System and method for establishing a conference in two or more different languages

• US 8,041,018 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Israel M. Stein, Samuel J. Wald
• Original Assignee: Israel M. Stein, Samuel J. Wald
• Inventors: Wald, Samuel Joseph, Stein, Israel Mayer
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US12/451,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20100135478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 370260-262, 37920201-20601, 704/8, 704/2, 704/3, 704/7
• US Class Current: 379/202.01
• 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: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• 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

System and method for conferencing communication devices associated with participants conversant in different languages has a system for connecting communication devices with one or more other communication devices where each communication device is associated with one of a plurality of different languages, and one of the different languages is designated as the main language. The system in response to receiving a request for a conference call, connects two or more of the communication devices in a conference call when two or more of said communication devices are associated with the main language, connects each of the communication devices associated with a different language than the main language with the communication device of an interpreter selected for interpreting between the different language and the main language, and then connects the communication device of the interpreter for each of the different languages than the main language to the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for establishing with a computer system an audio conference between two or more communication devices each associated with one of a plurality of different languages, wherein one of said different languages represents a main language, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a computer system connecting each of one or more of said communication devices associated with a different one of said languages than said main language with a communication device of an interpreter for interpreting between said different one of said languages and said main language to enable the communication device of the interpreter to receive voice communication from each of the one or more of said communication devices associated with said different one of said languages, and connecting the communication device of the interpreter associated with each one of said different languages than said main language with one or more of said communication devices in the main language to enable the communication device of the interpreter to receive voice communication from said one or more communication devices associated with the main language; and

controlling the communication device of the interpreter associated with each one of said different languages than the main language during oral translation by the interpreter between said one of said different languages and said main language as to which one of (i) one or more of said communication devices associated with the main language is connected to the communication device of the interpreter, or (ii) one or more of said communication devices associated with said one of said different languages is connected to the communication device of the interpreter, to receive voice communication of the interpreter in one of said main language or said one of said different languages, respectively, in which said controlling step is carried out by said computer system responsive to the interpreter at the communication device of the interpreter for at least one of the one or more different languages than the main language over a single voice communication line between the communication device of the interpreter and said computer system.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

connecting two or more of said communication devices by said computer system in an audio conference bridge when said two or more of said communication devices are associated with said main language.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said controlling step further comprises connecting by said computer system the communication device of the interpreter for each one of said difference languages than said main language to said audio conference bridge.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of providing by said computer system for at least one of the one or more communication devices associated with one of the different languages than the main language with a one-way receive only connection with the audio conference in said main language to enable hearing the audio conference in said main language.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of providing by said computer system for at least one of the one or more said communication devices associated with one of the different languages than the main language with a one-way receive only connection with the audio conference in said main language to enable hearing the audio conference in said main language at an adjustable volume level at the communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting for at least one of the one or more said communication devices associated with one of the different languages than the main language between one of a one-way receive only connection and a two-way connection to one of more of said communication devices associated with said main language in which said selected connection is carried out by said computer system.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprises the step of providing at least one of the communication devices with a display for displaying an identifier associated with each of the one or more other communication devices and from which of the communication device voice is being received.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of providing at least one of the one or more said communication devices with an interface to notify other of said communication devices of an intention to speak.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said communication devices is associated with two or more individuals conversant in the same one of the different languages.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said communication devices is associated with a room at a location having one or more individuals conversant in the same one of the different languages.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of said communication devices is one or more of a cellular telephone, PDA, land-based telephone, microprocessor-based system, wireless communication device, or headset.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of providing interpretation of text between any two different languages into translated text or speech at the start of or during the audio conference to one or more of the communication device.

13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of providing interpretation of speech between any two different languages into translated text to one or more of the communication devices.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of connecting two or more of the communication devices when associated with the same one of said different languages than the main language in an audio conference with each other by said computer system.

15. A system for establishing a conference in different languages comprising:

means for receiving a request for establishing a conference between two or more communication devices each associated with one of a plurality of different languages, wherein one of said different languages represents a main language;

means for connecting each of said communication devices associated with one of said different languages other than said main language with a communication device of an interpreter for orally translating between said one of said different languages and said main language;

means for connecting the communication device of the interpreter associated with each one of said different languages other than said main language for communication with one or more of said communication devices associated with said main language; and

means for enabling the interpreter associated with at least one of said different languages other than said main language to provide oral interpretation over a single communication with control of direction of out-going voice communication to one or more communication devices associated with said one of said different languages, or said main language.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which when executed by a computer system enables a conference via communication devices associated with participants conversant in different languages comprising:

a main language circle established by the computer system having one or more communication devices associated with one of said different languages in which other of said one or more communication devices associated with one or more other different languages are outside of said main language circle, and when two or more communication devices are present in the main language circle said two or more communication devices are connected by the computer system in an audio conference enabling voice communication of said two or more communication devices with each other;

