Captioned telephone service

• US 20050226394A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultratech Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ultratech Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vitek, Troy D., Colwell, Kevin R., Engelke, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2475 for a hearing impaired user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• 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: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

Captioned telephone are devices intended to provide text captions to persons needing assistance with telephone communications. Captioned telephones provide text by using the services of a relay interposed between the assisted user and the hearing user, the relay providing the captioning for the assisted user. While captioned telephone service can be delivered over a single telephone line, if the assisted user has two telephone lines available for the captioning service, additional features and advantages are possible in the delivery of captioned telephone service to the user.

Claims

1. A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by through a captioned telephone device which is connected both to one telephone line to a remote user and a second telephone line to a relay providing captioning for the conversation, the method comprising the steps of

when the assisted user initiates a call by dialing a telephone number on the first telephone line, the captioned telephone device storing the telephone number without dialing immediately on the first telephone line;

the captioned telephone device initiating a call on the second telephone line to the relay to initiate captioning service set up, and thereafter passing the spoken words received on the first telephone line to the second telephone line; and

the captioned telephone device then dialing the stored telephone number on the first telephone line to initiate a spoken conversation; and

the captioning service them providing captioning to the captioned telephone device of the spoken words transmitted on the second telephone line.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephone lines are each a telephonic connection selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair telephone land line, a cellular telephone link, a PCS link, and an internet protocol (IP) connection.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the captioned telephone device and the telephone of the assisted unit are built into a single device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the captioned telephone device examines the number dialed by the user and immediately dials the number dialed by the assisted user if the assisted user has dialed an emergency services number.

5. A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by through a captioned telephone device which is connected both to one telephone line to a remote user and a second telephone line to a relay providing captioning for the conversation, the method comprising the steps of

the captioned telephone device monitoring the status of both of the telephone lines;

if a call is received by the captioned telephone device, and the other telephone line is not in use, the captioned telephone device setting up the call as a two-line captioned telephone call; and

if a call is received by the captioned telephone device, and the other telephone line is in use, the captioned telephone device setting up the call as a single-line captioned telephone call.

6. A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by through a captioned telephone device which is connected both to one telephone line to a remote user and a second telephone line to a relay providing captioning for the conversation, the method comprising the steps of

when an incoming call is initiated on the first telephone line, the captioned telephone line immediately and automatically calling the relay on the second telephone line so that the captioning of the telephone call by the relay can commence as soon as possible.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the telephone lines is a telephonic connection selected from the group consisting of a wired pair telephone land line, a cellular telephone link, a PCS link, and an internet protocol (IP) connection.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the captioned telephone device and the telephone of the assisted unit are built into a single device.

9. A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by through a captioned telephone device which is connected both to one telephone line to a remote user and a second telephone line to a relay providing captioning for the conversation, the method comprising the steps of

during the telephone conversation, the captioned telephone device receiving captioning for the words spoken by the remote user from the relay and displaying the words in a visual display for the assisted user;

and

when the telephone conversation is ended, the captioned telephone device maintaining the telephone connection on the second telephone line to the relay to maintain the set up in case the assisted user intends to promptly make another telephone call.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of the telephone lines is a telephonic connection selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair telephone land line, a cellular telephone link, a PCS link, and an internet protocol (IP) connection.

11. A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by through a captioned telephone device which is connected both to one telephone line to a remote user and a second telephone line to a relay providing captioning for the conversation, the method comprising the steps of

during the telephone conversation, the captioned telephone device receiving captioning for the spoken words of the remote user from the relay and displaying the words in a visual display for the assisted user;

and

during the telephone conversation, the captioned telephone device using echo cancellation to cancel the voice of the assisted user from the second telephone line so that the relay does not hear the voice of the assisted user, so the relay can caption all the words on the second telephone line without causing confusion to the assisted user.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the telephone line is a telephonic connection selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair telephone land line, a cellular telephone link, a PCS link, and an internet protocol (IP) socket connection.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the captioned telephone device and the telephone of the assisted unit are built into a single device.