Packet telephony gateway for hearing impaired relay services

• US 6,625,259 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Electronic Commerce Corporation (Rockwell International Corporation)
• Inventors: Hollatz, Michael C., Swardstrom, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Creighton
• Application Number:
  US09/537,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.14, 370/352, 370/354
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2475 for a hearing impaired user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for relaying text between a hearing impaired person and a third party through the public switched telephone network. The method includes the steps of converting the text between a multifrequency textual format on the public switched telephone network and a packet format on a local area network and exchanging the text with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

Claims

1. A method for relaying text between a hearing impaired person and a non-hearing impaired third party through the public switched telephone network, such method comprising:

converting the text between a multifrequency textual format on the public switched telephone network and a packet format on a local area network; and

exchanging the text with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

2. The method of relaying text as in claim 1 further comprising coupling a terminal to the local area network.

3. The method of relaying text as in claim 2 further comprising providing a packet telephone coupled to the local area network for relaying the text between the terminal and the third party under a verbal format.

4. The method of relaying text as in claim 3 further comprises assigning an agent to the telephone and terminal for converting between the textual and verbal format.

5. The method of relaying text as in claim 1 wherein the textual format of the multifrequency textual format further comprises one of Baudot, ASCII and Turbocode.

6. The method of relaying text as in claim 5 wherein the step of converting further comprises determining the textual format used by the hearing impaired person.

7. The method of relaying text as in claim 6 wherein the step of converting further comprises assigning a conversion application based upon the determined textual format.

8. An apparatus for relaying text between a hearing impaired person and a third party through the public switched telephone network, such apparatus comprising:

means for converting the text between a multifrequency textual format on the public switched telephone network and a packet format on a local area network; and

means for exchanging the text with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

9. The apparatus for relaying text as in claim 8 further comprising means for coupling a terminal to the local area network.

10. The apparatus for relaying text as in claim 9 further comprising means for providing a packet telephone coupled to the local area network for relaying the text between the terminal and the third party under a verbal format.

11. The apparatus for relaying text as in claim 10 further comprises means for assigning an agent to the telephone and terminal for converting between the textual and verbal format.

12. The apparatus for relaying text as in claim 8 wherein the textual format of the multifrequency textual format further comprises one of Baudot, ASCII and Turbocode.

13. The apparatus for relaying text as in claim 12 wherein the means for converting further comprises means for determining the textual format used by the hearing impaired person.

14. An apparatus for relaying text between a hearing impaired person and a third party through the public switched telephone network, such apparatus comprising:

a gateway for converting the text between a multifrequency textual format on the public switched telephone network and a packet format on a local area network; and

the local area network for exchanging the text with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

15. A device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party through the public switched telephone network, such device comprising:

a gateway adapted to convert between a multifrequency textual signal exchanged with the hearing impaired person through the public switched telephone network and packet based textual information on a local area network; and

a terminal coupled to the gateway through the local area network and adapted to exchange the textual information with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

16. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 wherein the gateway further comprises a modem.

17. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 wherein the multifrequency textual signal further comprises one of Baudot, ASCII and Turbocode.

18. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 further comprising a switched circuit coupling the gateway to the public switched telephone network.

19. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 wherein the packet format further comprises one of H.323, MGCP and SIP.

20. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 further comprising a packet telephone coupled to the public switched telephone network through the local area network and gateway and adapted to exchange the textual information under a verbal format between the terminal and third party.

21. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 15 further comprising a plurality of terminals for exchanging textual information with a plurality of hearing impaired persons.

22. A device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party through the public switched telephone network, such device comprising:

a gateway adapted to convert between the textual information exchanged through the public switched telephone network under a multifrequency format and the textual information exchanged over a local area network under a packet format; and

a terminal coupled to the gateway through the local area network and adapted to exchange the textual information with the hearing impaired person through the local area network and gateway.

23. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 22 wherein the gateway further comprises a modem.

24. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 22 wherein the multifrequency format further comprises one of Baudot, ASCII and Turbocode.

25. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 22 further comprising a switched circuit coupling the gateway to the public switched telephone network.

26. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 25 wherein the packet format further comprises one of H.323, MGCP and SIP.

27. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 22 further comprising a packet telephone coupled to the public switched telephone network through the local area network and gateway and adapted to exchange the content of the textual information with the third party under a verbal format.

28. A device for relaying textual information between hearing impaired persons and third parties through the public switched telephone network, such device comprising:

a gateway adapted to convert between a multifrequency textual signal exchanged with a hearing impaired person of the hearing impaired persons through the public switched telephone network and packet based textual information on a local area network; and

a terminal coupled to the gateway through the local area network and adapted to exchange the textual information with the hearing impaired person through the local area network.

29. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 wherein the gateway further comprises a modem.

30. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 wherein the multifrequency textual signal further comprises one of Baudot, ASCII and Turbocode.

31. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 further comprising a switched circuit coupling the gateway to the public switched telephone network.

32. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 wherein the packet format further comprises one of H.323, MGCP and SIP.

33. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 further comprising a packet telephone coupled to the public switched telephone network through the local area network and gateway and adapted to exchange the textual information under a verbal format between the terminal and third party.

34. The device for relaying textual information between a hearing impaired person and third party as in claim 28 further comprising a plurality of terminals for exchanging textual information with a respective one of a plurality of hearing impaired persons.