Method and apparatus for providing accessibility to call connection status

• US 6,665,375 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, James Newton Jr., Spinac, Clifford Jay, Rodriguez, Herman, Forlenza, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/717,523
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/110.01, 379/100.06, 379/142.01, 379/142.16, 379/257, 379/376.01
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A telephone device is customized with an indicator for presenting call connection status information to hearing impaired or deaf users. The telephone device detects call status events, such as ringing and busy signals, and presents the call status via the display. The telephone device also receives codes indicating particular call status events. A telephone device may generate a code, which indicates that the user is hearing impaired. Thus, devices receiving this code may perform particular functions in response to such a code. Public switches and public branch exchanges may also be modified to generate and deliver call status codes or messages. The present invention may also deliver call status information through another medium, such as a computer network.

Claims

1. A method for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

receiving a call connection status code indicating status information regarding capabilities of an operator of a calling device participating in a communication session over the telephone network; and

performing an action in response to the call connection status code, wherein the status information includes an indication that the caller is hearing impaired and wherein the step of performing an action comprises skipping an outgoing message.

2. A method for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

generating a first call connection status code indicating status information regarding capabilities of an operator of a calling device participating in a communication session over the telephone network;

sending the call connection status code to a node in the telephone network; and

sending the call connection status code to a server coupled between the telephone network and a computer network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the status information includes an indication that the caller is hearing impaired.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the telephone device is one of a telephone, a mobile telephone, a call status monitoring device, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the node comprises one of a local telephone device, a remote telephone device, a server computer, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

6. A method for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

generating a first call connection status code indicating status information regarding a telephone device type of a calling device, wherein the status code indicates capabilities of an operator of the calling device;

sending the call connection status code to a node in the telephone network; and

sending the call connection status code to a server coupled between the telephone network and a computer network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the telephone device type is one of an interactive voice response system, a facsimile machine, and a modem.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the telephone device is one of a telephone, a mobile telephone, a call status monitoring device, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the node comprises one of a local telephone device, a remote telephone device, a server computer, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

10. An apparatus for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

means for generating a first call connection status code indicating status information regarding capabilities of an operator of a calling device participating in a communication session over the telephone network;

means for sending the call connection status code to a node in the telephone network; and

sending the call connection status code to a server coupled between the telephone network and a computer network.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the status information includes an indication that the caller is hearing impaired.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the telephone device is one of a telephone, a mobile telephone, a call status monitoring device, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the node comprises one of a local telephone device, a remote telephone device, a server computer, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

14. An apparatus for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

means for generating a first call connection status code indicating status information regarding a telephone device type of a calling device, wherein the status code indicates capabilities of an operator of the calling device;

means for sending the call connection status code to a node in the telephone network; and

sending the call connection status code to a server coupled between the telephone network and a computer network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the telephone device type is one of an interactive voice response system, a facsimile machine, and a modem.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the telephone device is one of a telephone, a mobile telephone, a call status monitoring device, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the node comprises one of a local telephone device, a remote telephone device, a server computer, a public switch, and a public branch exchange.

18. A telephone system, comprising:

a telephone device;

a server computer connected to the telephone device, wherein the server computer receives a call connection status code from the telephone device and stores the received call connection status code; and

a client computer connected to the server computer, wherein the client computer receives the call connection status code from the server computer and presents a call connection status message corresponding to the call connection status code.

19. A telephone system, comprising:

a telephone device;

a server computer connected to the telephone device, wherein the server computer receives a call connection status code from the telephone device, generates a call connection status message corresponding to the call connection status code, and stores the received call connection status message; and

a client computer connected to the server computer, wherein the client computer receives the call connection status message from the server computer and presents the received call connection status message.

20. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

instructions for receiving a call connection status code indicating status information regarding capabilities of an operator of a calling device participating in a communication session over the telephone network; and

instructions for performing an action in response to the call connection status code, wherein the status information includes an indication that the caller is hearing impaired and wherein the step of performing an action comprises skipping an outgoing message.

21. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for providing call connection status information in a telephone device connected to a telephone network, comprising:

instructions for generating a first call connection status code indicating status information regarding capabilities of an operator of a calling device participating in a communication session over the telephone network;

instructions for sending the call connection status code to a node in the telephone network; and

instructions for sending the call connection status code to a server coupled between the telephone network and a computer network.