Apparatus and method for providing service for TTY and voice transmission

• US 20050063520A1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology LLC (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul Roller
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

An apparatus and method communicate TTY calls by detecting a TTY call, determining that a digital display on a first telecommunication terminal is to be used to display TTY information of the call from a second telecommunication terminal and that audio information will be transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal, converting the TTY information from the second telecommunication terminal to digital display information, transmitting the digital display information to the first telecommunication terminal, and muting an incoming call audio path from the second telecommunication terminal to the first telecommunication terminal.

Claims

1. A method for communicating TTY calls, comprising the steps of:

detecting a TTY call;

determining that a digital display on a first telecommunication terminal is to be used to display TTY information of the call from a second telecommunication terminal and that audio information will be transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal;

converting the TTY information to digital display information;

transmitting the digital display information to the first telecommunication terminal; and

muting an incoming call audio path from the second telecommunication terminal to the first telecommunication terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of generating the audio information transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal by a TTY device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of generating the audio information comprises the step of receiving the audio information from at least one of an acoustic coupler of the TTY device via a handset of the first telecommunication terminal or an interface of the TTY device via an analog interface of the first telecommunication terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprises the step of operating the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprises the steps of connecting the first telecommunication terminal to a telecommunication switching system via a first telecommunication link and the TTY device to the telecommunication switching system via a second telecommunication link;

and

transmitting the audio information to the second telecommunication terminal via the second telecommunication link.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises the step of operating the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprises the step of establishing a bridged line appearance between the first and second telecommunication links.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprises the step of operating the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of generating the audio information transmitted from the first telecommunication terminal to the second telecommunication terminal by a handset connected to the first telecommunication terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprises the step of operating the handset and the first telecommunication terminal in a voice carry over mode.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining comprises the step of responding to an act of a user on the first telecommunication terminal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the act occurs during the TTY call.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the act occurs before the TTY call.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting comprises the step of determining from stored information that the second telecommunication terminal may be transmitting TTY information.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting comprises the step of using a control path to the first telecommunication terminal.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of enabling an outgoing audio call path from the first telecommunication terminal to the second telecommunication terminal on which voice information is communicated from a handset of the first telecommunication terminal.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the second telecommunication terminal is a voice messaging system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining comprises the step of detecting from information stored on the voice message system that the second telecommunication terminal may be transmitting TTY information.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of converting is performed by the voice message system.

20. An apparatus for communicating TTY calls, comprising:

a computer;

a controller;

a switching network;

a memory;

the computer by execution of a control routine detecting a TTY call;

the computer by execution of the control routine determining that a first telecommunication terminal is to display TTY information received from a second telecommunication terminal on the digital display of the first telecommunication terminal;

the controller converting the TTY information to digital display information; and

the switching network communicating the digital display information to the first telecommunication terminal, enabling a first audio call path to the second telecommunication terminal, and disabling a second audio call path from the second telecommunication terminal to the first telecommunication terminal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprises a TTY device generating audio information for communication on the first audio call path to the second telecommunication terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal operate in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprises at least one of an acoustic coupler of the TTY device coupled to the first telecommunication terminal via a handset of the first telecommunication terminal or an interface of the TTY device coupled to the first telecommunication terminal via an analog interface of the first telecommunication terminal to generate the audio information.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprises a first telecommunication link connecting the first telecommunication terminal to a telecommunication switching system and a second telecommunication link connecting the TTY device to the telecommunication switching whereby the audio information is transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal via the second telecommunication link.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprises the telecommunication switching system establishing a bridged line appearance between the first and second telecommunication links.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprises a handset connected to the first telecommunication terminal for generating voice information for communication on the first audio call path from the first telecommunication terminal to the second telecommunication terminal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the handset and the first telecommunication terminal operate in a voice carry over mode.

28. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the switching network communicating the digital display information to the first telecommunication terminal via a control path.

29. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the computer during execution of the control routine to determine that a first telecommunication terminal is to display the TTY information accesses data in the memory.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the data stored in the memory was stored in response to an act of a user on the first telecommunication terminal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the act occurs during the TTY call.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the act occurs before the TTY call.

33. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprises a voice message system and the voice message system is the second telecommunication terminal.

34. An apparatus for communicating TTY calls, comprising:

means for converting TTY information into digital display information; and

means for displaying the digital display information on the display of a telecommunication terminal in response to an input of a user.

35. A processor-readable medium for communicating TTY calls, comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

detecting a TTY call;

determining that a digital display on a first telecommunication terminal is to be used to display TTY information of the call from a second telecommunication terminal and that audio information will be transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal;

converting the TTY information to digital display information;

transmitting the digital display information to the first telecommunication terminal; and

muting an incoming call audio path from the second telecommunication terminal to the first telecommunication terminal.

36. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 further comprises generating the audio information transmitted to the second telecommunication terminal by a TTY device.

37. The processor-readable medium of claim 36 wherein generating the audio information comprises the step of receiving the audio information from at least one of an acoustic coupler of the TTY device via a handset of the first telecommunication terminal or an interface of the TTY device via an analog interface of the first telecommunication terminal.

38. The processor-readable medium of claim 37 further comprises operating the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

39. The processor-readable medium of claim 36 further comprises connecting the first telecommunication terminal to a telecommunication switching system via a first telecommunication link and the TTY device to the telecommunication switching system via a second telecommunication link;

and

transmitting the audio information to the second telecommunication terminal via the second telecommunication link.

40. The processor-readable medium of claim 39 further comprises operating the TTY device and the first telecommunication terminal in a full duplex mode with respect to the second telecommunication terminal.

41. The processor-readable medium of claim 40 further comprises establishing a bridged line appearance between the first and second telecommunication links.

42. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 further comprises generating the audio information transmitted from the first telecommunication terminal to the second telecommunication terminal by a handset connected to the first telecommunication terminal.

43. The processor-readable medium of claim 42 further comprises operating the handset and the first telecommunication terminal in a voice carry over mode.

44. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the determining comprises responding to an act of a user on the first telecommunication terminal.

45. The processor-readable medium of claim 44 wherein the act occurs during the TTY call.

46. The processor-readable medium of claim 44 wherein the act occurs before the TTY call.

47. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the detecting comprises determining from stored information that the second telecommunication terminal may be transmitting TTY information.

48. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the transmitting comprises using a control path to the first telecommunication terminal.

49. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 further comprises the enabling an outgoing audio call path from the first telecommunication terminal to the second telecommunication terminal on which voice information is communicated from a handset of the first telecommunication terminal.

50. The processor-readable medium of claim 35 wherein the second telecommunication terminal is a voice messaging system.

51. The processor-readable medium of claim 50 wherein the determining comprises detecting from information stored on the voice message system that the second telecommunication terminal may be transmitting TTY information.

52. The processor-readable medium of claim 50 wherein the converting is performed by the voice message system.