System and method for providing language translation services in a telecommunication network

• US 6,690,932 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Weksel, David, Barnier, Brian Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US09/659,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/422, 455/414, 455/456.5, 704/277, 704/2-9, 379/852, 379/45, 379/45.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A system for providing language translation services among a call taker at a call receiving station speaking a first language, a caller placing a request call from a call origin speaking a second language, and a translation service comprises: (a) a call distribution facility at the receiving station that transfers the call to a second-language call taker at the receiving station according to distribution rules; and (b) an information store coupled with the receiving station that contains information relating to selected call origins. The distribution rules are applied according to information received from the information store. The system may further comprise: (c) a translation agency remote from the receiving station that includes a second-language-proficient translator; and (d) a call-initiating facility at the receiving station for contacting the translation agency in selected circumstances. The call-initiating facility provides predetermined identification data required by the translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting the contact. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a call distribution facility that transfers request calls to a second-language call taker at the receiving station according to distribution rules; (b) providing an information store with information relating to selected call origins; the predetermined distribution rules are applied according to information received from the information store; (c) providing a translation agency remote from the receiving station that includes second-language-proficient translators; and (d) providing a call-initiating facility at the receiving station for contacting the translation agency in selected circumstances.

Claims

1. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service;

the system comprising;

(a) an internal call distribution facility at said service request call receiving station;

said internal call distribution facility effecting automatic transfer of said special services request call to a second-language-proficient call taker at said service request call receiving station according to predetermined distribution rules;

said second-language-proficient call taker providing said translation service; and

(b) an information store coupled with said service request call receiving station;

said information store containing information relating to selected call origins of said plurality of call origins;

said predetermined distribution rules being applied at least in part according to relevant information received by said service request call receiving station from said information store;

said relevant information relating at least to said extant call origin.

2. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 1 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

3. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 1 wherein the system further comprises:

(c) a translation agency situated remotely from said service request call receiving station;

said translation agency including a plurality of human translators;

at least one selected translator of said plurality of translators being a second-language-proficient translator; and

(d) a call-initiating facility at said service request call receiving station;

said call initiating facility being operated by said special number services call taker to contact said translation agency in selected circumstances;

said translation agency requiring predetermined identification data be presented by service seekers before rendering translation services;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact.

4. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

5. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 3 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

6. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 3 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

7. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 1 wherein the system further comprises:

(c) a translation agency situated remotely from said service request call receiving station;

said translation agency including a plurality of human translators;

at least one selected translator of said plurality of translators being a second-language-proficient translator;

(d) a call-initiating facility at said service request call receiving station;

said call initiating facility being operated by said special number services call taker to contact said translation agency in selected circumstances;

(e) a voice telecommunication network linking said service request call receiving station with said translation agency; and

(f) a data telecommunication network linking said service request call receiving station with said translation agency;

said contact being effected between said service request call receiving station and said translation agency via at least one of said voice telecommunication network and said data telecommunication network;

said translation agency requiring predetermined identification data be presented by service seekers before rendering translation services;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact.

8. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 7 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

9. A system for effecting communications among a special number services call taker situated at a service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing a special services request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 7 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

10. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service;

the system comprising;

(a) an internal call distribution facility at said emergency service request call receiving station;

said internal call distribution facility effecting automatic transfer of said emergency service request call to a second-language-proficient call taker at said emergency service request call receiving station according to predetermined distribution rules;

said second-language-proficient call taker providing said translation service;

(b) an information store coupled with said emergency service request call receiving station;

said information store containing information relating to selected call origins of said plurality of call origins;

said predetermined distribution rules being applied at least in part according to relevant information received by said emergency service request call receiving station from said information store;

said relevant information relating at least to said extant call origin;

(c) a translation agency situated remotely from said emergency service request call receiving station;

said translation agency including a plurality of human translators;

at least one selected translator of said plurality of translators being a second-language-proficient translator; and

(d) a call-initiating facility at said emergency service request call receiving station;

said call initiating facility being operated by said emergency service call taker to contact said translation agency in selected circumstances;

said translation agency requiring predetermined identification data be presented by translation service seekers before rendering translation services;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact.

11. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 10 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

12. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 10 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

13. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 11 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

14. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, an emergency service number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 10 wherein the system further comprises:

(e) a voice telecommunication network linking said emergency service request call receiving station with said translation agency; and

(f) a data telecommunication network linking said emergency service request call receiving station with said translation agency;

said contact being effected between said emergency service request call receiving station and said translation agency via at least one of said voice telecommunication network and said data telecommunication network;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact via at least one of said voice telecommunication network and said data telecommunication network.

15. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 14 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

16. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 14 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

17. A system for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 15 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

18. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing an internal call distribution facility at said emergency service request call receiving station;

said internal call distribution facility effecting automatic transfer of said emergency service request call to a second-language-proficient call taker at said emergency service request call receiving station according to predetermined distribution rules;

said second-language-proficient call taker providing said translation service;

(b) providing an information store coupled with said emergency service request call receiving station;

said information store containing information relating to selected call origins of said plurality of call origins;

said predetermined distribution rules being applied at least in part according to relevant information received by said emergency service request call receiving station from said information store;

said relevant information relating at least to said extant call origin;

(c) providing a translation agency situated remotely from said emergency service request call receiving station;

said translation agency including a plurality of human translators;

at least one selected translator of said plurality of translators being a second-language-proficient translator; and

(d) providing a call-initiating facility at said emergency service request call receiving station;

said call initiating facility being operated by said emergency service call taker to contact said translation agency in selected circumstances;

said translation agency requiring predetermined identification data be presented by translation service seekers before rendering translation services;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact.

19. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 18 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

20. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 18 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

21. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 19 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

22. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, an emergency service number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 18 wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

(e) providing a voice telecommunication network linking said emergency service request call receiving station with said translation agency; and

(f) providing a data telecommunication network linking said emergency service request call receiving station with said translation agency;

said contact being effected between said emergency service request call receiving station and said translation agency via at least one of said voice telecommunication network and said data telecommunication network;

said call initiating facility automatically providing said predetermined identification data to said translation agency substantially immediately upon effecting said contact via at least one of said voice telecommunication network and said data telecommunication network.

23. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 22 wherein said second-language-proficient call taker is assigned a second-language proficiency rating;

said second-language-proficiency rating being contained in said information store; and

wherein said relevant information includes said second-language-proficiency rating.

24. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 22 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.

25. A method for effecting communications among an emergency service call taker situated at an emergency service request call receiving station and speaking a first language, a special number caller placing an emergency service request call from a call origin and speaking a second language, and a translation service as recited in claim 23 wherein said predetermined identification data includes an indication of which language is said second language.