Prompt language translation for a telecommunications system

• US 7,398,215 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Incorporated (MLN TopCo Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Inter-Tel (Delaware) Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Alemayehu, Eyor, Mesbah, Ibrahim
• Primary Examiner(s): OPSASNICK, MICHAEL N
• Application Number:
  US10/746,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/260, 704/270, 704/275, 704/277, 379/88.01, 379/88.05, 379/88.06, 379/88.13, 379 8814- 88263
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00

Abstract

A prompt translation application for use in a telecommunications messaging system provides an administrator with a plurality of messaging prompts in a base language for revising, translating, and editing. The administrator can nearly simultaneously revise both a visual component of a prompt and an audio component of the prompt, and save the revisions for use on any number of associated endpoints. In the preferred embodiments, revisions to the visual component are made by user input, such as keystrokes, and to the audio component by selection of audio segments to be played in a particular order.

Claims

1. A telecommunications messaging system comprising:

a switching apparatus for connecting real-time voice and multimedia communications to a plurality of endpoints;

a visual messaging system coupled to the switching apparatus and to the endpoints and configured to display a plurality of textual messaging prompts at the endpoint when a message event occurs, the textual messaging prompts retrieved from a visual prompt memory of the visual messaging system;

an audio messaging system coupled to the switching apparatus and to the endpoints and configured to cause the endpoint to play a plurality of sound recordings representing a plurality of audio messaging prompts when the message event occurs, the audio messaging prompts retrieved from an audio prompt memory of the audio messaging system;

an administration workstation in communication with the visual and audio messaging systems, the workstation having a display, an audio system and an input device;

a messaging prompt translation computer program product retrievable by the administration workstation and having programming code for causing the workstation to display a plurality of messaging prompts in a base language stored in a base language file at an archive of the telecommunications system and to play a recording of the messaging prompts in the base language, and for revising the plurality of messaging prompts in a secondary language in response to directions designated by the input device, and for storing the revised messaging prompts in a secondary language file at the archive; and

an administration programming computer product retrievable by the administration workstation and having programming code for uploading the files in the archive to the audio prompt memory and the visual prompt memory, and for associating one of the files with each of the endpoints,

whereby, each of the endpoints display and play the messaging prompts in either the base language or the secondary language.

2. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the endpoints comprise desktop telephones, IP-based phones, software-based phones, keysets, personal computers, computing devices, personal digital assistants, pagers, wireless remote clients, and messaging devices.

3. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the base language file is downloaded to the archive from a bulk-generated translation.

4. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the secondary language comprises one of a foreign language or a dialect of the base language.

5. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the workstation displays the textual messaging prompts and the audio messaging prompts.

6. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the workstation displays the messaging prompts one by one in response to directions designated by the input device.

7. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the secondary language comprises correcting the syntax of the base language.

8. The messaging system of claim 1, wherein the workstation displays the messaging prompts in the base language by showing a simulation of a textual component of the messaging prompt as it will appear on the endpoint, and by showing a formula for the textual component, the formula includes a variable character and a non-variable character.

9. The messaging system of claim 8, wherein the workstation further displays the messaging prompts by showing a list of audio segments composing an audio component of the messaging prompt, each segment comprises one of a short audio message or a variable character.

10. The messaging system of claim 9, wherein the list of audio segments comprises a numerical listing and each number represents a segment.

11. The messaging system of claim 9, wherein the revising of messaging prompts includes an amendment to the list of audio segments, the amendment comprises adding, removing, and moving individual segments.

12. A method of message prompt translation in a PBX telecommunications system, said system including a plurality of endpoints communicating with said PBX and a messaging system for transmission of messages, said messaging system having a plurality of message prompts, and an administration workstation having a display, a user input device, an audio system and a CPU, said method including the steps of:

a. displaying a visual component and an audio component of one of said message prompts in a base language on said workstation display;

b. receiving, by said user input device, a textual edit to said visual component of said one message prompt, said edit in a second language;

c. receiving, by said user input device, a selected order of audio sounds composing said audio component of said one message prompt, said order in said second language;

d. playing an audible composition of said audio component in said second language;

e. saving said edit to said visual component and said order of said audio component, both in said language, in a retrievable file of said system;

f. repeating said steps for said plurality of message prompts; and

wherein, a user of one of said endpoints selects said file in said second language for use on said endpoint, and said endpoint displays and plays said plurality of message prompts in said second language.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary language comprises one of a foreign language or a dialect of the base language.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving a selected order of audio sounds comprises a selection by said user input device of a wav file.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said playing comprises a multi-media sound system of said workstation.

16. A prompt translation method for use in a telecommunications messaging system having a plurality of endpoints participating in a plurality of voice mail messages which are viewable and audible as message prompts at each of said endpoints, said method comprising:

storing data comprising a plurality of message prompts in a base language at a visual/audio prompt archive of said system;

viewing at a workstation display each of said message prompts in said base language and determining if a translation of a visual component and an audio component of said message prompt is needed;

translating by user input said visual and audio components of said message prompt to obtain a translated visual component in a translated language and a translated audio component in said translated language;

viewing at said display said translated visual component in said translated language;

hearing at said workstation said translated audio component in said translated language; and

storing data comprising said message prompt in said translated language in a messaging memory of said system,

whereby, upon selection for each endpoint, said voice mail messages are viewable and audible at said endpoints in said translated language or said base language.

17. The prompt translation method of claim 16, wherein said translating comprises typing in said translated language a correct syntax for said visual component and selecting an order of audio segments to be played in said translated language for said audio component.

18. The prompt translation method of claim 16, wherein said viewing said translated visual component comprises a simulation of said visual component as it will appear on the endpoint, and a formula for said visual component including a variable character and a non-variable character.

19. The prompt translation method of claim 16, further comprising viewing an accounting comprising a total number of message prompts and a number of translated prompts.

20. The prompt translation method of claim 16, further comprising selecting a prompt to translate from said plurality of message prompts.

21. The prompt translation method of claim 16, wherein said translated language comprises a dialect of said base language.

22. A computer system for providing translation of a plurality of message prompts for use in a PBX-type messaging system on a plurality of associated endpoints, the system comprising:

an administration site means comprising

(1) first means for displaying a visual component of each of said message prompts to an administrator,

(2) second means for playing an audio component of each of said message prompts to the administrator,

(3) third means for permitting the administrator to create a translated version of said visual and audio components of said message prompts,

(4) fourth means for storing said translated version of said visual and audio components in a prompt memory of said messaging system, and

(5) fifth means for associating said translated version of said message prompts to at least one of said associated endpoints; and

 

an endpoint site means comprising

(6) sixth means for displaying said translated version of said visual component of said message prompt to an end-user when a PBX-type message is available for said associated endpoint, and

(7) seventh means for playing said translated version of said audio component of said message prompt to the end-user when said PBX-type message is available for said associated endpoint.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said second means comprises a multi-media sound system of a workstation.

24. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said third means comprises accepting keystroke inputs.

25. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said third means comprises browsing a database for a wav file for said audio component.

26. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said second means comprises a text-to-speech conversion to play the audio component.

27. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said third means comprises adding device-specific parameters to create said translated version.

28. The computer system of claim 22, wherein said third means comprises a text-to-speech conversion for said audio component.