Method and system for automatically translating messages in a communication system

• US 7,123,694 B1
• Filed: 09/07/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hecker, Hans-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/509,055
• Time in Patent Office: 2,962 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.05, 379/88.06, 379/142.15, 379/88.19, 379/88.21, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 704/3, 704/4, 704/9
• US Class Current: 379/88.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/00 Selecting arrangements H04Q5/00 - H04Q11/00 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system for automatically translating messages in a communication system wherein, when a connection is set up between a calling terminal device and a called terminal device, a first item of selector information identifying a language that depends on a calling subscriber is compared to a second item of selector information identifying a language that depends on a called subscriber. If the items of selector information do not match, a translator is looped into the connection automatically.

Claims

1. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber, the method comprising the steps of:

storing selector information designating a language that is allocated to a relevant subscriber for internal subscribers in the communication system;

storing display texts, in the communication system, for a dialogue operator interface of internal terminal devices in several languages;

forming the selector information dependent on the language of the display text for the dialogue operator interface that is selected by a subscriber;

comparing the selector information of a calling subscriber, when a connection is set up, to the selector information of the called subscriber; and

automatically activating a loop-in function, when items of the selector information of the calling subscriber differs from the selector information of the called subscriber, which effects an insertion of a translator into the connection.

2. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

transmitting, when a calling terminal device and a called terminal device are allocated to different communication systems, the selector information from the communication system of the calling terminal device to the communication system of the called terminal device.

3. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 2, the method further comprising the step of:

transmitting the selector information in the framework of an ISDN call signaling.

4. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

transmitting, in cases when a calling terminal device and a called terminal device are allocated to different communication systems, the selector information from the communication system of the called terminal device to the communication system of the calling terminal device.

5. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 4, the method further comprising the step of:

transmitting the selector information in the framework of an ISDN call signaling.

6. A method in a communication system for translating messages that are directed to a called subscriber into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

deactivating the loop-in function.

7. A method in a communication system for translating messages, that are directed to a called subscriber, into a language that is dependent upon the called subscriber as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message to be translated is at least one of a voice message, a fax message, a video message and a message for electronic mail.

8. A system in a communication system for translating messages, that are directed to a called subscriber, into a language that depends on the called subscriber, the system comprising:

a text memory in which display text for a display operator interface of internal terminal devices are stored in several languages;

subscriber-specific storage elements in which an item of selector information that identifies a language that has been selected for the subscriber terminal is respectively stored;

at least one translator for translating at least one of spoken language and text; and

a control unit for controlling a loop-in function that effects an insertion of a translator into a connection between the called subscriber and a calling subscriber in cases when the selector information allocated to the called subscriber is different from the selector information allocated to the calling subscriber.