GB2512578A - Device for providing translations - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for providing translations from one language into another language for use by international travellers comprising a credit card-sized card 1 on which is shown at least one word or phrase 3 in a first language and a translation of that word or phrase in a second language 4. The device being credit card-sized allows it to be conveniently located in a receptacle, such as a purse or wallet from where it can be quickly retrieved. Preferably, all the words or phrases of the first language are of a first colour or tone, and all the words or phrases of the second language are of a second colour or tone.

Description

DEVICE FOR PROVIDING TRANSLATIONS

The invention relates to a device for providing translations. In particular, to a device for providing translations from one language into another language for use by international travellers, such as holiday makers and business people.

It is known to provide pocket-sized paper phrase books and dictionaries intended to be taken on trips abroad to provide translation of a number of words and/or phrases. It is also known to provide electronic dictionaries which are intended to generally minor the function of pa.per phrase books or dictionaries, though often they provide the added functionality of translating between multiple languages.

The most recent innovation in this market is the use of smart phone translation applications, also known as apps'. particularly those tha.t run on the Android (RTM) and iOS (RTM) smart phone operating systems. Many of these applications largely mirror the mode of use of existing electronic phrase books, which in turn closely model traditional paper phrase books and dictionaries.

These existing translation products suffer from a number of problems. The main rea.sons given by customers for not wanting to use paper phra.se books and dictionaries, according to our research are, firstly, the relatively long time it takes to obta.in a translation, and secondly, the inconvenience of carrying a. pa.per phra.se book or dictionary due to its size and weight.

In practice, both paper phrase books a.nd dictionaries are rather too large to be comfortably carried in a pocket and so are likely, if they are carried at all, to be carried in a bag. The mode of use of paper phrase books and dictionaries therefore comprises: remembering exactly where you put the book; retrieving the book, say from a bag; looking up the word or phrase in the index or from the contents; finding the correct page; obtaining the translation and then returning the phrase book to the bag.

Paper phrase books and dictionaries are also slow to use in part because the desired word or phrase may be hidden amongst a large number of other words and phases covering quite obscure situations, the majority of which the traveller will never need.

Electronic phra.sebooks have never achieved significant popularity for largely the same reasons of weight, bulk and speed of use. The mode of use of electronic phrase books being similar to tha.t of paper phrase books or dictionaries but with words or phrases needing to be typed into the device, which is also time-consuming.

Smart phone translation applications provide some benefits over paper or electronic phase books and dictionaries. In particular, their use means that no extra weight or bulk needs to be carried other than that of the smart phone itself, which ma.y be carried in any ca.se. Smart phone translation apps can, however, be quite slow to use. Our research showed tha.t of those who had used smart phone translation a.pps while on holiday, about 50% complained that they were too slow in use.

This complaint is understandable when you consider the mode of use of a typical smart phone translation app. Firstly, the phone needs to be retrieved from wherever it is kept, possibly in a pocket or bag, and if it is not currently on then it needs to be switched on. The translation app must be navigated to and loaded, and the desired words usually then need to be typed into the phone. In a situation where you simply wanted to ask for a cup of coffee for example, and use a few pleasantries when doing so, you S would need to type, say, "hello" and get a translation for that, then type "a coffee" and get a translation for that, and finally type "please" and get a translation for that. After the desired translations have been found, the app is usually closed down and the phone is put away. You can thus have a relatively slow and drawn-out procedure even for very basic conversations.

Apart from speed of use, there are several of other drawbacks to smart phone apps a.s language translation products. In particular, there are often times and locations when travelling where you would not want to be seen using an expensive smart phone. Of those people who used smart phone translation applications in our market research, about one third said that they would prefer not to show their phone in public when travelling in case it encourages someone to steal it. Furthermore, many of the currently available translation apps require an internet connection in order to function correctly and consumers may have concerns about incurring high phone charges through the use of these apps abroad. Finally, a sizable proportion of travellers simply do not own smart phones at present.

The present invention aims to overcome some of the problems associated with known language translation products, particularly by providing translations faster than can be obtained using existing translation products, and in a format that is small-sized and lightweight, and thus is convenient to carry. In addition to improved speed of use, the present invention also facilitates translations to be obtained discreetly, allowing a user to look less like a tourist, which is a known desire of customers.

According to the present invention there is provided a translation device comprising a credit card-sized card on which is shown at least one word or phrase in a first language and a translation of that word or phrase in a second language. Preferably, all the translations provided by the device are visible on the exterior of the card.

