Patent ID: 8265543

Claim:
A translation system for translation during event participation by event participants, the system comprising: a plurality of participant handsets, each handset comprising an audio input and an audio output for use by a participant, a participants handset wireless module for wireless communication, and a controller for controlling the participants handset wireless module to transmit and receive audio for output and input using a communication channel designated for a language spoken by the participant; at least one translator handset for use by a translator, each handset comprising an audio input for the input of audio in a one language, an audio output for the output of audio in another language, a translator handset wireless module for wireless communication, and a controller for controlling the translators handset wireless module to receive and transmit audio in a first language on a first communication channel and to receive and transmit audio in a second language on a second communication channel; and a control system for controlling the wireless communication of audio between said participants handsets and said at least one translators handset, said control system being adapted: to control said controller of a first said participants handset to allow a participant to speak by controlling the participant's handset wireless module to transmit audio in a first language spoken by the participant over a first communication channel designated for the first language, to control said controller of a said translators handset to allow a translator to listen to the audio in the first language and to input audio in the second language by controlling the translators handset wireless module to receive audio in the first language using the first communication channel and to transmit audio in the second language using the second communication channel, and to control said controller of a second said participants handset to allow a participant to listen by controlling the participants handset wireless module to receive audio in the second language spoken by the participant over the second communication channel.