Server-initiated language translation of an instant message based on identifying language attributes of sending and receiving users

• US 7,849,144 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Prajapat, Surendra, Toebes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ashraf; Waseem
• Application Number:
  US11/388,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/203, 704/9, 704/231, 704/277
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content

Abstract

Language translation of instant messages between a sending party and a destination party is automatically performed, based on the instant messaging system automatically determining the respective language preferences of the sending and receiving parties. The instant messaging system automatically determines the respective language preferences based on existing subscriber profile attributes for the sending and receiving parties, and automatically translates between the respective language preferences, without the necessity of any manual user intervention by any of the parties during the instant messaging session.

Claims

1. A method in a server, the method comprising:

detecting by the server an instant message having been sent by a sending party for delivery to a destination party, the instant message expressed in a first language;

determining by the server a language preference for the destination party to receive the instant message, the determining being independent of whether any translation request has been requested by the sending party;

selectively clearing by the server a cache that stores translation results of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party, based on the server determining the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages are no longer viable for context-based translation of the instant message;

the server causing translation of the instant message having been sent by the sending party into a translated instant message, expressed in a second language, based on the language preference for the destination party, wherein the instant message follows a sequence of the prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party and having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language, the causing translation including causing translation of the instant message relative to a context of the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages based on the server retrieving from the cache the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages determined as viable to the context-based translation of the instant message, and initiating the context-based translation of the instant message relative to the translation results; and

sending by the server the translated instant message in the second language to the destination party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes accessing a subscriber attributes record for retrieval of stored language preference attributes having been set by the destination party for receipt of instant messages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising detecting a presence of each of the sending party and the destination party for transfer of instant messages based on a corresponding registration with the server, the determining including determining the language preference for the destination party in response to detecting the corresponding presence.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising detecting that the instant message is expressed in the first language based on determining the corresponding language preference for the sending party specifies the first language, the translating based on a determined difference between the language preference for the sending party in the language preference for the destination party.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting of the instant message includes receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message that includes the instant message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending includes causing the translated instant message to be highlighted by a registered device of the destination party, relative to the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to the sending party recommending use of a third language, distinct from the first language, for messages destined to the destination party, based on identifying the third language as usable by the sending party and the receiving party.

8. An instant message communications system comprising:

a messaging resource configured for detecting an instant message having been sent by a sending party for delivery to a destination party, the instant message expressed in a first language;

a presence resource configured for determining a language preference, for the destination party to receive the instant message, independent of whether any translation request has been requested by the sending party, wherein at least one of the messaging resource or the presence resource is configured for selectively clearing a cache that stores translation results of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party, based on the messaging resource or the presence resource determining the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages are no longer viable for context-based translation of the instant message; and

a translation resource configured for translating the instant message having been sent by the sending party into a translated instant message, expressed in second language, in response to a translation request from the messaging resource, the messaging resource configured for sending the translation request based on the presence resource having determined the language preference for the destination party is distinct from the first language, wherein the instant message follows a sequence of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party and having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language, the translation resource translating the instant message relative to a context of the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages based on retrieval from the cache of the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages determined as viable to the context-based translation of the instant message, and initiating the context-based translation of the instant message relative to the translation results;

the messaging resource configured for sending the translated instant message in the second language to the destination party.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the presence resource is configured for determining the language preference based on accessing a subscriber attributes record for retrieval of stored language preference attributes having been set by the destination party for receipt of instant messages.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the presence resource is configured for detecting a presence of each of the sending party and the destination party for transfer of instant messages in response to a corresponding registration with the presence resource, the presence resource configured for determining the language preference for the destination party in response to detecting the corresponding presence.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the presence resource is configured for detecting that the instant message is expressed in the first language based on determining the corresponding language preference for the sending party specifies the first language.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the messaging resource is configured for receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message that includes the instant message.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the message resource is configured for causing the translated instant message to be highlighted by a registered device of the destination party, relative to the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the presence resource is configured for sending a notification to the sending party recommending use of a third language, distinct from the first language, for messages destined to the destination party, based on identifying the third language as usable by the sending party and the receiving party.