By providing translations of useful words and/or phrases on a credit card-sized card allows the translations to be more quickly obtained than when using a paper phrase book or dictionary, an electronic phrase book or dictionary, or a smart phone translation application. There is a definite need for this improved speed of obtaining a translation because, while in some translation situations, say when translating the text of a sign or other printed material, a traveller may have plenty of time in which they can look is up words in a phrase book or dictionary, in the majority of situations, translations are required either when fa.ce-to-fa.ce with a speaker of the foreign language, or in the moments shortly before (i.e. iii preparation for) engaging in such a conversation. In these situations, the appropriate translated word or phrase is needed as quickly as possible.

By sizing the cards as existing bank cards, most users will already have a conveniently sized and located receptacle, such as a purse or wallet, in which to store the translation device of the present invention. Users are also very familiar with the physical actions of removing a. device so sized from a purse and wallet through the everyday use of bank credit cards, debit cards and other similarly sized cards. Both of these specific properties are unique to credit-card sized objects. Particularly, given that the individual pockets within a. wallet or purse are usually tightly sized to closely match the dimensions of a credit card, and also may be designed to receive such a card in either a length-wise or a height-wise manner. Thus a card larger than credit card-sized would be too large to fit in such a pocket.

s A card smaller than credit card-sized would be too small to be practical, since it would not allow the card to be grasped by the fingers during insertion or removal from the wallet or purse, and thus could get stuck inside the wallet or purse. The format of the translation device of the present invention thus provides specific technical contributions that provide genuine benefits to the consumer when compared to cunently available translation products. These technica.l contributions do not rely on the specific details of what is shown or displayed on the translation devices but rather on the form that the translation devices take.

A further advantage of the present invention is the ability to obtain a translation discreetly. If you are unfamiliar with a language it can be embarrassing when trying to speak your first few words and most existing translation products do little to address this. Few people wish to stand in a busy shop or tourist office whilst obviously reading from a phrase book or dictionary. The ability to easily store the translation devices of the present invention in an existing purse or wallet, such that they can be quickly glanced at and then replaced back into the purse or wallet, is advantageous if wishing to not look like a tourist and be discreet about obtaining a translation. This is a further technical effect that is particular to the present invention.

Preferably, the dimensions of the card conform to any international standard governing the size and/or shape of bank cards. It is particularly preferred that the dimensions of the card conform to international standard ISO/TEC 7810. This standard defines dimensions for bank cards of 85.60mm x 53.98mm, with a thickness of 0.76mm and with rounded corners having a radius of 2.88mm to 3.48mm. By using this standard size, advantage can be taken of existing printing and card blank production facilities, and the cards can easily be carried in any place where a standard bank card might be carried.

Preferably, the length of the card is between 85mm and 87mm, and the width of the card is between 53mm and 55mm and, more preferably, the length of the card is 86mm and the width of the card is 54mm. To help a.ssist in the speedy insertion and removal of the card into, say, a purse or wallet, the corners of the card are preferably rounded so that they are less likely to catch on the material of the purse, wallet or of whatever type of receptacle the card is placed into. Preferably, each rounded corner has a.

radius of between 2 mm -5 mm. Most preferably, each rounded corner has a radius of 2.88 mm-3.48 mm.

It is desired that the cards are colour-coded so that each different language can be easily and quickly distinguished. Accordingly, it is preferred that a.t least one of the words or phrases in the first language on the translation device are shown in a first colour or tone, and at least one of the words or phrases in the second language are shown in a second colour or tone. More preferably, all the words or phra.ses of the first language are of the first colour or tone, and all the words or phrases of the second language are of the second colour or tone.

The invention also embraces a set of translation devices as described above, wherein on each device the translation of the at least one word or phrase is provided in a. language and in a colour or tone that is specific to that translation device. It is even more preferred that each translation device provides all translations in a colour or tone that is specific to that translation device, and wherein that colour or tone is different for each translation device in the set. Thus, for example, a series of translation devices may be provided wherein each card provides English words printed iii black while the foreign language translations are printed in a specific, recognisable colour for that language.

The set of translation devices according to the invention are preferably such that at least one word or phrase is shown on all the translation devices in the set, and is shown in the same relative position on ea.ch translation device. In this way, a.cross the range of cards, the same words are generally positioned on the cards in the same place. Thus, if you are familiar with the location of the words on an English to French card, you will largely find the same words in the same positions on an English to German card. This is to help to quickly familiarise customers with new cards and to obtain translations as quickly and easily as possible.

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 shows two devices for providing translations according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Each of the two devices shown in Figure 1 comprises a credit card-sized plastic card 1, 6. The plastic cards 1, 6 conform to the size and shape characteristics set out for banking cards in international standard ISO/IEC 7810. Specifically, they have a length of 85.60 mm and a width of 53.98 mm and have rounded corners of a radius of 2.88 -3.48 mm or at least within generally acceptable manufacturing tolerances of these dimensions.

