Call center for handling video calls from the hearing impaired

• US 6,570,963 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Watson, Thomas Michael, Ludwick, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US09/699,841
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/93.14, 379/93.17, 340/825.19, 348/14.01, 348/14.08
• 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 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

A call center for handling call for speech and hearing impaired subscribers. The call center includes a plurality of terminals connected to a switching system to handle calls. Each of said plurality of terminals includes a computer system that handles video calls from the speech and hearing impaired subscribers and a telephone station that handles voice calls to parties communicating with the speech and hearing impaired subscribers. A call controller connected to the switching system and the plurality of terminals determines which of the plurality of terminals handles an incoming call.

Claims

1. A call center for handling calls for audio impaired users comprising:

a plurality of terminals connected to a switching system to handle calls;

each of said plurality of terminals including a computer system configured to handle video calls from said audio impaired users and a telephone station configured to handle voice calls to parties communicating with said audio impaired users; and

a call controller connected to said switching system and said plurality of terminals configured to determine which of said plurality of terminals handles an incoming call.

2. The call center of claim 1 wherein said call controller comprises:

a processing unit;

a memory for storing a terminal database;

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

receive a request for an identity of one of said plurality of terminals to handle said incoming call;

determine which one of said plurality of terminals is available to handle said incoming call; and

transmit said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals to said switching system; and

a media readable by said processing unit to store said instructions.

3. The call center of claim 2 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call controller further include:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

determine whether said incoming call is a video or a voice call;

select an identity of a computer system in said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to a determination that said incoming is a video call; and

transmit said identity of said computer system to said switching system.

4. The call center of claim 3 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call controller further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

maintain said terminal database of said plurality of terminals that are available to handle said calls.

5. The call center of claim 4 wherein said instructions further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

receive a terminal available message from said one of said plurality of terminals; and

update said terminal database to indicate said one of said plurality of terminals is available to handle said calls.

6. The call center of claim 4 wherein said instructions further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

receive a terminal unavailable message from said one of said plurality of terminals; and

update said terminal database to indicate that said one of said plurality of terminals is unavailable to handle said calls.

7. The call center of claim 1 wherein said computer system of said one of said plurality of terminals comprises:

a processing unit;

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

generate a call established message responsive to said incoming call being completed to said terminal; and

generate a call terminated message responsive to said incoming call being disconnected.

8. The call center of claim 7 wherein said instructions further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said incoming call is a video call in said call established message responsive to said incoming call being a video call.

9. The call center of claim 8 wherein said instructions further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said incoming call is a voice call in said call established message responsive to said incoming call being a voice call.

10. The call center of claim 7 wherein said instructions further comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said audio impaired user is being serviced during said incoming call.

11. The call center of claim 1 further comprising:

a call detail record server that maintains records of said calls connected to each of said plurality of terminals.

12. The call center of claim 11 wherein said call detail record server comprises:

a processing unit;

instructions for directing said call detail record server to;

receive a call established message from one of said plurality of terminals indicating said incoming call is connected to said one of said plurality of said terminals, and

generate a call detail record of said incoming call responsive to receiving said call established message; and

a media readable by said processing unit that stores said instructions.

13. The call center of claim 12 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call detail record server comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said audio impaired user is receiving service for said incoming call in said call detail record.

14. The call center of claim 12 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call detail record server comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

receive a call terminated message from said one of said plurality of terminals, and

update said call detail record to indicate length of time of said incoming call.

15. The call center of claim 14 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call detail record server comprises:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate a calling party in said call detail record.

16. The call center of claim 14 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said call detail record server comprises:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate a called party in said call detail record.

17. The call center of claim 1 further comprising:

said switching system connected to each of said plurality of terminals, said call controller, and a public telephone network switching system.

18. The call center of claim 17 wherein said switching system comprises:

a processing unit;

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

receive a call set-up message for said incoming call,

transmit a request for an identity of one of said plurality of terminals to handle said incoming call,

receive said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals to handle said incoming call, and

extend said incoming call to said one of said plurality of terminals; and

a media readable by said processing unit that stores said instructions.

