Real-time Professional Communication and Translation Facilitator system and method

• US 20060259307A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colliance IP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Guillermo Alberto Medrano, Mateo Dylan Ward, Stephen William Anthony Sanders, Steven Sikes
• Inventors: Sanders, Stephen William Anthony, Sikes, Steven, Medrano, Guillermo Alberto, Ward, Mateo Dylan
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services

Abstract

A system and method for providing real-time interpretation, translation, and cross-culture communication expertise for delivery over the global communication and wireless networks, mobile communication devices and kiosks. The system provides an end-to-end global communication and interpretation service for users including registration, listing, profiling, matchmaking, authentication, scheduling, reservation, delivery, billing, feedback, archiving and rating components. Consumers engage the translation/interpretation services of certified language and knowledge experts after communicating their needs in their native language(s) or by selecting translators/interpreters based on profiling and availability. Thereinafter, the real-time event and/or knowledge transfer is delivered over the global communications networks, mobile phones, or kiosks. A method for providing a means for receiving and converting speech into text, then translating the “source” text into a plurality of “target” languages for delivery of translated text and/or speech. A system for implementing a fully-integrated customized global communication platform for enterprises and organizations.

Claims

1. A method and system for use in a global communication network, wherein there are language and culture barriers, for communicating language, cultural, and expert information to a consumer upon request in accordance with preferences of said consumer, comprising the steps of:

in response to a request from said consumer, a provider invokes a communication service, to facilitate on-demand or scheduled communication with said consumer;

monitoring characteristics of the information generated by said consumer;

said provider facilitates communication by providing any combination of translation into a plurality of languages;

interpretation;

written, spoken, or recorded language;

cross cultural information;

or subject matter expertise;

simultaneously with the communication, said provider services requests made for but not limited to language, cultural or subject matter information generated by said consumer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the response to said request is further comprised of any combination of translation, interpretation, language, cultural information, or subject matter expertise.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said consumer request is further communicated via any combination of video, telephony, fax, speech to text, text to speech, mobile communications device, or internet modalities.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, enabling a consumer to speak into a mobile or fixed communications device, for that speech to be converted to text and for a provider to render a translation of that text into a plurality of languages prior to transmitting back to the consumer in either text or voice format.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of said consumer and said provider may be located in different countries or jurisdictions from each other.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, enabling a provider to respond to a consumer'"'"'s request for services in the same language as the original request, even if said language is not known by the customer service representative.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, where a memory structure is employed for storing and cataloguing the ratings of said providers responding to said consumer requests.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, where a memory structure is employed for storing the schedules of said providers responding to said consumer requests so that provider availability may be determined in response to consumer requests.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, enabling a consumer to request a logic-driven analysis, delivered over the global communications networks via any one of a plurality of communication devices, which enhances the facilitated communication initiated by said consumer.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a provider responds to a consumer'"'"'s request for on-demand facilitation of communication and the output of that translation, session, or interaction can be recorded by the system and stored in a memory device in a speech or text format that is valid for use in a plurality of applications including but not limited to evidence in legal proceedings, translations of legal documents, and transcripts of negotiations.

11. The method and system enabling the consumer to request the participation of additional or multiple parties to either provide or receive services.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the system enables multi-party, real-time emergency communication assistance.

13. The method and system wherein a provider of any combination of facilitation of communication, cross cultural information, or interpretation of specific subject matter expertise can be selected by a consumer in advance of the rendering of the service through an automated process whereby the system selects a list of providers based on answers to a questionnaire or pre-set preferences established in the consumer'"'"'s profile including but not limited to language, age, sex, education, location, price, cultural background, etc. or whereby a consumer uses keywords to search for providers with specific expertise and rating levels.

14. The method and system enabling a consumer of on-demand facilitation of communication, cross cultural information, or interpretation of specific subject matter expertise to rate a service provider via said global communications networks based on the satisfaction of the consumer with a particular service.