DYNAMIC MODIFICATION OF A MESSAGING LANGUAGE

• US 20080126077A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thorn, Ola Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/263 Language identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function

Abstract

A method for dynamically modifying an outgoing message language includes receiving a message from a sender. A language associated with tie received message is identified and an outgoing message language is automatically set to the identified language associated with the received message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a message from a sender;

identifying a language associated with the received message; and

automatically setting an outgoing message language to the identified language associated with the received message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message further comprises:

identifying an address book entry associated with the sender;

determining whether the address book entry indicates a preferred language for use in messaging with the sender; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the preferred language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message comprises:

identifying a language used in a majority of previously sent messages to the sender; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the language used in the majority of previously sent messages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifying a language used in a majority of previously sent messages to the sender comprises;

identifying the language used in the majority of previously sent messages to the sender when at least a predetermined number of messages have been previous sent to the sender.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message further comprises:

determining whether a predetermined percentage of terms in the received message are associated with a currently set outgoing message language; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the currently set outgoing message language when it is determined that the predetermined percentage of terms in the received message are associated with the currently set outgoing message language.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined percentage comprises between about 35% and about 75%.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined percentage comprises about 50%.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message further comprises:

comparing the terms in the received message to at least one dictionary associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language;

determining whether a second predetermined percentage of terms in the received message match terms in a dictionary associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the currently set outgoing message language when it is determined that the second predetermined percentage of terms in the received message match terms in the dictionary associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one dictionary is stored locally.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one dictionary is stored remotely and accessed via a network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message further comprises:

identifying terms in the received message that match terms in at least one frequently used word index associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the language associated with the frequently used word index having a largest number of matching terms.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message further comprises:

identifying terms in the received message that match terms in at least one infrequently used word index associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the language associated with the infrequently used word index having a smallest number of matching terms.

13. The method of claim 1l, further comprising:

determining whether a dictionary associated with the language associated with the received message is currently supported; and

retrieving the dictionary from a remote resource if the dictionary is not currently supported.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the retrieving the dictionary from a remote resource includes downloading the dictionary from a service provider.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the retrieving the dictionary from a remote resource includes downloading the dictionary from a server via a wireless network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a language associated with the received message farther comprises:

comparing a syntax of the received message to at least one syntax pattern associated with a language other than the currently set outgoing message language; and

identifying the language associated with the received message as the language associated with the syntax pattern best matching the syntax of the received message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message comprises one of a text message, a multi-media message, an email message, an instant message, or a chat message.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message from a sending party;

logic configured to;

identify a language associated with the received message;

automatically set an outgoing message language to the identified language; and

generate an outgoing message using the outgoing message language; and

a transmitter configured to;

transmit the outgoing message to a communication device associated with the sending party.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, further comprising:

memory configured to store an address book including information associated with a plurality of contacts,

wherein the logic is further configured to;

determine whether the address book includes contact information associated with the sending party;

determine whether the contact information associated with the sending party includes a preferred language when it is determined that the address book includes contact information associated with the sending party; and

set the language associated with the received message as the preferred language when the contact information associated with the sending party includes the preferred language.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the logic is further configured to:

determine a preferred messaging language based on messages previously sent to the sending party when it is determined that the contact information associated with the sending party does not include a preferred language.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the preferred messaging language is determined based on a language used in a majority of messages previously sent to the sending party.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the logic configured to identify a language associated with the received message, is further configured to:

match terms included in the received message to a plurality of dictionaries associated with languages other than a currently set messaging language; and

set the language associated with the received message to a language associated with one dictionary in the plurality of dictionaries that includes a predetermined percentage of matching terms.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, wherein the predetermined percentage of matching terms comprises about 35% to about 75%.

24. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive a message from a sender;

identify a language associated with the received message; and

automatically configure an outgoing message language to the identified language associated with the received message.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions for causing the at least one processor to identify a language associated with the received message, further comprise instructions for causing the at least on processor to:

identify a language associated with the received message based on a comparison of terms included in the received message to at least one of a dictionary associated with a language other than a current outgoing message language, a frequently used word index, or an infrequently used word index associated with the language other than the current outgoing message language.