Telephone communications system for the deaf

• US 4,012,599 A
• Filed: 07/29/1975
• Issued: 03/15/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome Charles Meyer
• Original Assignee: Jerome Charles Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, Jerome Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Popek, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US05/600,155
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 179/84 VF, 179/84 L, 179/81 C, 179/2 DP, 179/2 TV, 179/2 R, 179/2 A
• US Class Current: 379/93.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0232 Manual direct entries, e.g. key to main memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/08 by operating selected combinations of multifunction keys
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/18 wherein the shift keys are operated before the operation of the multifunction keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/906 Touchtone message transmission

Abstract

A self-powered, portable, hand-held communicator and system provides a deaf user with a visual display of conversational information transmitted to him with a standard pushbutton telephone. A highly efficient and easily remembered encoding scheme is featured wherein the alphabetic character encoding utilizes the standard markings on the telephone pushbuttons and the relative positional location of the pushbuttons. Rapid tactile transmission of messages by a user is enhanced and user fatigue minimized by requiring only a single pushbutton stroke per hand to transmit any alphabetic character. User fatigue is additionally minimized by distributing pushbutton actuation requirements for normal conversation among a plurality of the fingers of each hand and by assigning control functions to pushbuttons having positions spatially and visually related to the encoding function they perform and to the user'"'"'s finger positions during message transmission.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in receiving messages transmitted by pushbutton tone signaling means having a plurality of alphabetic pushbutton and a plurality of non-alphabetic pushbuttons, the alphabetic pushbuttons each having a plurality of alphabetic character markings and the alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons each generating distinct tone signals in response to actuation of a selected pushbutton, comprising:

decoding means coupled to receive the distinct tone signals for producing distinct electrical signals corresponding to actuation of the selected pushbutton;

means coupled to receive the distinct electrical signals for producing an alphabetic character address signal in response to receiving a first signal corresponding to actuation of a non-alphabetic pushbutton followed by a second signal corresponding to actuation of an alphabetic pushbutton; and

display means coupled to receive the alphabetic character address signal for producing a visual display of an alphabetic character corresponding to a character marking of the plurality of alphabetic character markings of the actuated alphabetic pushbutton, the character marking having a similar relative position within the plurality of alphabetic character markings of the actuated alphabetic pushbutton as compared to the relative position of the actuated non-alphabetic pushbutton with respect to positions of said plurality of non-alphabetic pushbuttons on the pushbutton tone signaling means.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons each having a numeric digit marking and comprising:

means coupled to receive said distinct electrical signals for producing a numeric character address signal in response to receiving a plurality of signals corresponding to multiple actuation of a selected in non-alphabetic pushbutton followed by a signal corresponding to actuation of a pushbutton having a numeric marking; and

means coupled to receive the numeric character address signal for producing a visual display of a numeric character corresponding to the numeric digit marking of the actuated pushbutton having a numeric marking.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons each have a numeric digit marking comprising:

means coupled to receive said distinct electrical signals for producing a symbol address signal in response to receiving a plurality of signals corresponding to multiple actuation of a selected non-alphabetic pushbutton followed by a signal corresponding to actuation of a pushbutton having a numeric marking; and

means coupled to receive the symbol address signal for producing a visual display of a symbol.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons are positioned in a matrix having columns and rows of pushbuttons, a selected row of pushbuttons are non-alphabetic, and the means for producing an alphabetic characters address signal responds to said first signals corresponding only to actuation of non-alphabetic pushbuttons in said selected row.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein there are three non-alphabetic pushbuttons within the selected row relatively positioned as left, middle and right with respect to each other on the pushbutton telephone and the plurality of character markings on the alphabetic pushbuttons comprise three alphabetic characters positioned horizontally and relatively positioned as left, middle, and right.

6. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said selected row is the bottom row of the matrix.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons are positioned in a matrix having columns and rows of pushbuttons, a selected column of pushbuttons are non-alphabetic and the means for producing an alphabetic character address signal responds to said first signals corresponding only to actuation of non-alphabetic pushbuttons in said selected column.

8. Apparatus for use in receiving messages transmitted by pushbutton tone signaling means having a plurality of alphabetic pushbuttons and a plurality of non-alphabetic pushbuttons, the alphabetic pushbuttons each having a plurality of alphabetic character markings and the alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons each generating distinct tone signals in response to actuation of a selected pushbutton comprising:

decoding means coupled to receive the distinct tone signals for producing distinct electrical signals corresponding to actuation of the selected pushbutton;

means coupled to receive the distinct electrical signals for producing an alphabetic character address signal in response to receiving a first signal corresponding to actuation of a alphabetic pusbutton followed by a second signal corresponding to actuation of a non-alphabetic pushbutton, and

display means coupled to receive the alphabetic character address signal for producing a visual display of an alphabetic character corresponding to a character marking of the plurality of alphabetic character markings of the actuated alphabetic pushbutton, the character marking having a similar relative position within the plurality of alphabetic character markings of the actuated alphabetic pushbutton as compared to the relative position of the actuated non-alphabetic pushbutton with respect to positions of said plurality of non-alphabetic pushbuttons on the pushbutton tone signaling means.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein a plurality of said alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons each have a numeric digit marking and comprising:

means coupled to receive said distinct electrical signals for producing a numeric character address signal in response to receiving a plurality of signals corresponding to multiple actuation of a selected non-alphabetic pushbutton followed by a signal corresponding to actuation of a pushbutton having a numeric marking; and

means coupled to receive the numeric character address signal for producing a visual display of a numeric character corresponding to the numeric digit marking of the actuated pushbutton having a numeric marking.

10. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein a plurality of said alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbutton each have a numeric digit marking comprising:

means coupled to receive said distinct electrical signals for producing a symbol address signal in response to receiving a plurality of signals corresponding to multiple actuation of a selected non-alphabetic pushbutton and a signal corresponding to actuation of a pushbutton having a numeric marking; and

means coupled to receive the symbol address signal for producing a visual display of a symbol.

11. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons are positioned in a matrix having columns and rows of pushbuttons, a selected row of pushbuttons are non-alphabetic, and the means for producing an alphabetic character address signal responds to said second signals corresponding only to actuation of non-alphabetic pushbuttons in said selected row.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein there are three non-alphabetic pushbuttons within the selected row relatively positioned as left, middle and right with respect to each other on the pushbutton telephone and the plurality of character markings on the alphabetic pushbuttons comprise three alphabetic characters positioned horizontally and relatively positioned as left, middle and right.

13. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said selected row is the bottom row of the matrix.

14. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein alphabetic and non-alphabetic pushbuttons are positioned in a matrix having columns and rows of pushbuttons, a selected column of pushbuttons are non-alphabetic and the means for producing an alphabetic character address signal responds to said first signals corresponding only to actuation of non-alphabetic pushbuttons in said selected column.