Alerting of language preference and translating across language boundaries

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided to facilitate communications across language boundaries. In particular, translation solutions are described which automatically determine communication preferences of various participants in a communication session and further translate user inputs received during the communication session so as to confirm with communication preferences of the participants that receive the user input.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving user input from a first user at a first user device, the user input being in a first language and being received in connection with a communication session established between the first user and a second user at a second user device;   determining communication preferences of at least the first user, the communication preferences being stored in one or more data structures maintained on at least one of the first user device and second user device;   based on the determined communication preferences of at least the first user, translating the user input into a translated user input, the translated user input being in a second language that is at least understood by the second user; and   providing the translated user input from the second user device to the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second user device performs the translating step. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the communication preferences of at least the first user are transmitted to the second user device during initiation of the communication session and wherein the one or more data structures are maintained on both the first user device and second user device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining that the communication session between the first user and second user has ended;   thereafter, storing the communication preferences of at least the first user at the second user device such that the communication preferences of at least the first user are available to a language preference detection module residing on the second user device for subsequent communication sessions between the first user and second user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the communication preferences of at least the first user are stored at the second user device only in the event that a communication log for the second user shows that the second user has communicated with the first user more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein, upon determining that the communication preferences of at least the first user are to be stored at the second device, communication preferences of the second user are transmitted to the first user device regardless of whether or not the first and second user are currently engaged in a communication session. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second user device is shared by the second user and a third user, the method further comprising:
 determining communication preferences of the second and third users, wherein the communication preferences of the second and third users are different;   translating the user input into a second translated user input, the second translated user input being in a third language that is at least understood by the third user; and   providing the second translated user input from the second user device to the third user at substantially the same time that the translated user input is provided to the second user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a server performs the translating step. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a back-translation of the translated user input; and   providing the back-translation of the translated user input from the first user device to the first user.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the translated user input from the second user device to the second user is conditioned upon the first user receiving the back-translation of the translated user input and confirming the accuracy thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user device performs the determining and translating steps. 
     
     
         12 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:
 instructions configured to receive user input from a first user at a first user device, the user input being in a first language and being received in connection with a communication session established between the first user and a second user at a second user device;   instructions configured to determine communication preferences of at least the first user, the communication preferences being stored in one or more data structures maintained on the first user device;   instructions configured to, based on the determined communication preferences of at least the first user, translate the user input into a translated user input, the translated user input being in a second language that is at least understood by the second user; and   instructions configured to transmit the translated user input to the second user device.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the communication preferences also include communication preferences of the second user. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 instructions configured to notify the first user of the communication preferences of the second user prior to establishment of the communication session.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 instructions configured to generate a back-translation of the translated user input; and   instructions configured to present the back-translation of the translated user input to the first user.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the user input is in a first communication medium and the back-translation of the translated user input is in a second communication medium. 
     
     
         17 . A communication device, comprising:
 a memory including one or more language-based modules, the one or more language-based modules comprising:
 a language preference detection module to receive user input from a first user, the user input being in a first language and being received in connection with a communication session established between the first user and a second user and subsequently determine communication preferences of at least the first user, the communication preferences being stored in one or more data structures in memory; and 
 a translation module to translate the user input into a translated user input based on the determined communication preferences of at least the first user; and 
   a processor to execute the instructions of the modules included in memory.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising a user interface and a network interface. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more language-based modules are configured to accommodate a multi-party communication session where at least three of the users involved in the multi-party communication session have different communication preferences. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more language-based modules further comprise a back-translation module to translate the translated user input into a back-translated user input for presentation to the first user.