Down-line transcription system using automatic tracking and revenue collection

• US 7,908,145 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Engate LLC
• Original Assignee: Engate LLC
• Inventors: Jarvis, Lawrence M., Bennett, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): YEN, ERIC L
• Application Number:
  US11/559,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 704270-275
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/685 using automatically derived transcript of audio data, e.g. lyrics speech recognition G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/06 Creation of reference templates; Training of speech recognition systems, e.g. adaptation to the characteristics of the speaker's voice G10L15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams

Abstract

A transcription network having linked computer terminals for a court reporter and for examining, defending, and associate attorneys is disclosed. Real-time transcription text is communicated from the reporter'"'"'s terminal through the network. Secure message interchange between the examining attorneys and between defending attorneys is provided along independent communication links and using encryption. Off-site terminals for clients, experts, or other associate attorneys may be linked to the network. Communication on the network is hierarchically controlled so as not to bombard the examining attorney, and is managed by a protocol for updating disconnected and non-listening terminals. The terminals provide software routines for automatically delivering proposed objections to the form of a question or answer. Stenographic keystrokes that cannot be directly transcribed are converted to a phoneme form for down-line readability. A synchronization scheme provides for automatic play-back of audio and video recordings corresponding to the transcribed text of a specific question or answer.

Claims

1. A transcription system, comprising:

a transcription module configured to generate one or more transcription signals that include transcribed text representing one or more spoken words in real time, wherein the transcription module synchronizes the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with one or more recordings that correspond to the transcribed text;

a first communication device communicatively coupled to the transcription module over one or more communication links, wherein the first communication device is configured to;

display the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals in response to receiving the one or more transcription signals from the transcription module over the one or more communication links;

define a message that annotates a selected portion of the transcribed text displayed on the first communication device; and

transmit the message that annotates the selected portion of the transcribed text displayed on the first communication device over the one or more communication links; and

a second communication device communicatively coupled to the transcription module and the first communication device over the one or more communication links, wherein the second communication device is configured to;

receive the message transmitted from the first communication device over the one or more communication links;

display the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message transmitted from the first communication device, wherein the second communication device displays the selected portion of the transcribed text with the message annotating the selected portion of the transcribed text in response to receiving a selection of the message on the second communication device; and

play a portion of the one or more recordings synchronized with the selected portion of the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals.

2. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the message that the first communication device defines to annotate the selected portion of the transcribed text includes one or more pretyped messages selected on the first communication device from a set of pretyped messages accessed on the first communication device.

3. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the second communication device displays the message transmitted from the first communication device in a communications stack in response to receiving the message from the first communication device, wherein the communications stack includes the message and one or more additional messages displayed in an order based on a priority level that the first communication device defines for the message.

4. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the second communication device is further configured to:

automatically perform a real time evaluation of the one or more transcription signals generated by the transcription module; and

selectively indicate an existence of a potential legal objection to the one or more spoken words represented in the transcribed text in response to the real time evaluation of the one or more transcription signals.

5. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first communication device or the second communication device are further configured to

prevent a remote communication device further communicatively coupled to the one or more communication links from receiving the one or more transcription signals in response to the first communication device or the second communication device placing a confidential restriction on the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals.

6. The transcription system of claim 1, further comprising a third communication device configured to:

intercept the message that the first communication device transmits to the second communication device over the one or more communication links, wherein the one or more communication links provide a hierarchical communication pathway that enables the third communication device to intercept the message transmitted from the first communication device prior to the second communication device receiving the message; and

redirect the message intercepted from the first communication device to the second communication device over the one or more communication links, wherein the second communication device receives the message transmitted from the first communication device in response to the third communication device redirecting the intercepted message to the second communication device.

7. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device controls, over the one or more communication links, the display of the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message on the second communication device.

8. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication links securely isolate the message transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device from one or more additional communication devices further communicatively coupled to the one or more communication links.

9. The transcription system of claim 2,

wherein the one or more pretyped messages selected on the first communication device to annotate the selected portion of the transcribed text represents an observed demeanor of a witness associated with the one or more spoken words.

10. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are further configured to store the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message to enable subsequent review of the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message.

11. The transcription system of claim 1, wherein to synchronize the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with the one or more recordings that correspond to the transcribed text, the transcription module is further configured to:

associates the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with a position indicator generated from the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text;

communicate a signal associated with the one or more spoken words to a recorder that captures the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text; and

associate a common object-oriented programming object with the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals and the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text.

