Media translator

• US 20030187641A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Mumford, Gregory L., Gunasekar, Duraisamy, Moore, Richard G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• 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 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• 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 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• 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 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/07 : Split billing, i.e. both A-party and B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 : Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 : Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 : for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 : for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 : for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 : based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 : shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 : involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 : per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 : Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 : Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 : Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 : Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 : Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 : Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 : VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 : IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/44 : Charging/billing arrangements for connection made over different networks, e.g. wireless and PSTN, ISDN, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/64 : Split billing, sharing the cost of calls, e.g. between calling and called parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 : Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 : Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 : Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 : Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 : for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 : Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0003 : Interconnection between telephone networks and data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 : where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0051 : where the data service is a multimedia messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/125 : Details of gateway equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2335 : involving reformatting operations of audio signals, e.g. by converting from one coding standard to another details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 : by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 : by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 : by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text

Abstract

A media translator is disclosed for converting among speech signals and textual information, such as between telephony speech signals and textual information communicated via a messaging communications system.

Claims

1. A media translator comprising:

speech receiving means acting to receive audio information;

speech-to-text conversion means acting to convert audio information from the speech receiving means into corresponding textual information; and

textual information output means acting to provide the textual information to a first instant communications client.

2. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the textual information output means comprises a second instant communications client for engaging in messaging communications with the first instant communications client.

3. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the textual information output means comprises an instant communications sender process for sending messaging communications to the first instant communications client.

4. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the textual information output means engages in messaging communications with the instant communications client.

5. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means acts to receive audio information from a packet data network.

6. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means acts to engage in a voice-over-packet communications session.

7. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means acts to receive a voice-over-packet data stream.

8. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means acts to receive a telephony signal.

9. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means interfaces to a telephony network.

10. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means interfaces to a device for handling telephony traffic.

11. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the textual information output means communicates with a voice-over-packet gateway.

12. The media translator of claim 1 further comprising:

means for communicating with an interactive service providing system, wherein the media translator conditionally acts to convert audio information responsive to communications with the interactive service providing system and wherein the interactive service providing system interacts with a party to determine whether the party desires to have conversion performed by the media translator.

13. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech receiving means is coupled to a telephone connection for receiving audio information from a party using a telephone.

14. The media translator of claim 1 wherein the speech-to-text conversion means acts to convert the audio information into the corresponding textual information in a substantially real-time manner.

15. The media translator of claim 1 further comprising:

a control interface means via which the media translator performs communications of control information, the control information relating to communications through at least one of the textual information receiving means, the speech receiving means, the textual information output means and the audio information output means.

16. The media translator of claim 15 wherein the media translator establishes communications with the instant communications client responsive to the control information.

17. The media translator of claim 15 wherein the control information specifies the instant communications client and the media translator selectively establishes contact with the first instant communications client responsive to the content of the control information.

18. The media translator of claim 15 wherein the control information comprises at least one of:

an identifier corresponding to the first instant communications client;

an identifier corresponding to an voice-over-packet datastream;

an IP address;

an identifier corresponding to an audio information input port of the translator;

an identifier corresponding to a textual information receiving port of the translator;

an identifier corresponding to a textual information output port of the translator;

an identifier corresponding to a session involving the translator; and

an identifier corresponding to an instance of the speech-to-text translation means.

19. The media translator of claim 1 further comprising:

a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about activity of the media translator involving at least one of;

the receiving audio information;

the converting audio information into corresponding textual information; and

the providing the textual information to a first instant communications client.

20. The media translator of claim 1 further comprising:

a billing function for determining billable usage of the communication system related to at least one of;

the receiving audio information;

the converting audio information into corresponding textual information; and

the providing the textual information to a first instant communications client.

21. The media translator of claim 20 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage, wherein at least one of the receiving audio information, the converting audio information into corresponding textual information and the providing the textual information to a first instant communications client is selectively performed responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.

42. The media translator of claim 20 further comprising:

means for determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage, wherein the activity of the media translator is selectively performed responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges.

22. A media translator comprising:

textual information receiving means acting to receive textual information from a first instant communications client;

text-to-speech conversion means acting to convert the textual information into corresponding audio information; and

audio information output means acting to provide the audio information to a first party via a telephony connection.

23. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the textual information receiving means comprises a second instant communications client for engaging in messaging communications with the first instant communications client.

24. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the textual information receiving means comprises an instant communications receiver process for receiving messaging communications from the first instant communications client.

25. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the textual information receiving means engages in messaging communications with the first instant communications client.

26. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means acts to send audio information via a packet data network.

27. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means acts to engage in a voice-over-packet communications session.

28. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means acts to send a voice-over-packet data stream.

29. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means acts to send a telephony signal.

30. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means interfaces to a telephony network.

31. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means interfaces to a device for handling telephony traffic.

32. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means communicates with a voice-over-packet gateway.

33. The media translator of claim 22 further comprising:

means for communicating with an interactive service providing system, wherein the media translator conditionally acts to convert audio information responsive to communications with the interactive service providing system and wherein the interactive service providing system interacts with a second party to determine whether the second party desires to have conversion performed by the media translator.

34. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the audio information sending means is coupled to the telephony connection for sending audio information to the first party using a telephone.

35. The media translator of claim 22 wherein the text-to-speech conversion means acts to convert the audio information into the corresponding textual information in a substantially real-time manner.

36. The media translator of claim 22 further comprising:

a control interface means via which the media translator performs communications of control information, the control information relating to communications through at least one of the textual information receiving means, the text-to-speech conversion means and the audio information output means.

37. The media translator of claim 36 wherein the media translator establishes communications with the instant communications client responsive to the control information.

38. The media translator of claim 36 wherein the control information identifies the first instant communications client and the media translator selectively establishes contact with the first instant communications client responsive to the content of the control information.

39. The media translator of claim 36 wherein the control information comprises at least one of:

an identifier corresponding to the first instant communications client;

an identifier corresponding to an voice-over-packet data stream;

an IP address;

an identifier corresponding to a audio information output port of the translator;

an identifier corresponding to a textual information receiving port of the translator;

an identifier corresponding to a session involving the translator; and

an identifier corresponding to an instance of the speech-to-text translation means.

40. The media translator of claim 22 further comprising:

a billing system interface for communicating, with a billing system, information about activity of the media translator involving at least one of receiving textual information, converting textual information to corresponding audio information and providing audio information.

41. The media translator of claim 22 further comprising:

a billing function for determining billable usage of the communication system related to activity of the media translator involving at least one of receiving textual information, converting textual information to corresponding audio information and providing audio information.

43. A media translator acting to facilitate communication among a telephony connection and an instant communications client, the translator comprising:

an instant communications interface acting to conduct messaging communications involving the instant communications client;

a telephony communications interface acting to communicate audio information via the telephony connection; and

a media translating means acting to perform at least one of speech-to-text translation and text-to-speech translation between the audio information and the messaging communications.

44. A method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:

receiving textual information from the instant communications client;

translating the textual information into corresponding audio information; and

providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

performing control communications, wherein the control communications affect an aspect of at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

46. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

receiving indication that a communicating party desires to have textual information translated to audio information; and

responsive to the indication, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising:

via an interactive service providing system, interacting with the communicating party to determine whether the communicating party desires to have textual information translated to audio information.

48. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

49. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

determining billable usage related to at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

50. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and

responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

51. A method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:

receiving audio information via the telephone connection,

translating the audio information into corresponding textual information; and

providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

52. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

performing control communications, wherein the control communications affect a aspect of at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

53. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

receiving indication that a communicating party desires to have textual information translated to textual information; and

responsive to the indication, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

54. The method of claim 53 further comprising:

via an interactive service providing system, interacting with the communicating party to determine whether the communicating party desires to have audio information translated to textual information.

55. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.

56. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

determining billable usage related to at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.

57. The method of claim 56 further comprising:

determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage;

responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges; and

selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.

58. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a communications system to perform a method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:

receiving textual information from the instant communications client;

translating the textual information into corresponding audio information; and

providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the method further comprises:

performing control communications, wherein the control communications affect an aspect of at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving indication that a communicating party desires to have textual information translated into audio information; and

responsive to the indication, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60 wherein the method further comprises:

via an interactive service providing system, interacting with the communicating party to determine whether the communicating party desires to have textual information translated into audio information.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the method further comprises:

determining billable usage related to at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 63 wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage; and

responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving textual information from the instant communications client, the translating the textual information into corresponding audio information, and the providing the audio information to be coupled to the telephone connection.

65. A method for facilitating communications between a telephone connection and an instant communications client, the method comprising:

receiving audio information via the telephone connection;

translating the audio information into corresponding textual information; and

providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the method further comprises:

performing control communications, wherein the control communications affect a aspect of at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving indication that a communicating party desires to have textual information translated into audio information; and

responsive to the indication, selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to be communicated to the instant communications client.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 67 wherein the method further comprises:

via an interactive service providing system, interacting with the communicating party to determine whether the communicating party desires to have textual information translated into audio information.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, to a billing system, activity pertaining to at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the method further comprises:

determining billable usage related to at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 70 wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether payment can be obtained for usage charges pertaining to the billable usage;

responsive at least to whether payment can be obtained for the usage charges; and

selectively performing at least one of;

the receiving audio information via the telephone connection, the translating the audio information into corresponding textual information, and the providing the textual information to the communicated to the instant communications client.