Interpretive tone telecommunication method and apparatus

• US 4,754,474 A
• Filed: 10/21/1985
• Issued: 06/28/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roy W. Feinson
• Original Assignee: Roy W. Feinson
• Inventors: Feinson, Roy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/789,473
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 A, 179/2 DP, 179/6.08, 179/6.11, 340/825.48, 340/825.74, 381/44, 379/52, 379/77, 379/93, 379/96, 379/97, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105
• US Class Current: 379/93.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/906 Touchtone message transmission

Abstract

A telecommunication method and apparatus for the deaf and hearing impaired uses the discrete dual frequency tones produced by each button on a telephone key pad to represent one of three letters inscribed on each key. Apparatus at the deaf person'"'"'s receiving telephone assembles the sequences of number values identifying each letter group containing each letter in a transmitted word. Comparison apparatus within the receiving apparatus, preferably controlled by a microprocessor, compares the sequences of letter groups with allowed sequences of letter groups corresponding to pre-determined words stored within an electronic dictionary memory within the apparatus. When a perfect match has been obtained, the word interpreted from each triply ambiguous letter group corresponding to each transmitted letter is displaying visually on a CRT for the deaf person. Under microprocessor control, this procedure takes a fraction of a second per word lookup.

Claims

1. An interpretive tone telecommunication method comprising;

(a) transmitting a sequence of discrete signals, each signal corresponding to a plurality of characters containing the particular character desired to be transmitted in said sequence;

(b) receiving said sequence of signals, and temporarily storing in a ordered sequence a discrete value corresponding to each discrete signal received in said sequence;

(c) comparing said ordered sequence of discrete values with a plurality of pre-stored allowed sequences of discrete values corresponding to particular words;

(d) producing a first command signal if and when said ordered sequence of discrete values exactly matches one of said pre-stored sequences of discrete values,

(e) displaying a word corresponding to said pre-stored sequence of discrete values upon production of said first command signal,

(f) producing a second command signal if and when said ordered sequence of discrete values fails to exactly match any one of said pre-stored sequences of discrete values,

(g) comparing in response to said second command signal a beginning subsequence comprising the first m values and an ending subsequence comprising the last n values of said ordered sequence of discrete values, where m and n are integers, with a second plurality of pre-stored allowed sequences of discrete values corresponding to particular prefixes and suffixes;

(h) producing a third command signal if and when said beginning or ending subsequences of values exactly matches one sequence of said plurality of second pre-stored sequences of discrete values coresponding to particular prefixes and suffixes, and storing a code corrresponding to said matched prefix or suffix, truncating said ordered sequence of discrete values to produce a truncated word by removing said matched subsequence of values from said ordered sequence of values upon production of said third command signal;

(i) comparing said truncated ordered sequence of discrete values with said first plurality of pre-stored allowed sequences of discrete values corresponding to particular words;

(j) producing a first command signal if and when said ordered sequence of discrete values exactly matches one sequence of said plurality of first pre-stored sequences of discrete values;

(k) checking code bits stored with said matched ordered sequence to determine if said stored prefix or suffix code indicates an allowed prefix or suffix, and generating a fourth command signal if said prefix or suffix is allowed to be appended to said truncated word;

(l) appending said prefix or suffix to said truncated word upon production of said fourth command signal to produce a concatenated word, and

(m) displaying said concatenated word.

2. An interpretive telecommunication apparatus comprising;

(a) means for producing a separate discrete value corresponding to each type of a set of allowable received signals, each of which said signals represents at least one character;

(b) means for sequentially assembling and storing a sequence of said discrete values;

(c) means for comparing said sequence of discrete values with each sequence of a plurality of pre-stored sequences of values, each said pre-stored sequence corresponding to a particular word comprised of a sequence of characters;

(d) means for producing a first command signal if and when said sequence exactly matches one sequence of said plurality of pre-stored sequences,

(e) means responsive to said command signal for displaying said word corresponding to said pre-stored sequence,

(f) means for producing a second command signal if and when said ordered sequence of discrete values fails to exactly match any one sequence of said plurality of pre-stored sequences of discrete values,

(g) means responsive to said second command signal for comparing a beginning subsequence comprising the first m values and an ending subseqeunce comprising the last n values where m and n are integers, with a second plurality of pre-stored allowed sequences of values corresponding to particular prefixes and suffixes;

(h) means for producing a third command signal if and when said beginning or ending subsequences of values exactly matches one of said pre-stored sequences in said second plurality of pre-stored sequences of discrete values corresponding to particular prefixes and suffixes, and storing a code corresponding to said matched prefix or suffix

(i) means for truncating said ordered sequence of discrete values to produce a truncated word by removing said matched subsequence of values from said ordered sequence of values upon production of said third command signal;

(j) means for comparing said truncated ordered sequence of discrete values with said pre-stored sequences in said first plurality of pre-stored allowed sequences of discrete values corresponding to particular words;

(k) means for producing a first command signal if and when said ordered sequence of discrete values exactly matches one of said pre-stored sequences in said first plurality of prestored sequences of discrete values;

(l) means for checking code bits stored with said matched ordered sequence to determine if said stored prefix or suffix code indicates an allowed prefix or suffix, and generating a fourth command signal if said prefix or suffix is allowed to be appended to said truncated word;

(m) means responsive to said fourth command signal in appending said prefix or suffix to said truncated word to produce a concatenated word, and

(n) means for displaying said concatenated word.