Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired with telephone, text communication and answering, and automated voice carryover

• US 5,710,806 A
• Filed: 09/22/1994
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Plantronics, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameri Phone Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheung, George, Pham, Phuong Le, Lee, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US08/310,345
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/93, 379/96, 379/97, 379/201, 379/416, 381/83, 381/93
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2475 for a hearing impaired user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

A telecommunication device for the hearing impaired having the capability of sending text communications via a telephone-style keypad and receiving text communications for display on an LCD display in addition to providing standard telephone voice communications. The telecommunications device automates voice carryover (VCO) calls and for provides automatic answering and recording capability for text messages on the same telephone line as a voice answering machine and or a facsimile machine. The telecommunications device further includes means for selectively adjusting the amplification of received voice messages and sent voice messages to provide maximum amplification of said received voice messages without producing feedback oscillation or to provide maximum amplification of sent voice messages without producing feedback oscillation. The telecommunications device further including means for minimizing effect of the reflected impedance of the telephone line on signal transmission and optimizing the coupling of signals to the telephone line.

Claims

1. A telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line comprising:

transmission means for sending and receiving voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

a microprocessor for performing programmed operations;

a multiple key telephone-style keypad for entering data into said microprocessor;

said programmed operations of said microprocessor selectively interpreting data entered from said keypad as dial signals in a telephone mode and TTY characters in a TTY mode;

display means for displaying received TTY messages and data entered from said keypad;

at least one data entry means for providing a control signal to said microprocessor to change the operation of said programmed operations between said telephone mode and said TTY mode;

means for automatically making voice carryover calls;

means for automatically answering and recording text messages, and

memory means connected to said microprocessor,

said memory means stores data and program instructions to be performed by said microprocessor,

said programmed operations performed by said microprocessor automatically answer text telephone calls such that said telecommunications device can be connected to said telephone line with at least one of a voice telephone answering machine and a facsimile machine, said programmed operations comprising;

a) monitoring said telephone line for a ring signal;

b) after detecting ringing has stopped on said telephone line, waiting for a first predetermined duration of time;

c) after said first predetermined duration of time, monitoring, for a second predetermined duration of time, said telephone line for voice signals through ac coupling to said telephone line for a silent period of predetermined duration in which no voice signals have been received;

d) upon recognizing said silent period, outputting a text message to said telephone line;

e) monitoring said telephone line for a text reply message in response to said outputted text message for a third predetermined duration; and

f) upon receiving a text reply message, coupling said telephone line to said microprocessor and recording any incoming text message to said memory means.

2. The telecommunications device recited in claim 1 including,

amplifier means for selectively adjusting the amplification of voice messages received and sent by said transmission to provide maximum amplification of at least one of said voice messages received and sent over said telephone line without producing feedback oscillation.

3. The telecommunications device as recited in claim 2 comprising:

said amplifier means includes first amplification means selectively increasing the amplification of a received voice message to a level beyond the level normally causing feedback oscillation due to feedback of the signal to the means for sending messages; and

second amplification means for selectively reducing the amplification of signals which have been received by the means for sending messages to the level which does not cause feedback oscillation.

4. The telecommunications device recited in claim 1 wherein,

said multiple key telephone-style keypad is operative for entering alpha numerical and text characters into said microprocessor,

each key of said keypad represents a plurality of predetermined alpha numerical characters, and

said display means is operative for displaying alpha numerical data.

5. The telecommunications device recited in claim 1 including,

digital-to-analog converter means for converting digital output signals from said microprocessor to analog signals,

said at least one data entry means is connected to supply a first control signal to said microprocessor so that said programmed operations interpret said first control signal as indicating that a text message will be entered from said keypad;

repetitively actuating a key of said keypad for entering a desired character associated with said key into said microprocessor;

said programmed operations sequentially displays the characters associated with said actuated key on said display means in response to the repetitive actuation of said key;

said at least one data entry means is connected to supply a second control signal to said microprocessor to cause said displayed character to be supplied to said telephone line.