one or more voice communication connections enabled by the computer system connecting each of the one or more communication devices outside of said main language circle to the main language circle via a communication device of an interpreter for orally interpreting between the different language associated with the communication device outside of said main language circle and the language of said main language circle in which the communication device of the interpreter is enabled to receive through a single communication line both voice communication from one or more communication device in the main language circle and voice communication from the communication device outside of the main language circle; and

wherein said voice communication over said single communication line is enabled by the computer system with control of direction of out-going voice communication from the communication device of the interpreter to between one of said one or more communication devices in the main language circle, and said one or more communication devices outside the main language circle connected to the communication device of the interpreter.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein at least one of the communication devices outside said main language circle has a one-way receive only connection with said one or more communication devices of said main language circle at an adjustable volume level.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein at least one of the communication devices associated with one of the different languages than the main language is selectable between one of a one-way receive only connection with said one or more communication devices of said main circle.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 16 wherein when two or more of said communication devices outside of said main language circle are associated with the same one of said different languages said two or more of said communication devices outside of the main language circle are connected to the main language circle by the computer system using the communication device of a common interpreter.

20. An apparatus for establishing an audio conference via communication devices associated with participants conversant in different languages comprising:

means for establishing a main language circle to one or more communication devices all associated with the same one of said different languages;

means for connecting each of the one or more communication devices associated with a different language other than said main language to a communication device of an interpreter;

means for connecting in an audio conference said one or more communication devices in the main language circle and the communication device of the interpreter connected to each of the one or more communication devices associated with a different language other than the main language; and

means for controlling the direction of out-going voice communication by the communication device of the interpreter between one of said one or more communication devices in said main circle and said one or more communication devices associated with a different language than that of the main circle utilizing a single voice communication line between the communication device of the interpreter and the computer system.

21. A system for conferencing in different languages comprising:

a plurality of first communication devices associated with participants conversant in two or more languages, in which one of said languages is designated as a main language;

a second communication device associated with an interpreter for each different language other than said main language in which the interpreter represents a person capable of orally translating between the different language and the main language; and

a computer system enabling communication between different ones of said first communication devices and the second communication device for each one of said different language other than said main language, in which said computer system for each different language other than the main language

(i) connects the second communication device associated with the interpreter for voice communication with one or more first communication devices associated with one or more participants conversant in the different language, connects the second communication device associated with the interpreter for voice communication to the one or more first communication devices associated with one or more participants conversant in the main language, in which the second communication device receives voice communication from the one or more first communication devices associated with one or more participants conversant in the different language and one or more first communication devices associated with one or more participants conversant in the main language,

(ii) enables the second communication device to be operated by the interpreter associated with the second communication device in at least a first communication mode and a second communication mode, in which in said first mode the second communication device is connected by said computer system for outgoing voice communication from the second communication device only to one of the one or more first communication devices associated with participants conversant in the different language, and in a second mode the second communication device is connected by said computer system for outgoing voice communication from the second communication device only to one or more first communication devices associated with one or more participants conversant in the main language, and

the second communication device associated with at least one of the different languages other than said main language is connected by a single communication line to said computer system and operable between said first and second communication modes said by the interpreter of the second communication device to facilitate oral translation; and

two or more of said first communication devices are connected by the computer system for communication with each other in an audio conference when said two or more first communication devices are associated with participants conversant in the main language, and when only one of said first communication devices are present, said one of said first communication device is connected to said computer set via a communication line.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein none of the one or more first communication devices in the main language receives voice communication with one or more of the second communication device in one of the different languages other than said main language.

23. The system according to claim 21 wherein one or more of said second communication devices each represents a phone or computer system.

24. The system according to claim 21 wherein said computer system is a computer server.

25. The system according to claim 21 wherein at least one the communication devices associated with one of the different languages than the main language has one of no connection or a one-way receive only connection with the conference in said main language at a low volume, or variable audible level.

26. The system according to claim 21 wherein said computer system enables two or more of the first communication devices associated with participants conversant in the same language other than said main language to be connected for communication with each other.

27. The system according to claim 21 wherein said second communication device associated with at least one of the different languages other than said main language further comprises means for enabling the interpreter associated with said second communication device to toggle between at least said first mode and said second mode.

28. The system according to claim 21 wherein said second communication device associated with at least one of the different languages other than said main language further comprises one or more of a switch or keys associated with the second communication device communication for enabling the interpreter associated with said second communication device to toggle between at least said first mode and said second mode.

29. The system according to claim 21 wherein at least one of said first communication devices is associated with a room at a location having one or more individuals conversant in the same language.

30. The system according to claim 21 wherein each of said first communication devices is one or more of a cellular telephone, PDA, land-based telephone, a microprocessor-based system, a wireless communication device, or headset.