Method and apparatus for a communication device for use by a hearing impaired/mute or deaf person or in silent environments
First Claim
1. A communication system for conducting a telephone communication without speaking and/or hearing comprising:
- a first communication terminal including, a telephone apparatus including a receiver for converting electronic signals to audio signals and a transmitter for converting audio signals to electronic signals, a text data input device including a first data input apparatus for generating a message in typed form and a second data input apparatus for generating a message in handwritten text form, anda text to speech conversion means connected to said text data input device for converting said text of said message into synthesized speech signals,wherein said first data input apparatus includes a plurality of single input keys, each input key representing a separate entire group of a plurality of selected words and phrases, and wherein said conversion means includes means for storing said words and phrases in the form of synthesized speech signals, and wherein said synthesized speech signals representing said message including said words and phrases are transmitted by said transmitter over a communication link in response to the actuation of said single input elements of said data input device;
a second communication terminal including speech to text conversion means connected to said text to speech conversion means of said first communication terminal by said communication link, wherein said speech to text conversion means is responsive to said speech signals from said text to speech conversion means for converting said speech signals to text signals,and a receiving means connected to said speech to text conversion means for receiving said text signals and providing a display of said text signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed that allows people to carry on unobtrusive phone conversations in business or other settings where it is either not possible or impolite to talk. In the system of FIG. 1, the telephone user one will listen in the same manner as with a regular telephone. However, he will not speak into the telephone microphone. User one instead employs a unit including a keyboard to enter the text corresponding to what he wants to say. The text is converted into a synthesized speech using TTS apparatus and a voice output is sent to the microphone of the phone apparatus. The telephone apparatus transmits the synthesized voice signal over a standard telephone line to a unit including a conventional telephone speaker 26 and telephone microphone. User two, the party using the telephone at the other end, listens to a synthesized voice, but user one listens to the actual voice of user two with the telephone speaker, unless user two is also using a system similar to that of user one. Handwritten text may also be used in the system by employing a computer with a character recognition program as an input. In such a case handwriting is converted into synthesized sound and inputted into the telephone microphone. The telephone system can be used by the hearing impaired without involving a third party human transcriber.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A communication system for conducting a telephone communication without speaking and/or hearing comprising:
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a first communication terminal including, a telephone apparatus including a receiver for converting electronic signals to audio signals and a transmitter for converting audio signals to electronic signals, a text data input device including a first data input apparatus for generating a message in typed form and a second data input apparatus for generating a message in handwritten text form, and a text to speech conversion means connected to said text data input device for converting said text of said message into synthesized speech signals, wherein said first data input apparatus includes a plurality of single input keys, each input key representing a separate entire group of a plurality of selected words and phrases, and wherein said conversion means includes means for storing said words and phrases in the form of synthesized speech signals, and wherein said synthesized speech signals representing said message including said words and phrases are transmitted by said transmitter over a communication link in response to the actuation of said single input elements of said data input device; a second communication terminal including speech to text conversion means connected to said text to speech conversion means of said first communication terminal by said communication link, wherein said speech to text conversion means is responsive to said speech signals from said text to speech conversion means for converting said speech signals to text signals, and a receiving means connected to said speech to text conversion means for receiving said text signals and providing a display of said text signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification