System and method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network

• US 20030074462A1
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Grove, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/263 Language identification
• 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: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network are described. Multiple predetermined language constructs are communicated to a first entity as a first transmission over the network. Responsive to selection by the first entity of a language construct from the predetermined language constructs, a translated language construct corresponding to the selected language construct is identified. Finally, the translated language construct is communicated to a second entity as a second transmission over the network.

Claims

1. A method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network, said method comprising:

communicating a plurality of predetermined language constructs to a first entity as a first transmission over said network;

responsive to selection by said first entity of a language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs, identifying a translated language construct corresponding to said selected language construct; and

communicating said translated language construct to a second entity as a second transmission over said network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a plurality of interactive fields to said second entity in said second transmission to allow said second entity to interact with at least one interactive field of said plurality of interactive fields in response to said translated language construct.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said identifying further comprises:

retrieving entity information relating to said second entity based on an identifier of said second entity selected by said first entity; and

retrieving said translated language construct from a table based on said entity information and said selected language construct.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said entity information further comprises a language preference of said second entity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selected language construct is a predetermined question to be asked by said first entity in an electronic commerce transaction over said network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first transmission is a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTTP) message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second transmission is an electronic mail message.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said identifier of said second entity is an electronic mail address of said second entity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said translated language construct is generated and stored, and said correspondence to said selected language construct is defined, prior to communication of said plurality of language constructs to said first entity as said first transmission.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, at a network-based transaction facility, storing said plurality of predetermined language constructs and an associated plurality of translated language constructs so as to define a correspondence between each language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs and at least one associated translated language construct of said plurality of translated language constructs.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing is so as to define a correspondence between a set of said plurality of translated language constructs, each translated language construct of said set comprising a predetermined translation of a common underlying language construct.

28. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first transmission is a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTTP) message.

12. A machine-readable medium storing executable instructions, which, when executed in a processing system, cause said processing system to perform a method to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network, said method comprising:

communicating a plurality of predetermined language constructs to a first entity as a first transmission over said network;

responsive to selection by said first entity of a language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs, identifying a translated language construct corresponding to said selected language construct; and

communicating said translated language construct to a second entity as a second transmission over said network.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said method further comprises communicating a plurality of interactive fields to said second entity in said second transmission to allow said second entity to interact with at least one interactive field of said plurality of interactive fields in response to said translated language construct.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said identifying further comprises:

retrieving entity information relating to said second entity based on an identifier of said second entity selected by said first entity; and

retrieving said translated language construct from a table based on said entity information and said selected language construct.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein said entity information further comprises a language preference of said second entity.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said selected language construct is a predetermined question to be asked by said first entity in an electronic commerce transaction over said network.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said first transmission is a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTTP) message.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said second transmission is an electronic mail message.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein said identifier of said second entity is an electronic mail address of said second entity.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said translated language construct is generated and stored, and said correspondence to said selected language construct is defined, prior to communication of said plurality of language constructs to said first entity as said first transmission.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said method further comprises, at a network-based transaction facility, storing said plurality of predetermined language constructs and an associated plurality of translated language constructs so as to define a correspondence between each language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs and at least one associated translated language construct of said plurality of translated language constructs.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein said storing is so as to define a correspondence between a set of said plurality of translated language constructs, each translated language construct of said set comprising a predetermined translation of a common underlying language construct.

23. A system to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network, said system comprising:

means for communicating a plurality of predetermined language constructs to a first entity as a first transmission over said network;

responsive to selection by said first entity of a language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs, means for identifying a translated language construct corresponding to said selected language construct; and

means for communicating said translated language construct to a second entity as a second transmission over said network.

24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising means for communicating a plurality of interactive fields to said second entity in said second transmission to allow said second entity to interact with at least one interactive field of said plurality of interactive fields in response to said translated language construct.

25. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:

means for retrieving entity information relating to said second entity based on an identifier of said second entity selected by said first entity; and

means for retrieving said translated language construct from a table based on said entity information and said selected language construct.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said entity information further comprises a language preference of said second entity.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein said selected language construct is a predetermined question to be asked by said first entity in an electronic commerce transaction over said network.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein said second transmission is an electronic mail message.

30. The system according to claim 25, wherein said identifier of said second entity is an electronic mail address of said second entity.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein said translated language construct is generated and stored, and said correspondence to said selected language construct is defined, prior to communication of said plurality of language constructs to said first entity as said first transmission.

32. The system according to claim 23, further comprising, at a network-based transaction facility, means for storing said plurality of predetermined language constructs and an associated plurality of translated language constructs so as to define a correspondence between each language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs and at least one associated translated language construct of said plurality of translated language constructs.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said storing is so as to define a correspondence between a set of said plurality of translated language constructs, each translated language construct of said set comprising a predetermined translation of a common underlying language construct.

34. A system to facilitate translation of communications between entities over a network, said system comprising:

a communications server to communicate a plurality of predetermined language constructs to a first entity as a first transmission over said network; and

a processing server to identify a translated language construct corresponding to a language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs, responsive to selection by said first entity of said language construct;

said communication server further to communicate said translated language construct to a second entity as a second transmission over said network.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said communications server further communicates a plurality of interactive fields to said second entity in said second transmission to allow said second entity to interact with at least one interactive field of said plurality of interactive fields in response to said translated language construct.

36. The system according to claim 34, wherein said processing server further retrieves entity information relating to said second entity based on an identifier of said second entity selected by said first entity, and retrieves said translated language construct from a table based on said entity information and said selected language construct.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein said entity information further comprises a language preference of said second entity.

38. The system according to claim 34, wherein said selected language construct is a predetermined question to be asked by said first entity in an electronic commerce transaction over said network.

39. The system according to claim 34, wherein said first transmission is a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTTP) message.

40. The system according to claim 34, wherein said second transmission is an electronic mail message.

41. The system according to claim 36, wherein said identifier of said second entity is an electronic mail address of said second entity.

42. The system according to claim 34, wherein said translated language construct is generated and stored, and said correspondence to said selected language construct is defined, prior to communication of said plurality of language constructs to said first entity as said first transmission.

43. The system according to claim 34, wherein, at a network-based transaction facility, said processing server further stores said plurality of predetermined language constructs and an associated plurality of translated language constructs so as to define a correspondence between each language construct of said plurality of predetermined language constructs and at least one associated translated language construct of said plurality of translated language constructs.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein said storing by said processing server is so as to define a correspondence between a set of said plurality of translated language constructs, each translated language construct of said set comprising a predetermined translation of a common underlying language construct.