Systems and methods for automated audio transcription, translation, and transfer with text display software for manipulating the text

• US 6,820,055 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Courtroom Connect
• Original Assignee: Speche Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Brand, Stephen, Saindon, Richard J., Brand, David A., Estrin, Laurence H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Storm, Donald L.
• Application Number:
  US09/843,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 704/271, 704/270.1, 704/235, 348/468
• US Class Current: 704/235
• 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 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for audio processing. For example, the present invention provides systems and methods for receiving live speech, converting the speech to text, and transferring the text to a user. As desired, the speech or text can be translated into one or more different languages. Systems and methods for real-time conversion and transmission of speech and text are provided. The present invention further provides a means of displaying, accumulating, and manipulating transmitted text within a distinct viewing field on a receiving device such as a computer, and a means of transmitting software faciliated the transmission, display, accumulation, and manipulation of text.

Claims

1. A system comprising a processor, said processor configured to encode an information stream comprising text information derived from a multimedia event, wherein said processor is further configured to stream said text information over an Internet, and wherein said processor is further configured to transmit software that enables a computer that receives said text information to display text with a multimedia player on said computer in a distinct viewing field that does not display audio or video, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit manipulation of said displayed text, and wherein audio and video information corresponding to said text information, if present, is displayed in a separate multimedia player display from said distinct viewing field, wherein said distinct viewing field is displayable when said separate multimedia player is undisplayed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said multimedia event is selected from live event audio, speech audio, and motion picture audio.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a speech to text converter, wherein said speech to text converter is configured to produce text from said multimedia event and to provide said text to said processor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said speech to text converter comprises a stenograph.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said speech to text converter comprises an error corrector configured to confirm text accuracy prior to providing said text to said processor.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a conference bridge configured to receive multimedia information from said multimedia event, wherein said conference bridge is configured to provide said multimedia information to said processor.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a delay component configured to receive multimedia information from said multimedia event, delay at least a portion of said multimedia information, and send said delayed portion of said multimedia information to said processor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a text to speech converter configured to convert at least a portion of said text information to audio.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a language translator configured to receive said text information and convert said text information from a first language into one or more other languages.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to transmit a viewer output signal comprising a second information stream.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said viewer output signal further comprises said text information stream.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to receive information from a viewer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is configured to display an accumulative transcript of said displayed text.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit rearrangement of an order of display of said displayed text.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit text editing of said displayed text.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit text searching of said displayed text.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit text formatting of said displayed text.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit printing of said displayed text.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed text is configured to permit copying of said displayed text to a separate software application.