Although not explicitly shown in Figure 1, the thickness of each of plastic cards 1, 6 would be 0.76 mm to match the standard thickness of bank cards.

The first translation device 1 provides translations from English into French, as indicated in a title 2 printed on the card. The second translation device 6 provides translations from English into German. For simplicity, ea.ch translation device is shown with only a single line of translated text.

In practice, the majority of the front and rear faces of the cards 1, 6 would be printed with words andlor phrases together with their translations, to substantially maximise the number of useful translations provided on each card.

The two translation cards shown 1, 6 form part of a larger set of translation cards (not shown) such that in total translation cards are is provided for each of, say, twelve different languages. As can be seen in Figure 1, an English word or phra.se 3, 7 is provided on each card together with the translation of that word or phrase in a specific language of that particular translation card, in this case a translation in French 4 and a translation in German 8.

The set of, say, twelve translation cards has a common primary language, in this case English, and then translations which correspond to that particular card are provided in a secondary language, say French, German and so on.

The words andlor phrases of the primary language are substantially the same for all cards in the set in both the content of the words andlor phrases, as well as in their positions on the translation cards. The translations in the secondary languages are naturally different for each particular franslation card in the set, however, their positions on the cards are substantially the same. Thus, a phrase in English such as Do you s speak English?' is provided on all cards in tile set and in substantiaHy the same position on each franslation card in the set, as is shown at 3 and 7 in Figure 1. The corresponding translations of Do you speak English?' 4, 8 are provided in the appropriate language for that card and in substantially the same positions on all cards in the set. In this way, if a user is familiar with the position of a particular word or phrase on one card, such as a English to French card, then they can quickly find tha.t same word or phrase on another card in the set, such as an English to German card.

To further aid the speed and ease of use of the translation cards, the words andlor phrases provided in the primary language are shown in a.

different colour or tone to the words and/or phrases of the secondary languages. This provides a quick visual clue as to whether a word or phrase is in the primary language or in one of the secondary languages. In a. preferred embodiment, the primary language is shown in black and each of the secondary languages in the set of translation cards is shown in a different colour or tone specific to that particular language, say French in red, German in blue and so on. The colour-coding of the translation cards helps a user to pick out the translation card they want more quickly if they have a number of different translation cards to choose from.

Although the word card' has been used in this description to describe the franslation devices, it should be understood that it is not intended for this word to refer to a cardboard' material, but rather to the substantially flat credit card-like nature of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The translation device of the present invention could be made from cardboard, paper, plastic, metal or any other suitable material, or composite of materials.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS1. A translation device comprising a credit card-sized card on which is shown at least one word or phrase in a first language and a s translation of that word or phrase in a second language.
2. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein all the translations provided by the device are visible on the exterior of the card.
3. 3. A device according to claims 1 or 2, in which the dimensions of the card conform to any international standard governing the size and/or shape of bank cards.

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4. 4. A device according to claim 3, in which the dimensions of the card conform to international standard ISO/IEC 7810.
5. 5. A device according to claim 3, in which the length of the card is between 85mm and 87mm, and the width of the card is between 53mm and 55mm.
6. 6. A device according to claim 5, in which the length of the card is 86mm, and the width of the card is 54mm.
7. 7. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the card has one or more rounded corners.
8. 8. A device according to claim 7, in which all the corners of the card are rounded.
9. 9. A device according to claims 7 or 8, wherein each rounded s corner has a radius of 2 mm -5 mm.
10. 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein each rounded corner has a radius of 2.88 mm -3.48 mm.
11. 11. A device according to any preceding claim, in which at least one of the words or phrases in the first language are shown in a first colour or tone, and at least one of the words or phrases in the second language are shown in a second colour or tone. (Siis
12. 12. A device according to claim 11, in which all the words or phrases of the first language are of the first colour or tone, and all the words or phrases of the second language are of the second colour or tone.
13. 13. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the card is made from paper, cardboard, metal, plastic or a composite of these materials.
14. 14. A set of translation devices according to any preceding claim, wherein on each device the translation of the at least one word or phrase is provided in a language and in a colour or tone that is specific to that translation device.
15. 15. A set of translation devices according to claim 14, wherein each translation device provides all translations in a colour or tone that is specific to that translation device, and wherein that colour or tone is different for each translation device in the set.
16. 16. A set of translation devices according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one word or phrase is shown on all the translation devices in the set, and is shown in the same relative position on each translation device.
17. 17. A translation device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
18. 18. A set of translation devices described as specified herein with o reference to the accompanying drawing. (4