Google Inc.

Deric Cheng

Shijing Xian

An improved translation experience is provided using an auxiliary device, such as a pair of earbuds, and a wirelessly coupled mobile device. Microphones on both the auxiliary device and the mobile device simultaneously capture input from, respectively, a primary user (e.g., wearing the auxiliary device) and a secondary user (e.g., a foreign language speaker providing speech that the primary user desires to translate). Both microphones continually listen, rather than alternating between the mobile device and the auxiliary device. Each device may determine when to endpoint and send a block of speech for translation, for example based on pauses in the speech. Each device may accordingly send the received speech for translation and output, such that it is provided in a natural flow of communication.

Concurrent reception of multiple user speech input for translation

Local wireless networking is used to establish a multi-language translation group between users that speak more than two different languages such that when one user speaks into his or her computing device, that user's computing device may perform automated speech recognition, and in some instances, translation to a different language, to generate non-audio data for communication to the computing devices of other users in the group. The other users' computing devices then generate spoken audio outputs suitable for their respective users using the received non-audio data. The generation of the spoken audio outputs on the other users' computing devices may also include performing a translation, thereby enabling each user to receive spoken audio output in their desired language in response to speech input from another user, and irrespective of the original language of the speech input.

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Bedford, TX, United States of America

Deric Cheng