System and method for providing language interpretation

• US 8,023,626 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance International)
• Original Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance International)
• Inventors: Moore, James L. Jr., Provenzano, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/277,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.5, 379/93.03, 379/93.06, 379/265.01, 379/265.12, 379/127.01, 379/155, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/213.01, 705 1- 2, 705/400
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• 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 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method and system of providing a language interpretation service is disclosed. A language access number, such as an 811 number, can be provided. The language access number can be used to place a telephone call to a language interpretation service for language assistance. A language access telephone call is received at the language interpretation service provider from a caller speaking a first language. The caller places the language access telephone call by dialing the language access number. The caller has at least one business need. The first language is identified so as to provide the customer with an interpreter that can translate between a first language and a second language. The interpreter can be associated with the language interpretation service provider. The interpreter can telephonically engage an agent representing a merchant that can serve the at least one business need of the caller. The first agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the agent.

Claims

1. A method of providing a language interpretation service, comprising:

providing a language access telephone number that a caller speaking a first language and having a business need dials to place a telephone call to a language interpretation service to obtain language interpretation assistance;

receiving a language access telephone call at the language interpretation service provider from the caller;

identifying, after the telephone call is initiated, the first language from a plurality of languages with a voice recognition system so as to provide the caller with an interpreter that can translate between the first language and a second language, wherein the interpreter is associated with the language interpretation service provider; and

permitting the interpreter to telephonically engage an agent representing a merchant that can serve the business need of the caller, wherein the agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the language access telephone number is a toll-free number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the language access telephone number is 811.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the caller elects to be telephonically connected to a business partner of the merchant, wherein if the caller elects to be connected to the business partner, the interpreter telephonically engages a partner agent representing the business partner, wherein the partner agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a subsequent conversation between the caller and the partner agent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a type of business need of the caller.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the merchant that can address the business need of the caller.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a first billing that accounts a time count accruing from a time at which the language access telephone call starts until a time at which the agent representing the merchant is engaged.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a second billing that accounts a time count accruing from a time at which the agent representing the merchant is engaged until at time at which the partner agent is engaged.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation between the caller and the agent relates to a business transaction between the caller and the merchant.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the merchant is a bank, a health care provider, a government entity, an airline, a rental car agency, a hotel, a travel agency, an amusement park, a resort, a casino, a cruise line, a public transportation agency, a financial company, an insurance company, or a telecommunications company.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the language access telephone call is first received by a private branch exchange that routes the telephone call to the interpreter, the interpreter being located remotely from the business facilities of the language interpretation service provider.

16. A method of providing language interpretation service, comprising:

providing a language access telephone number wherein that a caller speaking a first language and having a business need dials to place a telephone call to a language interpretation service to obtain language interpretation assistance;

receiving a language access telephone call at the language interpretation service provider from the caller;

identifying, after the telephone call is initiated, the first language from a plurality of languages with a voice recognition system so as to provide the caller with an interpreter that can translate between the first language and the second language, wherein the interpreter is associated with the language interpretation service provider;

permitting the interpreter to telephonically engage a first agent representing a first business distinct from the language interpretation service provider that can serve a business need of the caller, wherein the first agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the first agent; and

determining whether the caller elects to be connected to a second business, wherein if the caller elects to be connected to a second business the interpreter telephonically engages a second agent representing the second business, wherein the second agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a second conversation between the caller and the second agent.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the language access telephone number is a toll-free number.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the language access telephone number is 811.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second business is a business partner of the first business.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising identifying a type of the business need of the caller.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising identifying the first business that can address the business need of the caller.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising establishing a first billing that accounts a time count that accrues from a time at which the language access telephone call starts until a time at which the first agent is engaged.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising establishing a second billing that accounts a time count accruing from a time at which the first agent is engaged until a time at which the first agent is released.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the first conversation between the caller and the first agent relates to a business transaction between the caller and the first business, wherein the business transaction satisfies the business need of the caller.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the first business is a bank, a health care provider, a government entity, an airline, a rental car agency, a hotel, a travel agency, an amusement park, a resort, a casino, a cruise line, a public transportation agency, a financial company, an insurance company, or a telecommunications company.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the second business is a bank, a health care provider, a government entity, an airline, a rental car agency, a hotel, a travel agency, an amusement park, a resort, a casino, a cruise line, a public transportation agency, a financial company, an insurance company, or a telecommunications company.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the first language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the second language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

31. The method of claim 16, wherein the telephone call is first received by a private branch exchange that routes the telephone call to the interpreter, the interpreter being located remotely from the business facilities of the language interpretation service provider.

32. A system for providing language interpretation, comprising:

an incoming call telephonic module associated with a language interpretation provider that (i) receives an incoming telephone call from a caller speaking a first language and having a business need that dials a language access telephone number to obtain language interpretation assistance and (ii) identifies, after the telephone call is initiated, the first language from a plurality of languages with a voice recognition system so as to provide the caller with an interpreter that can translate between the first language and a second language; and

an outgoing call telephonic module that permits the interpreter to telephonically engage an agent representing a merchant that can serve the business need, wherein the agent speaks a second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the agent.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein if the caller elects to be connected to a business partner of the merchant, the outgoing call telephonic module further permits the interpreter to telephonically engage a partner agent representing the business partner, wherein the partner agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the agent.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the language access telephone number is a toll-free number.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the language access telephone number is 811.

36. The system of claim 32, further comprising a billing module configured to establish a first billing that accounts a time count accruing from a time at which incoming telephone call starts until at time at which the agent representing a merchant is engaged.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

38. The system of claim 32, further comprising a billing module configured to establish a second billing that accounts a time count accruing from a time at which the agent representing the merchant is engaged until the partner agent is engaged.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the second billing is paid by a government entity, a business entity, the interpretation service provider, or the caller.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the conversation between the caller and the agent relates to a business transaction between the caller and the merchant.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the merchant is a bank, a health care provider, a government entity, an airline, a rental car agency, a hotel, a travel agency, an amusement park, a resort, a casino, a cruise line, a public transportation agency, a financial company, an insurance company, or a telecommunications company.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein the first language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

43. The system of claim 32, wherein the second language is English, Spanish, German, French, or Chinese.

44. The system of claim 32, wherein the telephone call is first received by a private branch exchange that routes the telephone call to the interpreter, the interpreter being located remotely from the business facilities of the language interpretation service provider.