Method and system for providing communication services for hearing-impaired parties
First Claim
1. A method for providing communication services, comprising:
- receiving, via a network, a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party;
transmitting, via the network, an interface screen to the hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen identifying a plurality of instant messaging programs and including a selection area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to select an instant messaging program with which to communicate;
identifying a communication assistant;
forwarding the request to the communication assistant;
establishing, by the communication assistant, a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using the instant messaging program selected by the hearing-impaired party;
establishing, by the communication assistant, a voice link with the hearing party;
receiving, by the communication assistant, voice messages from the hearing party via the voice link;
generating instant messages, by the communication assistant, the instant messages corresponding to the voice messages; and
transmitting the instant messages to the hearing-impaired party.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing communication services for the hearing-impaired includes establishing a communication link between a hearing-impaired party and a communication assistant. The communication assistant may also establish a voice link with a hearing party. The hearing-impaired party and the communication assistant may then communicate via text messages, such as instant messages. The hearing party may send a voice message to the communication assistant. The communication assistant may then convert the voice message into an instant message and transmit the instant message to the hearing-impaired party. The communication assistant may also convert instant messages received from the hearing-impaired party into voice messages for the hearing party.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for providing communication services, comprising:
-
receiving, via a network, a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party; transmitting, via the network, an interface screen to the hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen identifying a plurality of instant messaging programs and including a selection area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to select an instant messaging program with which to communicate; identifying a communication assistant; forwarding the request to the communication assistant; establishing, by the communication assistant, a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using the instant messaging program selected by the hearing-impaired party; establishing, by the communication assistant, a voice link with the hearing party; receiving, by the communication assistant, voice messages from the hearing party via the voice link; generating instant messages, by the communication assistant, the instant messages corresponding to the voice messages; and transmitting the instant messages to the hearing-impaired party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system, comprising:
-
a server configured to; receive, via a network, a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party, transmit, via the network, an interface screen to a hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen identifying a plurality of instant messaging programs and allowing the hearing-impaired party to select an instant messaging program with which to communicate, identify a first communication assistant, and forward the request; and a first device associated with the first communication assistant, the first device being configured to; receive the request from the server, establish a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using the instant messaging program selected by the hearing-impaired party, and establish a voice link with the hearing party. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, said sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to:
-
receive, via a network, a request associated with a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party; transmit, via the network, an interface screen to the hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen including an input area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to select an instant messaging program from a plurality of instant messaging programs; establish a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using the instant messaging program selected by the hearing-impaired party via the interface screen; and establish a voice link to the hearing party. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A system, comprising:
-
means for receiving, via a network, a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party; and means for transmitting, via the network, an interface screen to the hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen including an input area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to input a telephone number for the hearing party and a selection area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to select a text messaging program with which to communicate. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
-
-
29. A method, comprising:
-
receiving, via a network, a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party; and transmitting, via the network, an interface screen to the hearing-impaired party in response to the request, the interface screen identifying a plurality of text messaging programs and including a selection area for allowing the hearing-impaired party to select a first text messaging program from the plurality of text messaging programs with which to communicate with a communication assistant. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification