Systems and methods for facilitating communications involving hearing-impaired parties

• US 20060285652A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven C., McClelland, William A., Haldeman, Kurt P., Logan, Mark R., Dudley, Benjamin W., Heidelbauer, Chris R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,985 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 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/123 where the packet-switched network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia System-type network

Abstract

A method for providing communication services for the hearing-impaired may include receiving a telephone call from a hearing-impaired party or a hearing party. The method may also include forwarding the telephone call to a communication assistant and establishing a communication link, such an Internet protocol link, that links the hearing-impaired party, the communication assistant and the hearing party.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication services, comprising:

receiving a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party;

identifying a communication assistant;

forwarding the request to the communication assistant; and

establishing, by the communication assistant, a communication link from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party using voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication assistant, voice input from the hearing-impaired party transmitted via VoIP.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication link links the hearing-impaired party, the communication assistant and the hearing party in a conference call arrangement, the method further comprising:

forwarding audio from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party over the communication link via VoIP.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is associated with a telephone call received from the hearing-impaired party, the method further comprising:

receiving the telephone call from the hearing-impaired party; and

forwarding the telephone call to an automatic call distributor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identifying a communication assistant comprises:

identifying, by the automatic call distributor, a first communication assistant, and forwarding the call to the first communication assistant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one alternative method by which to communicate with the hearing-impaired party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a communication assistant comprises:

identifying a preferred communication method associated with the hearing-impaired party,

identifying a first communication assistant capable of assisting the hearing-impaired party using the preferred communication method, and

forwarding the call to the first communication assistant.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting VoIP data from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party via the communication link without converting the VoIP data to analog data along a path from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information identifying at least one method by which the hearing-impaired party wishes to communicate, and wherein the establishing comprises;

using the stored information when establishing the communication link.

10. A system, comprising:

a server configured to;

receive a request from a hearing-impaired party or a hearing party for establishing a communication link between the hearing-impaired part and the hearing party;

an automatic call distributor configured to;

receive the request,

identify a communication assistant, and

forward the request to the communication assistant; and

a first device associated with the communication assistant, the first device being configured to;

establish a conference call including the hearing-impaired party, the hearing party and the communication assistant using an Internet protocol.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first device is further configured to receive audio transmitted by the hearing-impaired party via voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the audio is transmitted via the conference call to the hearing party using VoIP.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a database, the database being configured to;

store a plurality of telephone numbers and at least one method associated with each of the plurality of telephone numbers, the at least one method identifying a method by which a hearing-impaired party wishes to communicate.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a first one of the at least one method comprises voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one method comprises a first method and a second method, the database being further configured to:

store information identifying an order with respect to attempting to establish communications with the hearing-impaired party via the first and second methods.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one method comprises a plurality of methods.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein when establishing the conference call, the first device is configured to:

access a database to identify a preferred method of communicating with the hearing-impaired party, and

establish the conference call using the preferred method.

18. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a request for establishing a link between a hearing-impaired party and a hearing party;

means for identifying a communication assistant capable of satisfying the request;

means for forwarding the request to the identified communication assistant; and

means for establishing the link, wherein the link is used to forward at least one of voice, video or text from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party using an Internet protocol.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for storing a plurality of telephone numbers and at least one method associated with each of the plurality of telephone numbers, the at least one method corresponding to a preferred method associated with communicating with the hearing-impaired party.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for transmitting voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) data from the hearing-impaired party to the hearing party via the link.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a hearing-impaired party or a hearing party;

forwarding the telephone call to a communication assistant; and

establishing a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication link linking the hearing-impaired party, the communication assistant and the hearing party.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

identifying a preferred communication method associated with the hearing-impaired party;

identifying a first communication assistant capable of assisting the hearing-impaired party using the preferred communication method; and

forwarding the telephone call to the first communication assistant.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

identifying an alternative communication method associated with the hearing-impaired party when the preferred method is not used.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

forwarding the telephone call to an automatic call distributor; and

identifying, by the automatic call distributor, a first communication assistant, wherein the forwarding the telephone call to a communication assistant comprises;

forwarding the telephone call to the first communication assistant.