Videophone with continuous speech-to-subtitles translation

• US 5,815,196 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Alshawi, Hiyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAN, STEPHEN C
• Application Number:
  US08/581,666
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14-17, 379/93.01, 379/93.14, 379/93.15, 379/93.26, 379/52, 379/53, 379/54, 379/201, 704/8, 704/270, 704/271, 704/277, 704/2
• US Class Current: 348/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

There is disclosed a method and apparatus for providing continuous speech-to-subtitles translation utilizing a video-based communications device but without speech synthesis at the output. Instead, a translation of each user'"'"'s speech is displayed continuously in text form on the other user'"'"'s screen. In the preferred embodiment, the sending party speaks into a conventional videophone. Speech recognition and translation of the transmitted signal are performed by a remote device at the receiving party'"'"'s location. The audio portion of the signal is sent both to a speaker for audio output and to a speech recognizer and text-based translation system, the output of which is text translated into the target language. The video portion of the signal and the translated text are combined in a subtitle generator and sent to a display device for viewing by the receiving party.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing continuous speech-to-subtitle translation of a signal containing a video portion, and an audio portion comprising:

(a) means for converting said audio portion to a corresponding first textual signal, wherein said converting means is located at a sending party'"'"'s location;

(b) means for translating said corresponding first textual signal to a second textual signal wherein said second textual signal is in a target language and wherein said translating means is located remotely from said sending party'"'"'s location;

(c) means for combining said video portion with said second textual signal to form a display signal, wherein said display signal displays said second textual signal as subtitles; and

(d) means for simultaneously displaying said display signal and outputting said audio portion.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said converting means comprises a speech recognizer.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said translating means comprises a text-based machine translation system.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said combining means comprises a subtitle generator.

5. A method of providing continuous speech-to-subtitle translation of a signal containing a video portion and an audio portion, comprising the steps of:

(e) converting said audio portion to a corresponding first textual signal at a sending party'"'"'s location;

(f) translating said corresponding first textual signal to a second textual signal at a location remote from said sending party'"'"'s location, wherein said second textual signal is in a target language; and

(g) combining said video portion with said second textual signal to form a display signal, wherein said display signal displays said second textual signal as subtitles.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of displaying said display signal and outputting said audio portion simultaneously.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said converting step is performed by a speech recognizer.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said translating step is performed by a text-based machine translation system.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein said combining step is performed by a subtitle generator.