Voice communication device with foreign language translation

• US 9,438,294 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter V Boesen
• Original Assignee: Peter V Boesen
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Armstrong, Angela A
• Application Number:
  US13/967,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• 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: G10L 15/005 Language recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

Methods and devices for voice communications and foreign language translation are disclosed. One method includes selecting one of a plurality of microphones of an earpiece unit, receiving a selected voice communication of a first language from the selected microphone and translating the selected voice communication from the first language to a second language, the second language different from the first to create a translated voice communication, and transducing the translated voice communication at a speaker within the earpiece unit. Preferably the microphones are oriented in different directions and are directional microphones. The present invention further optionally provides for the sensing and transmission of pulse oximeter measurements and temperature measurements.

Claims

1. A method for voice translation, comprising:

providing to a first person a translation device having a housing and a microphone and a speaker and a pulse oximeter sensor and a temperature sensor within the housing;

receiving at the microphone of the translation device a voice communication in a first language from a second person while the translation device is physically with the first person;

processing the voice communication in the first language into text in the first language using the translation device;

translating the text in the first language to text in a second language;

converting the text in the second language to a voice communication in the second language;

transducing the voice communication in the second language at the speaker of the translation device to the first person;

processing the pulse oximeter signal and the temperature sensor to indicate the physiological condition of the first person; and

processing the pulse oximeter signal and the temperature sensor to indicate the physiological condition of the second person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation device comprises an earpiece.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the processing the voice communication is performed by a processor of the earpiece.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the earpiece comprises a plurality of microphones.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the translating is performed at a remote location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing the pulse oximeter sensor signal and temperature sensor signal is performed by a processor of the translation device.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the earpiece comprises a nonocclusive earpiece.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of providing comprises providing to a user, the speaker of the first language being a person other than the user.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising directing the microphone of the device towards a speaker of the first language.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of providing comprises providing to a user, the speaker of the first language being a person other than the user.

11. A method of voice communication, comprising:

providing a nonocclusive earpiece housing and having a plurality of inputs for receiving voice communication, and a speaker, the nonocclusive earpiece housing adapted for being worn by a user on the user'"'"'s head;

receiving the voice communication from at least one of the inputs;

translating the voice communication to a different language using an intelligent control to create a translated voice communication;

transducing the translated voice communication at the speaker of the nonocclusive earpiece;

wherein the nonocclusive earpiece further includes a processor;

wherein the processor is adapted to perform translation of the voice communication to the translated voice communication;

wherein the nonocclusive earpiece further includes a pulse oximeter sensor;

wherein the nonocclusive earpiece further includes a temperature sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the processing of the pulse oximeter sensor signal and temperature sensor signal is performed by a processor of the translation device.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising directing the microphone of the device towards a speaker of the first language.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

processing a signal from the pulse oximeter signal to indicate the physiological condition of the user.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

processing a signal from the temperature sensor to indicate the physiological condition of the user.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the translating comprises:

processing the voice communication in the first language into text in the first language using the translation device;

translating the text in the first language to text in a second language;

converting the text in the second language to a voice communication in the second language;

transducing the voice communication in the second language at the speaker.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the earpiece comprises a plurality of microphones.