15. A server comprising:

a network interface configured for detecting an instant message having been sent by a sending party for delivery to a destination party, the instant message expressed in a first language; and

a presence resource configured for determining a language preference for the destination party to receive the instant message and independent of whether any translation request has been requested by the sending party, the presence resource further configured for selectively clearing a cache storing translation results of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party based on the presence resource determining the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages are no longer viable for context-based translation of the instant message, the presence resource further configured for invoking a translation resource for translation of the instant message into a translated instant message, expressed in a second language, based on the presence resource having determined the language preference for the destination party is distinct from the first language, wherein the instant message follows a sequence of the prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party and having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language, the translation resource translating the instant message relative to a context of the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages based on retrieval from the cache of the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages determined as viable to the context-based translation of the instant message, and the translation resource initiating the context-based translation of the instant message relative to the translation results;

the network interface configured for outputting the translated instant message in the second language to the destination party.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the presence resource is configured for determining the language preference based on accessing a subscriber attributes record for retrieval of stored language preference attributes having been set by the destination party for receipt of instant messages.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein the presence resource is configured for detecting a presence of each of the sending party and the destination party for transfer of instant messages in response to a corresponding registration with the presence resource, the presence resource configured for determining the language preference for the destination party in response to detecting the corresponding presence.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the presence resource is configured for detecting that the instant message is expressed in the first language based on determining the corresponding language preference for the sending party specifies the first language.

19. The server of claim 17, wherein the network interface is configured for receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message that includes the instant message.

20. The server of claim 15, wherein the presence resource is configured for causing the translated instant message to be highlighted by a registered device of the destination party, relative to the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language.

21. The server of claim 15, wherein the presence resource is configured for sending a notification to the sending party recommending use of a third language, distinct from the first language, for messages destined to the destination party, based on identifying the third language as usable by the sending party and the receiving party.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for translation of an instant message by a server, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

detecting by the server an instant message having been sent by a sending party for delivery to a destination party, the instant message expressed in a first language;

determining by the server a language preference for the destination party to receive the instant message, the determining being independent of whether any translation request has been requested by the sending party;

selectively clearing by the server a cache that stores translation results of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party, based on the server determining the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages are no longer viable for context-based translation of the instant message;

the server causing translation of the instant message having been sent by the sending party into a translated instant message, expressed in a second language, based on the language preference for the destination party, wherein the instant message follows a sequence of the prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party and having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language, the causing translation including causing translation of the instant message relative to a context of the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages based on the server retrieving from the cache the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages determined as viable to the context-based translation of the instant message, and initiating the context-based translation of the instant message relative to the translation results; and

sending by the server the translated instant message in the second language to the destination party.

23. The medium of claim 22, wherein the determining includes accessing a subscriber attributes record for retrieval of stored language preference attributes having been set by the destination party for receipt of instant messages.

24. The medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions for detecting a presence of each of the sending party and the destination party for transfer of instant messages based on a corresponding registration with the server, the determining including determining the language preference for the destination party in response to detecting the corresponding presence.

25. The medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for detecting that the instant message is expressed in the first language based on determining the corresponding language preference for the sending party specifies the first language, the translating based on a determined difference between the language preference for the sending party in the language preference for the destination party.

26. The medium of claim 24, wherein the detecting of the instant message includes receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message that includes the instant message.

27. The medium of claim 22, wherein the sending includes causing the translated instant message to be highlighted by a registered device of the destination party, relative to the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language.

28. The medium of claim 22, further comprising instructions for sending a notification to the sending party recommending use of a third language, distinct from the first language, for messages destined to the destination party, based on identifying the third language as usable by the sending party and the receiving party.

29. A server comprising:

means for detecting an instant message having been sent by a sending party for delivery to a destination party, the instant message expressed in a first language; and

means for determining a language preference for the destination party to receive the instant message and independent of whether any translation request has been requested by the sending party, the means for determining further configured for selectively clearing a cache storing translation results of prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party based on the presence resource determining the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages are no longer viable for context-based translation of the instant message, the means for determining further configured for invoking a translation resource for translation of the instant message into a translated instant message, expressed in a second language, based on the means for determining having determined the language preference for the destination party is distinct from the first language, wherein the instant message follows a sequence of the prior transmitted instant messages having been sent by the sending party and having been translated and sent to the destination party in the second language, the translation resource translating the instant message relative to a context of the sequence of prior transmitted instant messages based on retrieval from the cache of the translation results of the prior transmitted instant messages determined as viable to the context-based translation of the instant message, and the translation resource initiating the context-based translation of the instant message relative to the translation results;

the means for detecting configured for outputting the translated instant message in the second language to the destination party.