System and method for automatically translating an imaged surface of an object

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating a graphical representation of a three-dimensional surface of an object, wherein the three-dimensional surface includes a number of inscriptions indicative of encoded information. A number of alternative corresponding symbols are determined according to a selection of a region of the graphical representation. The alternative corresponding cuneiform symbols are determined from a number of the markings. A number of alternative transliterations are determined by the system. The alternative transliterations are determined from of a symbol of the multiple alternative corresponding symbols. A number of alternative translations are also determined by the system of a transliteration of the multiple translations transliterations. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 generating, by a processing system including a processor, generation of a graphical representation of a three-dimensional surface of an object based on a plurality of images of the object, wherein the three-dimensional surface comprises a plurality of inscriptions indicative of encoded information;   presenting, by the processing system, the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object on a display device;   identifying, by the processing system, a selection of a region of a presentation of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object on the display device, wherein the region bounds a subset of inscriptions of the plurality of inscriptions on the three-dimensional surface;   transcribing, by the processing system, the subset of inscriptions of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object to determine a plurality of markings;   associating, by the processing system, a group of symbols with the plurality of markings;   determining, by the processing system, for at least one marking of the plurality of markings, a plurality of alternative groups of symbols;   determining, by the processing system, a plurality of alternative transliterations of a symbol of one of the group of symbols, the plurality of alternative groups of symbols or both; and   determining, by the processing system, a plurality of alternative translations of a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transcribing of the subset of inscriptions is based on a frequency analysis of a portion of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols further comprises:
 identifying, by the processing system, within the region a plurality of surface segments; and   associating, by the processing system, a respective symbol estimate with each surface segment of the plurality of surface segments.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols further comprising:
 matching, by the processing system, at least one marking of the plurality of markings to symbols of a symbol dictionary.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, by the processing system, at least one of a transcription graph responsive to the determining of the plurality of alternative transliterations and a translation graph responsive to the determining of the plurality of alternative translations;   providing, by the processing system, one of the transcription graph, the translation graph, or both to equipment of a user for presentation upon a display device; and   receiving, by the processing system, a selection obtained from equipment of the user, wherein the selection is based on one of the transcription graph, the translation graph, or both.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of markings are cunes corresponding to a cuneiform inscription. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, by the processing system, a translation of the plurality of alternative translations in a searchable data repository.   
     
     
         8 . A mobile device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 generating a graphical representation of a three-dimensional surface of an object, wherein the three-dimensional surface comprises a plurality of inscriptions indicative of encoded information; 
 identifying, a region of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object based on a presentation of a portion of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object on a display device, wherein the region bounds a subset of inscriptions of the plurality of inscriptions on the three-dimensional surface; 
 transcribing the subset of inscriptions of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object to determine a plurality of markings; 
 associating a group of symbols with the plurality of markings; 
 determining for at least one marking of the plurality of markings a plurality of alternative groups of symbols; 
 determining a plurality of alternative transliterations of a symbol of one of the group of symbols, the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, or both; and 
 determining a plurality of alternative translations of a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations. 
   
     
     
         9 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the transcribing of the subset of inscriptions comprises receiving an indication of an enclosed surface about the subset of inscriptions presented to on the display device. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving an input from a user interface of the mobile device to selectively display one of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object, at least one marking of the plurality of markings, a symbol of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations, a translation of the plurality of alternative translations, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein one of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, the plurality of alternative transliterations or the plurality of alternative translations are presented to a on the display device. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein the one of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, the plurality of alternative transliterations or the plurality of alternative translations are presented to a on the display device according to a ranked order. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a selection of one of a symbol of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations, or a translation of the plurality of alternative translations. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile device of  claim 13 , further comprising storing a translation of the plurality of alternative translations in a searchable data repository. 
     
     
         15 . A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 generating a graphical representation of a three-dimensional surface of an object, wherein the three-dimensional surface comprises a plurality of inscriptions indicative of encoded information;   identifying, a selection of a region of a presentation of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object on a display device, wherein the region bounds a subset of inscriptions of the plurality of inscriptions on the three-dimensional surface;   transcribing the subset of inscriptions of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object to determine a plurality of markings;   associating a group of symbols with the plurality of markings;   determining from at least one marking of the plurality of markings a plurality of alternative groups of symbols;   determining a plurality of alternative transliterations of a symbol of one of the group of symbols, the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, or both; and   determining a plurality of alternative translations of a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations.   
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 15 , wherein receiving of the selection of the region of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object comprises receiving an indication of an enclosed surface about the subset of inscriptions of the plurality of inscriptions presented to on the display device. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving an input from a user interface of a mobile device to selectively display one of the graphical representation of the three-dimensional surface of the object, a symbol of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, a transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations, a translation of the plurality of alternative translations, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the one of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, the plurality of alternative transliterations, or the plurality of alternative translations are presented to a on the display device according to a ranked order. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a selection one of a symbol of the plurality of alternative groups of symbols, the transliteration of the plurality of alternative transliterations, or a translation of the plurality of alternative translations. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 19 , further comprising storing a translation of the plurality of alternative translations in a searchable data repository.