System and method for offering portable language interpretation services

• US 7,376,415 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance SE)
• Original Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance SE)
• Inventors: Surette, Craig Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/618,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20040014462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/418, 455/407, 379/114.01, 379/132, 379/111, 379/67.1, 379/88.05
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Language interpretation for users includes a portable system for providing access to interpretation services, such as a prepaid, debit or credit card for the user. The prepaid card has a number of minutes of language interpretation service associated with it in addition to a number of minutes of telephone time. A telephone number to call is printed on the card for language interpretation services. Minutes or other unit of measure are deducted from the card as used for the interpretation. The cards are language specific, and the telephone number printed on the card is specific to a certain language. The service can be part of telephone service or more especially part of a mobile telephone service. The mobile telephone has a number of minutes of language interpretation service associated with it in addition to a number of minutes of telephone time. A telephone number is programmed to call the language interpretation services.

Claims

1. A method of offering a portable live language interpretation service to a user, the method comprising:

offering the user a card to carry, the card having a predetermined amount of units of live language interpretation service associated with the card, a predetermined amount of units of telephone service associated with the card, and a telephone number to call printed on the card for said language interpretation services;

providing a language interpretation service to the user at the telephone number specified on the card;

deducting one or more units from the predetermined amount of units of live language interpretation service associated with the card based on an amount of units of language interpretation service provided to the user; and

deducting one or more units from the predetermined amount of units of telephone service associated with the card based on an amount of units of telephone service provided to the user for a duration of a telephone call in which the live language interpretation service is provided.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the card is language specific, and the telephone number printed on the card is specific to a certain language.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising requesting, during the telephone call, the user to specify the language for the language interpretation service.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the offering the user the card is effectuated by including the card in a commercial package.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the card is rechargeable to provide additional minutes for at least one of the language interpretation service or the telephone time.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein language interpretation service access expires after a predetermined time from an initial activation.

7. A method of offering a portable live language interpretation service to users, the method comprising:

having the user use a mobile telephone, the mobile telephone having a predetermined number of units of live language interpretation service, a predetermined number of units of telephone service, and a telephone number to call programmed into the telephone for said language interpretation services;

providing a language interpretation service to the user as programmed into the telephone;

deducting one or more units from the predetermined number of units of live language interpretation service from the mobile telephone based on an amount of units of language interpretation service provided to the user; and

deducting one or more units from the predetermined number of units of telephone service from the mobile telephone based on an amount of units of telephone service provided to the user for a duration of a telephone call in which the live language interpretation service is provided.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the telephone number to call is programmed into the phone and accessed by pressing a single button on the mobile telephone.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mobile telephone is rechargeable to provide additional minutes for at least one of the language interpretation service or the telephone time.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein language interpretation service access expires after a predetermined time from an initial activation.

11. A medium for offering portable live language interpretation service to users, the medium comprising:

a card for a user, the card having a first data set relating to a predetermined number of units of live language interpretation service associated with the card, a second data set related to a predetermined amount of units of telephone service associated with the card, and a telephone number to call on the card for said language interpretation service;

the card having an access data set for providing access to said language interpretation service to the user at the telephone number specified on the card; and

a computerized system that deducts one or more units from the predetermined amount of units of live language interpretation service associated with the card in the first data set based on an amount of units of language interpretation service provided to the user and deducts one or more units from the predetermined amount of units of telephone service associated with the card in the second data set based on an amount of units of telephone service provided to the user for a duration of a telephone call in which said live language interpretation service is provided.