6. The telecommunications device recited in claim 5 wherein,

said characters supplied to said telephone line are displayed on said display means in the order that said characters were supplied to said telephone line.

7. The telecommunications device recited in claim 5 wherein,

said first and second control signals are entered into said microprocessor from the same one of said at least one entry means.

8. The telecommunications device recited in claim 1 having the capability of sending and receiving voice and text transmissions including,

a microphone input,

a speaker output for voice operation,

the improvement comprising a programmed operation of said microprocessor for contacting a relay service for implementing a voice carryover call wherein:

a first control signal from said at least one entry means is entered into said microprocessor; and

said programmed operations of said microprocessor respond to said first control signal to (1) dial the telephone number of said relay service, (2) to monitor said telephone line by said microprocessor for a return message from said relay service; and

(3) to transmit a predetermined voice carryover announcement in text to said telephone line after receipt of said return message.

9. The telecommunications device recited in claim 8 wherein:

said programmed operations of said microprocessor respond to said first control signal to dial the telephone number of said relay service;

said programmed operations of said microprocessor monitor said relay service to determine if a text response signal is provided thereby,

upon receiving a text response from said relay service, entering said second control signal from said at least one entry means into said microprocessor; and

said programmed operations of said microprocessor respond to said second control signal to automatically send a predetermined voice carryover announcement in text to said telephone line.

10. The telecommunications device recited in claim 9 wherein:

said predetermined voice carryover announcement in text to said telephone line includes a telephone number to be called by the relay service.

11. The telecommunications device recited in claim 9 including;

means for muting the microphone input and the speaker output of the telecommunications device until a text response is received from said relay service.

12. The telecommunications device recited in claim 1 wherein,

if no silent period has been detected for said second predetermined duration of time,

said programmed operations of said microprocessor comprises:

resetting said programmed operations.

13. The telecommunication device recited in claim 12 wherein,

said microprocessor includes a programmed operation which detects when five ring signals are received, and then produces a predetermined auto-answer text message and records any incoming text message to said memory means.

14. A telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line comprising:

means for sending and receiving voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

a microprocessor for performing programmed operations;

a twelve key telephone-style keypad for entering data into said microprocessor;

said programmed operations of said microprocessor selectively interpreting data entered from said keypad as dial signals in a telephone mode and TTY characters in a TTY mode;

display means for displaying received TTY messages and data entered from said keypad;

at least one data entry means for providing a control signal to said microprocessor to change the operation of said programmed operations between said telephone mode and said TTY mode;

means for automatically making voice carryover calls; and

means for automatically answering and recording text messages; and

means for optimizing the coupling of a microphone signal produced by said microprocessor to said telephone line presenting a reflected impedance to said telecommunications device, and minimizing the coupling of said microphone signal to a receiver of said telecommunications device, comprising;

a first resistor and a first capacitor connected in parallel with the reflected impedance of said telephone line to minimize the effect of said reflected impedance;

a second resistor connected in series with the parallel connection of said first resistor, said first capacitor and said reflected impedance;

an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal and a negative input terminal;

a third resistor and a second capacitor connected in parallel with each other, a first side of said third resistor and second capacitor connected to said second resistor and to the positive input terminal of said amplifier;

the microphone signal also being coupled to a second side of said third resistor and said second capacitor, the first side of said third resistor and second capacitor also being coupled to the positive input terminal of said amplifier; and

a fourth resistor connected to supply said microphone signal to said negative input terminal of said amplifier.

