Script generator and process for programming automated TDD telephone system application

• US 5,450,470 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dirad Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dirad Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Alheim, Curtis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/381,298
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/96-99, 379/396, 379/93, 379/444, 340/825.19, 381/51
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A computer-based script generator and associated method for programming TDD displayable messages in an automated interactive telephone communication system (ATS) which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for automated processing of communication signals from an individual caller communicating therewith over the telephone subscriber network using a TDD coupled to the network. The script generator and associated processing are computer-based and include entering a TDD displayable message in entered script format for transfer to the ATS; translating the TDD displayable message from the entered script format into a corresponding TDD script format with reference to predefined dictionary and rule databases; and transferring the TDD displayable message of TDD script format to the ATS. The predefined databases correlate selected plain language script with TDD language script and provide rules for coordinating the translation of the TDD displayable message from entered script format to TDD script format.

Claims

1. A computer-based TDD script generator for programming displayable messages of TDD script format in an automated interactive telephone communication system (ATS) which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for automated processing of communication signals from an individual caller communicating therewith over the telephone subscriber network with a TDD coupled to the network, the ATS including a computer database for containing a plurality of separately addressed, digitally encoded displayable messages, said computer-based TDD script generator comprising:

means for entering a displayable message for transfer to the ATS, said displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

computer means for automatically translating said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format into a corresponding standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script;

means for transferring said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format to the ATS for storage in its computer database.

2. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 1, wherein said means for entering said displayable message comprises at least one of a keyboard electrically coupled to the computer means for manual entering of said displayable message and a floppy disk drive electrically coupled to the computer means for automated downloading of said displayable message.

3. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 1, wherein said computer means for translating further includes a matrix of predefined rules which provides certain logic for coordinating the translation of said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format to said standardized TDD script format.

4. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes means for transferring said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format to the ATS over the two-way telephone subscriber network.

5. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes means for converting said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format as an ASCII signal to a Baudot signal for transfer of said displayable message to the ATS.

6. The computer-based script generator of claim 4, wherein the digital signal to analog signal converting means comprises a modem having a D/A, A/D converter interface.

7. A method for generating a displayable message of TDD script format in an automated interactive telephone communication system (ATS) which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for automated processing of communication signals from an individual caller communicating therewith over the telephone subscriber network with a TDD coupled to the network, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a displayable message for transfer to the ATS, said displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

(b) storing the displayable message having the entered Plain-English ASCII script format in a first memory database;

(c) retrieving the displayable message of entered Plain-English ASCII script format from the first memory database and translating the displayable message from the entered Plain-English ASCII script format to a corresponding standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script;

(d) storing the TDD displayable message of standardized TDD script format in a second memory database; and

(e) retrieving the TDD displayable message of standardized TDD script format from the second memory database and transferring the TDD displayable message of standardized TDD script format to the ATS.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step (c) includes translating the TDD displayable message from the entered Plain-English ASCII script format into the corresponding standardized TDD script format by reference to a matrix of predefined rules which provides certain logic for coordinating the translation of the TDD displayable message from the entered Plain-English ASCII script format to the standardized TDD script format.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said providing step (a) comprises the step of providing a digital signal in ASCII code representative of the displayable message for transfer to the ATS, and wherein said transferring step (e) includes converting the digital signal in ASCII code to an analog signal in Baudot code prior to transferring said displayable message in standardized TDD script format to the ATS.

10. A computer-based TDD script generator for programming displayable messages of TDD script format in an automated interactive telephone communication system (ATS) which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for automated processing of communication signals from an individual caller communicating therewith over the telephone subscriber network with a TDD coupled to the network, said computer-based TDD script generator comprising:

means for entering a displayable message for transfer to the ATS, said displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

a first memory means and a second memory means;

means for storing the displayable message having the entered Plain-English ASCII script format in the first memory means;

means for retrieving the displayable message of entered Plain-English ASCII script format from the first memory means and for translating the displayable message of entered Plain-English ASCII script format to a corresponding standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script;

means for storing the displayable message of standardized TDD script format in said second memory means; and

means for retrieving the displayable message of standardized TDD script format from the second memory means and for transferring said displayable message of standardized TDD script format to the ATS.

11. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 10, wherein said means for translating further includes a matrix of predefined rules which provides certain logic for coordinating the translation of the displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format to said standardized TDD script format.

12. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 10, wherein the means for entering the displayable message comprises means for entering an ASCII coded signal representative of the displayable message, and wherein the means for transferring includes means for converting said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format as an ASCII coded signal to a Baudot coded signal for transfer to the ATS across the two-way telephone subscriber network.

13. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 10, wherein the means for transferring the displayable message of standardized TDD script format to the ATS comprises an D/A, A/D converter interface.

14. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 10, wherein said means for entering the displayable message comprises means for entering multiple displayable messages, each of said multiple displayable messages having a unique message number associated therewith such that said multiple displayable messages define a range of associated message numbers, and wherein said means for storing the displayable message of entered Plain-English ASCII script format comprises means for storing the multiple displayable messages of entered Plain-English ASCII script format.

15. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 14, wherein said means for retrieving the displayable message of entered Plain-English ASCII script format comprises means for retrieving at least one of the multiple displayable messages of entered Plain-English ASCII script format stored in the first memory means, said retrieving means operating by defining a message number range of messages to be retrieved from said first memory means.

16. The computer-based TDD script generator of claim 15, wherein said means for retrieving the displayable message of standardized TDD script format comprises means for retrieving at least one displayable message of standardized TDD script format from the second memory means, said retrieving means operating by defining a range of message numbers for which corresponding messages are to be retrieved from the second memory means.

17. A computer-based TDD telecommunications device which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for direct communication with a remotely located TDD call recipient, said computer-based TDD telecommunications device comprising:

means for entering a displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

computer-based means for automatically translating said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format into a corresponding standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations, and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script; and

means for transferring said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format across the two-way telephone subscriber network to the TDD call recipient.

18. The computer-based TDD telecommunications device of claim 17, wherein said means for entering said displayable message includes a keyboard for manual entering of the displayable message.

19. The computer-based TDD telecommunications device of claim 17, wherein said computer-based means for automatically translating further includes a matrix of predefined rules which provides certain logic for coordinating the translation of said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format to said standardized TDD script format.

20. The computer-based TDD telecommunication device of claim 17, wherein said means for entering said displayable message comprises means for entering a digital signal representative of a displayable message, said digital signal being ASCII coded, and wherein said transferring means includes means for converting the digital signal to a corresponding analog signal for transfer to the TDD call recipient.

21. The computer-based TDD of claim 20, wherein said analog signal is Baudot coded.

22. The computer-based TDD of claim 20, wherein said transferring means comprises a modem having an A/D, D/A converter interface.

23. A method for generating a displayable message of TDD script format for transfer across a two-way telephone subscriber network to a remotely located TDD call recipient in real time, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a displayable message for transfer to the TDD call recipient, said displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

(b) automatically translating said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format into a corresponding standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script; and

(c) transferring said displayable message of standardized TDD script format across the two-way telephone subscriber network to the TDD call recipient in real time.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said providing step (a) includes providing a digital signal in ASCII code representative of a said displayable message for transfer to the TDD call recipient, and wherein said transferring step (c) includes converting the digital signal in ASCII code to an analog signal in Baudot code prior to transfer of said displayable message of standardized TDD script format across the two-way telephone subscriber network to the TDD call recipient.

25. A method for generating a displayable message of TDD script format for an automated interactive telephone communication system (ATS) which connects to a two-way telephone subscriber network for automated processing of communication signals from an individual caller communicating therewith over the telephone subscriber network with a TDD, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a displayable message for transfer to the ATS, said displayable message having an entered Plain-English ASCII script format;

(b) automatically translating said displayable message from said entered Plain-English ASCII script format into a corresponding Standardized TDD script format, said translation providing standardized word substitutions, abbreviations, and syntax of TDD visual language with reference to a predefined rules database correlating selected plain language script with substitute standardized TDD language script; and

(c) transferring said displayable message in the Standardized TDD script format to the ATS.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said transferring step (c) further comprises converting said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format as a digital signal to an analog signal for transfer to the ATS across the two-way telephone subscriber network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said transferring step (c) includes converting said displayable message in said standardized TDD script format as an ASCII coded digital signal to a Baudot analog signal for transfer to the ATS.