of the response, based on interaction information stored in a storing unit and instruct the output unit to output the second prompt;

a response control unit configured to stop the output of the first prompt when the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output; and

a deciding unit configured to decide on a first determination period, which is used in determining whether or not a silent state has occurred, based on whether or not the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output or based on the timing of receiving the start instruction, wherein

when the response is not input during a period starting from the reception of the start instruction till an elapse of the first determination period, the response control unit determines that the silent state has occurred and instructs the output unit to output the first prompt again.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, shorter a period from a time of starting the output of the first prompt up to the time of receiving the start instruction, the deciding unit decides on the first determination time to be of a shorter duration.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a supplementary information control unit configured to, when the response is not input during a period starting from the timing of receiving the start instruction till the elapse of the first determination period, instruct the output unit to output supplementary information that contains information regarding the response that is input as the reply to the first prompt.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising an interactive unit configured to decide on a prompt, which is determined according to the speech recognition result of the response, based on interaction information stored in a storing unit and instruct the output unit to output the prompt, wherein

when the response is not input during a period starting from the reception of the start instruction till an elapse of the first determination period that is set to be equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold value, the supplementary information control unit instructs the output unit to output supplementary information that contains information regarding the response that is input as a reply to the second prompt that is determined based on the interaction information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein, longer the first determination period, the supplementary information control unit instructs the output unit to output the supplementary information at a later timing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein, when the first determination period is shorter than a predetermined threshold value and when the response is not input during a period starting from the start of outputting the first prompt till the elapse of the first determination period, the supplementary information control unit instructs the output unit to instruct the supplementary information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a supplementary information control unit configured to, when the response is not input during a period starting from the start of outputting the first prompt till the elapse of a second determination period that is shorter than the first determination period, instruct the output unit to output supplementary information that contains information regarding the response that is input as the reply to the first prompt.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including programmed instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute:

outputting a first prompt which needs to be notified to a user;

receiving a start instruction of a speech input from the user as a reply to the first prompt;

performing speech recognition of a response that is input by the user;

deciding on a second prompt, which is determined according to a speech recognition result of the response, based on interaction information stored in a storing unit and instructing an output unit to output the second prompt;

stopping the output of the first prompt when the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output; and

deciding on a first determination period, which is used in determining whether or not a silent state has occurred, based on whether or not the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output or based on the timing of receiving the start instruction; and

determining, when the response is not input during a period starting from the reception of the start instruction till an elapse of the first determination period, that the silent state has occurred and instructing the output unit to output the first prompt again.