Apparatus and method for transitioning between TTY and voice transmission modes

• US 20040196961A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul Roller, Freundlich, Glen George
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

According to an embodiment, both a first and second of audio information are buffered during transmission so that when a transition occurs between transmission types no information is lost.

Claims

1. A method for controlling transitions between a plurality of types of audio information being received via an audio stream, comprising the steps of:

continuously storing the audio stream;

transmitting a present type of audio information from the audio stream;

detecting a new type of audio information in the audio stream at a point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate the new type of audio information from the stored audio stream until the detected time point is reached; and

transmitting the new type of audio information from the audio stream after the detected time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the present type of audio comprises the step of using a first type of transmission;

and

the step of transmitting at the accelerated rate comprises the step of using a second type of transmission.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second type of transmission is a digital control link.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the first type of transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the present type of audio information is one of packetized voice or TDD information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the new type of audio information is one of packetized voice or TDD information.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the first type of transmission is a digital control link.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the second type of transmission.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of determining whether to perform the steps of continuously storing the audio stream, detecting the new type of audio information, transmitting at the accelerated rate, and transmitting the new type of audio information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining comprises accessing data to determine if a source of the audio stream uses both the first and second types of audio information.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining comprises accessing data to determine if a destination of the audio stream uses both the first and second types of audio information.

12. A method of communicating both voice and TDD information in audio information of a telecommunication call, comprising the steps of:

determining that both voice and TDD information may be present on the telecommunication call; and

providing for transitions between voice and TDD information on the telecommunication call upon the determination being made that both voice and TDD information may be present on the telecommunication call.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining comprises the steps of accessing data for an originating telecommunication unit of an incoming telecommunication call to a telecommunication system;

and

identifying if the originating telecommunication unit is marked as using TDD information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of determining further comprises assembling the data based on published TDD telecommunication numbers.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of determining further comprises assembling the data based on telecommunication units known to use TDD information connected to the telecommunication system having placed telecommunication calls to telecommunication units identified in the data.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining comprises the steps of accessing data for an originating telecommunication unit of an outgoing telecommunication call from a telecommunication system;

and

identifying if the originating telecommunication unit is marked as using TDD information in the data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of determining further comprises assembling the data based on outgoing telecommunication calls made to published TDD telecommunication numbers by telecommunication units connected to the telecommunication system.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of determining further comprises assembling the data based on inserting telecommunication units known to use TDD information and connected to the telecommunication system.

19. A method for performing transitions between voice information and TDD information in an audio stream, comprising the steps of:

continuously storing the audio stream;

transmitting voice information from the audio stream upon voice information having been present;

detecting TDD information in the audio stream at a point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate TDD information from the stored audio stream until the detected time point is reached; and

transmitting TDD information from the audio stream after the detected time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprises the step of determining a start of the TDD information in the stored audio stream.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprises the steps of transmitting TDD from the audio stream upon TDD having been present;

detecting voice information in the audio stream at a second point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate voice information from the stored audio stream until the detected second time point is reached; and

transmitting voice information from the audio stream after the detected second time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprises the step of determining a start of the voice information in the stored audio stream.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the voice information comprises the step of using a first type of transmission;

and

the step of transmitting at the accelerated rate comprises the step of using a second type of transmission.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second type of transmission is a digital control link.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the second type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the first type of transmission.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprises the step of determining whether to perform the steps of continuously storing the audio stream, detecting the TDD information, transmitting at the accelerated rate, and transmitting the TDD information.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of determining comprises accessing data to determine if a source of the audio stream uses both the voice and TDD audio information.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of determining comprises accessing data to determine if a destination of the audio stream uses both the voice and TDD audio information.

29. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a device configured for:

continuously storing the audio stream;

transmitting a present type of audio information from the audio stream;

detecting a new type of audio information in the audio stream at a point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate the new type of audio information from the stored audio stream until the detected time point is reached; and

transmitting the new type of audio information from the audio stream after the detected time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

30. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the transmitting the present type of audio comprises using a first type of transmission;

and

the transmitting at the accelerated rate comprises using a second type of transmission.