12. The transcription system of claim 8, further comprising a reporter terminal that includes the transcription module, a first Ethernet board for the first communication device and the second communication device, and a second Ethernet board for the one or more additional communication devices, wherein the reporter terminal uses the first Ethernet board to communicate the one or more transcription signals to the first communication device and the second communication device in isolation from the one or more additional communication devices.

13. The transcription system of claim 8, wherein the one or more communication links encrypt the message transmitted from the first communication device with one or more secrets shared between the first communication device and the second communication device in response to the first communication device wirelessly transmitting the message over the one or more communication links, thereby securely isolating the message from the one or more additional communication devices.

14. The transcription system of claim 8, wherein the one or more communication links include an independent hard-wired link between the first communication device and the second communication device, whereby the first communication device transmitting the message to the second communication device over the independent hard-wired link securely isolates the message from the one or more additional communication devices.

15. A transcription method, comprising:

generating, with a transcription module, one or more transcription signals that include transcribed text representing one or more spoken words in real time;

synchronizing the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with one or more recordings that correspond to the transcribed text;

displaying the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals on a first communication device communicatively coupled to the transcription module over one or more communication links, wherein the first communication device defines a message that annotates a selected portion of the transcribed text;

transmitting the message that annotates the selected portion of the transcribed text from the first communication device to a second communication device over the one or more communication links, wherein the second communication device displays the selected portion of the transcribed text with the message annotating the selected portion of the transcribed text in response to receiving a selection of the message on the second communication device; and

playing a portion of the one or more recordings synchronized with the selected portion of the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals.

16. The transcription method of claim 15, wherein the message that the first communication device defines to annotate the selected portion of the transcribed text includes one or more pretyped messages selected on the first communication device from a set of pretyped messages accessed on the first communication device, and wherein the one or more pretyped messages selected on the first communication device to annotate the selected portion of the transcribed text represents an observed demeanor of a witness associated with the one or more spoken words.

17. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising displaying the message transmitted from the first communication device in a communications stack on the second communication device, wherein the communications stack includes the message and one or more additional messages displayed in an order based on a priority level that the first communication device defines for the message.

18. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising indicating a potential legal objection to the one or more spoken words represented in the transcribed text in response to the second communication device performing a real time evaluation of the one or more transcription signals.

19. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising preventing a remote communication device further communicatively coupled to the one or more communication links from receiving the one or more transcription signals in response to the first communication device or the second communication device placing a confidential restriction on the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals.

20. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising:

intercepting the message that the first communication device transmits to the second communication device over the one or more communication links at a third communication device, wherein the one or more communication links provide a hierarchical communication pathway that enables the third communication device to intercept the message transmitted from the first communication device prior to the second communication device receiving the message; and

redirecting the message that the third communication device intercepted from the first communication device to the second communication device over the one or more communication links, wherein the second communication device receives the message transmitted from the first communication device in response to the third communication device redirecting the intercepted message to the second communication device.

21. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising controlling the second communication device displaying the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message at the first communication device, wherein the first communication device deletes the message on the second communication device over the one or more communication links to control displaying the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message on the second communication device.

22. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising securely isolating the message transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device from one or more additional communication devices further communicatively coupled to the one or more communication links, wherein securely isolating the message from the one or more additional communication devices includes:

communicating the one or more transcription signals from a reporter terminal that includes the transcription module to the first communication device and the second communication device using a first Ethernet board for the first communication device and the second communication device, wherein the reporter terminal further includes a second Ethernet board for the one or more additional communication devices to communicate the one or more transcription signals using the first Ethernet board in isolation from the one or more additional communication devices;

encrypting the message transmitted from the first communication device with one or more secrets shared between the first communication device and the second communication device in response to the first communication device wirelessly transmitting the message over the one or more communication links, thereby securely isolating the message from the one or more additional communication devices; and

transmitting the message to the second communication device over an independent hard-wired link that the one or more communication links include to securely isolate the message from the one or more additional communication devices.

23. The transcription method of claim 15, further comprising storing the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message on the first communication device and the second communication device to enable subsequent review of the message and the selected portion of the transcribed text annotated with the message.

24. The transcription method of claim 15, wherein synchronizing the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text includes:

associating the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals with a position indicator generated from the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text;

communicating a signal associated with the one or more spoken words represented in the transcribed text to a recorder that captures the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text; and

associating a common object-oriented programming object with the transcribed text in the one or more transcription signals and the one or more recordings corresponding to the transcribed text.