19. The call center of claim 18 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in switching system includes:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

determine whether said incoming call is a video call,

receive said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals including an identity of said computer system within said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to said incoming call being a video call, and

extend said incoming call to said computer system responsive to receiving said identity of said computer system.

20. The call center of claim 19 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said switching system include:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said incoming call is a video call in said request responsive to a determination that said incoming call is a video call.

21. The call center of claim 19 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said switching system comprises:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

determine whether said incoming call is a voice call,

receive said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals including an identity of said telephone station within said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to said incoming call being a voice call, and

extend said incoming call to said telephone station responsive to receiving said identity of said telephone station.

22. The call center of claim 21 wherein said instructions for directing said processing unit in said switching system comprise:

instructions for directing said processing unit to;

indicate said incoming call is a voice call in said request responsive to said incoming call being a voice call.

23. The call center of claim 17 further comprising:

a video terminal connected to said switching system.

24. The call center of claim 23 wherein said video terminal is a public terminal.

25. A method for providing audio impaired users sign language interpretation for calls comprising the steps of:

receiving a call set-up message for an incoming call in a switching system;

determining whether said incoming call is a voice call or a video call;

selecting one of a plurality of terminals to handle said incoming call; and

extending said incoming call to a computer system in said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to a determination said incoming call is a video call.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

extending said incoming call to a telephone station in said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to a determination that said incoming call is a voice call.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

if said incoming call is a voice call, then attempting a video call to a telephone number of one of said audio impaired users responsive to said incoming call being completed.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

is said incoming call is a video call, then attempting a voice call to a telephone number given by said of one said audio impaired users responsive to said incoming call being completed.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of selecting said one of said plurality of terminals comprises the step of:

transmitting a request for an identity of said one of said plurality of terminals that is available to handle said incoming call from said switching system to a call controller.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said request for said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals to handle said incoming call;

determining which one of said plurality of terminals is available to handle said incoming call; and

transmitting said identity of said one of said plurality of terminals to said switching system.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said steps of determining said one of said plurality of terminals and said transmitting of said identity comprise the steps of:

determining whether said incoming call is a video call or a voice call;

selecting an identity of a computer system in said one of said terminals responsive to a determination that said incoming call is a video call; and

transmitting said identity of said computer system to said switching system.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a terminal database of said plurality of terminals that are available to handle said calls.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of maintaining said terminal database comprises the steps of:

receiving a terminal available message from said one of said plurality of terminals, and updating said terminal database to indicate said one of said plurality of terminals is available to handle said calls.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of maintaining said terminal database comprises the steps of:

receiving a terminal unavailable message from said one of said plurality of terminals; and

updating said terminal database to indicate that said one of said plurality of terminals is unavailable to handle said calls.

35. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

generating a call established message responsive to said incoming call being completed to said one of said plurality of terminals; and

transmitting said call established message from said one of said plurality of terminals to a call detail record server.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the steps of:

generating a call terminated message in said one of said plurality of terminals responsive to said incoming call being disconnected; and

transmitting said call terminated message from said one of said plurality of terminals to said call detail record server.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of:

indicating said incoming call is a video call in said call established message responsive to said incoming call being a video call.

38. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of:

indicating said incoming call is a voice call in said call established message responsive to said incoming call being a voice call.

39. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of:

indicating said audio impaired user is being serviced during said incoming call.

40. The method of claim 35 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining records of said calls connected to each of said plurality of terminals in said call detail record server.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a call established message in said call detail record server from said one of said plurality of terminals indicating said incoming call is connected to said one of said plurality of said terminals; and

generating a call detail record of said incoming call responsive to receiving said call established message.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising the step of:

indicating said audio impaired user is receiving service for said incoming call in said call detail record transmitted by said one of said plurality of terminals.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a call terminated message at said call detail record server from said one of said plurality of terminals; and

updating said call detail record to indicate length of time of said incoming call.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of:

indicating a calling party in said call detail record.

45. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of:

indicating a called party in said call detail record.