31. The processor-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the second type of transmission is a digital control link.

32. The processor-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the second type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the first type of transmission.

33. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the present type of audio information is one of packetized voice or TDD information.

34. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the new type of audio information is one of packetized voice or TDD information.

35. The processor-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the first type of transmission is a digital control link.

36. The processor-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the first type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the second type of transmission.

37. The processor-readable medium of claim 29 further comprises determining whether to perform the continuously storing the audio stream, detecting the new type of audio information, transmitting at the accelerated rate, and transmitting the new type of audio information.

38. The processor-readable medium of claim 37 wherein the determining comprises accessing data to determine if a source of the audio stream uses both the first and second types of audio information.

39. The processor-readable medium of claim 37 wherein the determining comprises accessing data to determine if a destination of the audio stream uses both the first and second types of audio information.

40. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a device configured for:

determining that both voice and TDD information may be present on the telecommunication call; and

providing for transitions between voice and TDD information on the telecommunication call upon the determination being made that both voice and TDD information may be present on the telecommunication call.

41. The processor-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the determining comprises of accessing data for an originating telecommunication unit of an incoming telecommunication call to a telecommunication system;

and

identifying if the originating telecommunication unit is marked as using TDD information.

42. The processor-readable medium of claim 41 wherein the determining further comprises assembling the data based on published TDD telecommunication numbers.

43. The processor-readable medium of claim 41 wherein the determining further comprises assembling the data based on telecommunication units known to use TDD information connected to the telecommunication system having placed telecommunication calls to telecommunication units identified in the data.

44. The processor-readable medium of claim 40 wherein the determining comprises accessing data for an originating telecommunication unit of an outgoing telecommunication call from a telecommunication system;

and

identifying if the originating telecommunication unit is marked as using TDD information in the data.

45. The processor-readable medium of claim 44 wherein the determining further comprises assembling the data based on outgoing telecommunication calls made to published TDD telecommunication numbers by telecommunication units connected to the telecommunication system.

46. The processor-readable medium of claim 44 wherein the determining further comprises assembling the data based on inserting telecommunication units known to use TDD information and connected to the telecommunication system.

47. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a device configured for:

continuously storing the audio stream;

transmitting voice information from the audio stream upon voice information having been present;

detecting TDD information in the audio stream at a point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate TDD information from the stored audio stream until the detected time point is reached; and

transmitting TDD information from the audio stream after the detected time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

48. The processor-readable medium of claim 47 further comprises determining a start of the TDD information in the stored audio stream.

49. The processor-readable medium of claim 48 further comprises transmitting TDD from the audio stream upon TDD having been present;

detecting voice information in the audio stream at a second point in time;

transmitting at an accelerated rate voice information from the stored audio stream until the detected second time point is reached; and

transmitting voice information from the audio stream after the detected second time point is reached in the stored audio stream.

50. The processor-readable medium of claim 49 further comprises determining a start of the voice information in the stored audio stream.

51. The processor-readable medium of claim 48 wherein the transmitting the voice information comprises using a first type of transmission;

and

the transmitting at the accelerated rate comprises using a second type of transmission.

52. The processor-readable medium of claim 51 wherein the second type of transmission is a digital control link.

53. The processor-readable medium of claim 51 wherein the second type of transmission is a packet transmission protocol of higher quality than a packet protocol of the first type of transmission.

54. The processor-readable medium of claim 47 further comprises determining whether to perform the continuously storing the audio stream, detecting the TDD information, transmitting at the accelerated rate, and transmitting the TDD information.

55. The processor-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the determining comprises accessing data to determine if a source of the audio stream uses both the voice and TDD audio information.

56. The processor-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the determining comprises accessing data to determine if a destination of the audio stream uses both the voice and TDD audio information.