15. A telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line comprising:

means for sending and receiving voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

microprocessor means for performing programmed operations;

data entering means for selectively entering data into said microprocessor means;

said microprocessor means operative to selectively interpret data entered from said data entering means as dial signals in a telephone mode and TTY characters in a TTY mode in response to said programmed operations;

means for providing a control signal to said microprocessor means to change the operation of said programmed operations between said telephone mode and said TTY mode;

means for automatically answering and recording text messages, and

memory means connected to said microprocessor means,

said programmed operations performed by said microprocessor means automatically answer text telephone calls such that said telecommunications device can be connected to said telephone line with at least one of a voice telephone answering machine and a facsimile machine, said programmed operations comprising;

a) monitoring said telephone line for ring signals;

b) waiting for a first time period after detecting that ring signals on said telephone line have stopped;

c) after said first time period, monitoring said telephone line for a second time period to determine if voice signals have been received on said telephone line;

d) initiating the application of a text message to said telephone line in the absence of voice signals on said telephone line during said second time period;

e) monitoring said telephone line for a third time period for a text reply message in response to said text message; and

f) upon receiving a text reply message, coupling said telephone line to said microprocessor means and recording any incoming text message to said memory means.

16. The telecommunications device recited in claim 15 wherein,

said microprocessor means resets said programmed operation when voice signals have been detected during said second predetermined duration of time.

17. A telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line comprising:

transmission means for sending and receiving voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

a microprocessor for performing programmed operations to selectively interpret signals on said transmission means as dial signals in a telephone mode and TTY characters in a TTY mode;

control means for providing a control signal to said microprocessor to change the operation of said programmed operations between said telephone mode and said TTY mode; and

coupling means for optimizing the coupling of a microphone signal produced by said microprocessor to said telephone line and minimizing the coupling of said microphone signal to a receiver of said telecommunications device, comprising;

a first resistor and a first capacitor connected in parallel and to said telephone line to minimize the effect of the reflected impedance of said telephone line;

a second resistor connected in series with the parallel connection of said first resistor and said first capacitor;

amplifier means having inverting and non-inverting input terminals;

a third resistor and a second capacitor connected in parallel with each other;

said third resistor and said second capacitor connected to said second resistor and to the non-inverting input terminal of said amplifier means;

said third resistor and said second capacitor further connected to receive said microphone signal; and

a fourth resistor connected to supply said microphone signal to said inverting input terminal of said amplifier means.

18. The method of operating a telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line such that said telecommunications device can be connected to said telephone line with at least one of a voice telephone answering machine and a facsimile machine, comprising the steps of:

sending and receiving voice messages and TTY messages over said telephone line;

monitoring said telephone line for a ring signal;

after detecting that ring signals have stopped on said telephone line, waiting for a first predetermined duration of time;

after said first predetermined duration of time, monitoring said telephone line through ac coupling for voice signals during a second predetermined duration of time;

upon recognizing a silent period of predetermined duration in which no voice signals are received during said second predetermined duration of time, supplying a text message to said telephone line;

monitoring said telephone line for a text reply message in response to said text message for a third predetermined duration; and

upon receiving a text reply message, coupling said telephone line to a recording device for recording any incoming text message.

19. The method recited in claim 18 including the step of:

resetting the operation if no silent period has been detected for said second predetermined duration of time.

20. The method recited in claim 18 including the step of:

producing a predetermined auto-answer text message when five ring signals are detected and recording any incoming text message.

21. A telecommunications device for providing voice and text telephone communication over a common telephone line comprising:

microphone means for sending voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

receiver means for receiving voice and TTY messages over said telephone line;

a microprocessor for performing programmed operations for selectively interpreting messages on said telephone line as dial signals in a telephone mode and TTY characters in a TTY mode;

data entry means for providing a control signal to said microprocessor to select the operation of said programmed operations between said telephone mode and said TTY mode; and

circuit means for optimizing the coupling of said microphone means to said telephone line by reduciing the effect of the reflected impedance of said telephone line relative to said telecommunications device and minimizing feedback coupling of said microphone means to said receiver means of said telecommunications device,

said circuit means comprising;

first impedance network means connected in parallel with the reflected impedance of said telephone line to minimize the effect of said reflected impedance;

first resistor means connected in series with said first impedance network means;

amplifier means having first and second input terminals;

second impedance network means connected to said first resistor and to said first input terminal of said amplifier means;

said first input terminal of said amplifier means connected to said microphone means via said second impedance network means; and

second resistor means connected to supply said microphone signal to said second input terminal of said amplifier means.