Translation management system

Claim 2

A process for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in a master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; allowing the user to initiate the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements requiring translation to an internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to any of: the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: analyzing all of the project components in sufficient detail to determine project cost and resource requirements; generating a project cost estimate prior to beginning the project; creating Work Packets, Job Tickets and a Project Schedule for said project; and sending said Project Schedule to the user for review and validation.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 , further comprising the step of: adjusting the Project Schedule when there are changes in the availability of translation resources, or when manual changes are made to the project by a user.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: providing management status and reporting as the translation process progresses to the user; automatically notifying the user of the completion of translation; updating customer and translation resource accounting at said translation completion; and coordinating the delivery of the translated documents, data streams, or non-text files and their constituent or dependent elements back to the user for installation into a Web site, database, or file system or for optional review.

Claim 6

A process for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in a master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; adding new language content to a Web site, database, or file system, wherein the user selects said new language from a pulldown list; automatically initiating the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file into the desired language; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file requiring translation to a suitable internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 7

A process for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in a master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; adding new language content to a Web site, database, or file system, wherein the user selects said new language from a pulldown list; automatically initiating the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file into the desired language; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file requiring translation to a suitable internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: tracking the versions of a translated document, data stream, or non-text file, wherein said tracking step allows the easy integration with a third-party authoring or document management system; and controlling access to a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements being translated.

Claim 9

A process for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in a master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; sending documents, data streams, or non-text files to be translated down a pipeline, wherein said pipeline is connected to a plurality of translation resources using one or more open Application Programming Interfaces (API); sending packets to translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein work packets are converted to the appropriate translation resource format before sending said converted work packet to said translation resource; receiving packets from translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein received packets are converted back to the work packet format and the status and control information are updated in said work packet before sending said converted received packet to said pipeline; wherein said one or more open API allow a variety of translation resources to be connected to said pipeline; and wherein said translation resources perform translation or other linguistic functions on a set of input documents and produce a set of output documents that have been transformed linguistically.

Claim 10

A process for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in a master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; sending documents, data streams, or non-text files to be translated down a pipeline, wherein said pipeline is connected to a plurality of translation resources using one or more open Application Programming Interfaces (API); sending packets to translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein work packets are converted to the appropriate translation resource format before sending said converted work packet to said translation resource; receiving packets from translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein received packets are converted back to the work packet format and the status and control information are updated in said work packet before sending said converted received packet to said pipeline; wherein said one or more open API allow a variety of translation resources to be connected to said pipeline; and wherein said translation resources perform translation or other linguistic functions on a set of input documents and produce a set of output documents that have been transformed linguistically.

Claim 11

The process of claim 7 , wherein said translation resources are deployed across intranets as well as the Internet.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: a module for analyzing all of the project components in sufficient detail to determine project cost and resource requirements; a module for generating a project cost estimate prior to beginning the project; a module for creating Work Packets, Job Tickets and a Project Schedule for said project; and a module for sending said Project Schedule to the user for review and validation.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising: a module for adjusting the Project Schedule when there are changes in the availability of translation resources, or when manual changes are made to the project by a user.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: a module for providing management status and reporting as the translation process progresses to the user; a module for automatically notifying the user of the completion of translation; a module for updating customer and translation resource accounting at said translation completion; and a module for coordinating the delivery of the translated documents, data streams, or non-text files and their constituent or dependent elements back to the user for installation into a Web site, database, or file system or for optional review.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: a module for tracking the versions of a translated document, data stream, or non-text file, wherein said tracking step allows the easy integration with a third-party authoring or document management system; and a module for controlling access to a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements being translated.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said translation resources are deployed across intranets as well as the Internet.

Claim 23

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; allowing the user to initiate the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements requiring translation to an internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to any of: the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 24

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; allowing the user to initiate the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements requiring translation to an internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to any of: the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: analyzing all of the project components in sufficient detail to determine project cost and resource requirements; generating a project cost estimate prior to beginning the project; creating Work Packets, Job Tickets and a Project Schedule for said project; and sending said Project Schedule to the user for review and validation.

Claim 26

The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of: adjusting the Project Schedule when there are changes in the availability of translation resources, or when manual changes are made to the project by a user.

Claim 27

The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: providing management status and reporting as the translation process progresses to the user; automatically notifying the user of the completion of translation; updating customer and translation resource accounting at said translation completion; and coordinating the delivery of the translated documents, data streams, or non-text files and their constituent or dependent elements back to the user for installation into a Web site, database, or file system or for optional review.

Claim 28

The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: tracking the versions of a translated document, data stream, or non-text file, wherein said tracking step allows the easy integration with a third-party authoring or document management system; and controlling access to a document, data stream, or non-text file and its constituent or dependent elements being translated.

Claim 29

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; adding new language content to a Web site, database, or file system, wherein the user selects said new language from a pulldown list; automatically initiating the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file into the desired language; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file requiring translation to a suitable internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 30

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in the other languages require translation; adding new language content to a Web site, database, or file system, wherein the user selects said new language from a pulldown list; automatically initiating the translation of a document, data stream, or non-text file into the desired language; converting said document, data stream, or non-text file requiring translation to a suitable internal format; staging the translation of said document, data stream, or non-text file; and dynamically routing and sequencing said document, data stream, or non-text file to the appropriate translation resources, wherein said routing and sequencing is performed according to the subject matter of the document to be processed, target language of the translation, and whether draft-only or high quality is required.

Claim 31

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in-the other languages require translation; sending documents, data streams, or non-text files to be translated down a pipeline, wherein said pipeline is connected to a plurality of translation resources using one or more open Application Programming Interfaces (API); sending packets to translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein work packets are converted to the appropriate translation resource format before sending said converted work packet to said translation resource; receiving packets from translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein received packets are converted back to the work packet format and the status and control information are updated in said work packet before sending said converted received packet to said pipeline; wherein said one or more open API allow a variety of translation resources to be connected to said pipeline; and wherein said translation resources perform translation or other linguistic functions on a set of input documents and produce a set of output documents that have been transformed linguistically.

Claim 32

A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing, tracking, accounting and translating multilingual electronic content in a computer environment, comprising the steps of: detecting when a document, data stream, or non-text file in the master language has been updated; notifying the user which corresponding documents, data streams, or non-text files in-the other languages require translation; sending documents, data streams, or non-text files to be translated down a pipeline, wherein said pipeline is connected to a plurality of translation resources using one or more open Application Programming Interfaces (API); sending packets to translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein work packets are converted to the appropriate translation resource format before sending said converted work packet to said translation resource; receiving packets from translation resources through said Adaptor, wherein received packets are converted back to the work packet format and the status and control information are updated in said work packet before sending said converted received packet to said pipeline; wherein said one or more open API allow a variety of translation resources to be connected to said pipeline; and wherein said translation resources perform translation or other linguistic functions on a set of input documents and produce a set of output documents that have been transformed linguistically.

Claim 33

The method of claim 23 , wherein said translation resources are deployed across intranets as well as the Internet.