Language translation for real-time text-based conversations

• US 5,987,401 A
• Filed: 12/08/1995
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Trudeau, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US08/569,360
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2, 704/7, 704/8, 704/9, 704/277, 395/753
• US Class Current: 704/2
• 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: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A real-time language translation technique for text-based conversations. The messages forming the text-based conversation amongst a plurality of participants to the conversation are translated in real-time either from a user language to a conversation language of the conversation, or from the conversation language to the user language. The result is that the user is able to seamlessly converse in a text-based conversation (in the conversation language) using a language other than the conversation language. The invention is particularly advantageous for on-line text-based conversations, wherein users of on-line text-based conversations are able to seamlessly converse with each other in different languages.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing multilingual text-based conversations over a network of computers, said method comprising:

(a) identifying a conversation group of users of certain of the computers within the network, all of the users of the conversation group participating in a common text-based on-line conversation in a conversation language;

(b) displaying a graphical control pertaining to available user languages on the computer of a user in the conversation group;

(c) selecting, by the user in the conversation group, a user language from the available user languages using the graphical control;

(d) providing an outgoing message in a particular user language from the user in the conversation group;

(e) determining whether the particular user language is the same as the conversation language;

(f) translating the outgoing message from the particular user language to the conversation language when the conversation language is not the same as the particular user language, said translating (f) includes at least selecting one of a plurality of translators based on the particular user language and the conversation language, and translating the outgoing message from the particular user language to the conversation language using the selected one of the translators; and

(g) subsequently transmitting the outgoing message to the certain of the computers associated with each of the users of the conversation group,

wherein the user in the conversation group is able to participate in the common text-based on-line conversation using the particular user language which is different than the conversation language in which the on-line conversation uses.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network of computers includes a plurality of client computers and at least one host computer, and

wherein said translating (f) is performed in the client computer for the user in the conversation group.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

(h) receiving the transmitted outgoing message at the certain of the computers associated with the users of the conversation group as an incoming message in the conversation language; and

(i) translating, for each of the users of the conversation group, the incoming message from the conversation language to the associated user language.

4. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the network is the Internet, and

wherein the conversation group for the common text-based conversation is an on-line chat group.

5. A method for providing multilingual text-based conversations over a network of computers, said method comprising:

(a) identifying a conversation group of users of certain of the computers within the network, all of the users of the conversation group participating in a common text-based on-line conversation in a conversation language, and each of the users of the conversation group having an associated user language;

(b) receiving an incoming message in a conversation language from one of the users in the conversation group;

(c) determining whether the conversation language of the incoming message is the same as a particular user language of a particular user within the conversation group;

(d) translating the incoming message from the conversation language to the particular user language for the particular user when the conversation language is not the same as the particular user language, said translating (d) includes at least selecting one of a plurality of translators based on the particular user language and the conversation language, and then translating the incoming message from the conversation language to the particular user language using the selected one of the translators; and

(e) subsequently displaying the incoming message to the particular user using the particular user language,

wherein the one of the users in the conversation group is able to participate in the common text-based on-line conversation using the particular user language which is different than the conversation language in which the on-line conversation uses.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein the network of computers includes a plurality of client computers and at least one host computer, and

wherein said translating (d) is performed in the client computer for the particular user in the conversation group.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein said method further comprises:

(f) preparing a reply message to the displayed incoming message in the particular user language;

(g) displaying the reply message in the particular user language;

(h) translating the reply message from the particular user language to the conversation language when the particular user language is not the same as the conversation language; and

(i) subsequently transmitting the translated reply message to the certain of the computers associated with each of the users of the conversation group.

8. A method as recited in claim 5,

wherein the network is the Internet, and

wherein the conversation group for the common text-based conversation is an on-line chat group.

9. A method for providing multilingual text-based conversations over a network of computers, said method comprising:

(a) identifying a conversation group of users of certain of the computers within the network, all of the users of the conversation group participating in a common text-based on-line conversation in a conversation language, and each of the users of the conversation group having an associated user language;

(b) receiving an incoming message in a conversation language from one of the users in the conversation group or an outgoing message in a user language from one of the users in the conversation group;

(c) determining whether the conversation language is the same as the user language of a user within the conversation group;

(d) when the incoming message is received,

(d1) translating the incoming message from the conversation language to the user language when the conversation language is not the same as the user language, said translating includes at least selecting one of a plurality of translators based on the user language and the conversation language, and then translating the incoming message from the conversation language to the user language using the selected one of the translators, and

(d2) then displaying the incoming message to the user; and

(e) when the outgoing message is received,

(e1) translating the outgoing message from the user language to the conversation language when the conversation language is not the same as the user language, said translating includes at least selecting one of a plurality of translators based on the user language and the conversation language, and then translating the incoming message from the user language to the conversation language using the selected one of the translators, and

(e2) then subsequently transmitting the outgoing message to the certain of the computers associated with the users in the conversation group,

wherein the users of the conversation group are able to participate in the common text-based on-line conversation using user languages which are different than the conversation language in which the on-line conversation uses.

10. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing multilingual text-based conversations over a network of computers, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable code devices for providing a conversation group of users of certain of the computers within the network, all of the users of the conversation group participating in a common text-based on-line conversation in a conversation language;

computer readable code devices for displaying a graphical control pertaining to available user languages on the computer of a user in the conversation group;

computer readable code devices for selecting, by the user in the conversation group, a particular user language from the available user languages using the graphical control;

computer readable code devices providing an outgoing message in the particular user language from the user in the conversation group;

computer readable code devices for translating the outgoing message from the particular user language to the conversation language when the conversation language is not the same as the particular user language, said computer readable code devices for translating operate to at least select one of a plurality of translators based on the particular user language and the conversation language, and translate the outgoing message from the particular user language to the conversation language using the selected one of the translators; and

computer readable code devices for subsequently transmitting the outgoing message to the certain of the computers associated with each of the users of the conversation group,

wherein the one of the users in the conversation group is able to participate in the common text-based on-line conversation using the particular user language which is different than the conversation language in which the on-line conversation uses.

11. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer readable code devices for receiving an incoming message in a conversation language from one of the users in the conversation group;

computer readable code devices for translating the incoming message from the conversation language to the user language when the conversation language is not the same as the user language.

12. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises

computer readable code devices for displaying the incoming message to the user after translation, and

computer readable code devices for displaying the outgoing message to the user after translation.

13. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing multilingual text-based conversations over a network, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable code devices for providing a conversation group of users having computers within the network, each of the users of the conversation group participating in a common text-based on-line conversation in a conversation language, and each of the users of the conversation group having an associated user language;

computer readable code devices for providing an outgoing message from one of the users of the conversation group, the outgoing message being in the user language associated with the one of the users of the conversation group;

computer readable code devices for displaying the outgoing message in the user language on a display screen of the user'"'"'s computer;

computer readable code devices for displaying a translate button for the user to request translation of the outgoing message from the user language to the conversation language, the translate button being displayed on the display screen of the user'"'"'s computer;

computer readable code devices for translating the outgoing message from the user language to the conversation language when the user selects the translate button being displayed on the display screen of the user'"'"'s computer, said computer readable code devices for translating operate to at least select one of a plurality of translators based on the user language and the conversation language, and translate the outgoing message from the user language to the conversation language using the selected one of the translators; and

computer readable code devices for subsequently transmitting the outgoing message to the certain of the computers associated with the users of the conversation group.

14. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 13,

wherein the network is the Internet, and

wherein the conversation group for the common text-based conversation is an on-line chat group.

15. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer readable code devices for displaying the outgoing message in the conversation language on the display screen of the user'"'"'s computer following said translation.