Methods and systems for a sign language graphical interpreter

• US 20070291910A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Bucchieri, Vittorio G., Schmidt, Albert L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/55 Rule-based translation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/105 Synthesis of the lips movements from speech, e.g. for talking heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying visual content to a user corresponding to sound captured at a user terminal are disclosed. After receiving over a network from a user terminal a request to convert sound into a visual content representing the sound, wherein the sound comprises one or more words, a translation server may retrieve text corresponding to the one or more words from a database. The translation server may then convert the text into one or more content phrases, wherein the content phrases represent the meaning of the one or more words, and convert each of the one or more content phrases into a new language. Finally, the translation server may send visual content to the user terminal representing the new language.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing sound from a third party at a user terminal, wherein the sound comprises one or more words;

converting the one or more words into text representing each of the one or more words;

converting the text into one or more content phrases, wherein the content phrases represent the meaning of the one or more words;

converting each of the one or more content phrases into a new language; and

displaying visual content at the user terminal representing the new language.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting the new language into the visual content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the new language is American Sign Language.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party is at least one of a human being, a television, a theater, a radio, a computer, or a telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the visual content includes:

establishing a communication link between a server and the user terminal; and

transmitting the visual content to the user terminal by streaming of a file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the visual content consists of at least one or more animations corresponding to the new language and visual text corresponding to the new language.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more animations include at least one of a lip-read graphic, a hand animation, and an animated character.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound further comprises one or more unspoken noises.

9. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor and configured to perform the method of claim 1 when executed by the processor.

10. A system comprising:

a translation server connected to a network and accessible by at least one user terminal; and

wherein the translation server is configured to;

receive over a network from a user terminal a request to convert sound into a visual content representing the sound, wherein the sound comprises one or more words;

matching the one or more words to text corresponding to each of the one or more words;

convert the text into one or more content phrases, wherein the content phrases represent the meaning of the one or more words;

convert each of the one or more content phrases into a new language; and

send visual content to the user terminal representing the new language.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the translation server is further configured to convert the new language into the visual content.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the new language is American Sign Language.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the third party is at least one of a human being, a television, a theater, a radio, or a telephone.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the translation server is further configured to:

establish a communication link between a server and the user terminal; and

transmit the visual content to the user terminal by one of streaming of a file.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the visual content consists of at least one or more animations corresponding to the new language and visual text corresponding to the new language.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more animations include at least one of a lip-read graphic, a hand animation, and an animated character.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the sound further comprises one or more unspoken noises.