Method and system for providing communication services for hearing-impaired parties
First Claim
1. A method for providing communication services, comprising:
- receiving a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link;
identifying a communication assistant from a list of available communication assistants;
forwarding the request to the communication assistant;
establishing, by the communication assistant, a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using a text messaging program, wherein the communication link between the hearing-impaired party and the communication assistant comprises a persistent, full duplex link configured to allow each of the communication assistant and the hearing-impaired party to view text generated by the other respective party in a streaming manner;
receiving a telephone number from the hearing impaired party, the telephone number being associated with a hearing 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 text messages, by the communication assistant, the text messages corresponding to the voice messages; and
transmitting the text messages to the hearing-impaired party in a streaming manner.
8 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 link may be a full duplex link. The communication assistant may also establish a voice link with a hearing party. The hearing-impaired party and the hearing party may then communicate, with the communication assistant acting as a conduit for the conversation. For example, the hearing party may send a voice message to the communication assistant. The communication assistant may then convert the voice message into a text message and transmit the text message to the hearing-impaired party. The communication assistant may also convert text messages received from the hearing-impaired party into voice messages for the hearing party.
38 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing communication services, comprising:
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receiving a request from a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link; identifying a communication assistant from a list of available communication assistants; forwarding the request to the communication assistant; establishing, by the communication assistant, a communication link to the hearing-impaired party using a text messaging program, wherein the communication link between the hearing-impaired party and the communication assistant comprises a persistent, full duplex link configured to allow each of the communication assistant and the hearing-impaired party to view text generated by the other respective party in a streaming manner; receiving a telephone number from the hearing impaired party, the telephone number being associated with a hearing 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 text messages, by the communication assistant, the text messages corresponding to the voice messages; and transmitting the text messages to the hearing-impaired party in a streaming manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a server configured to; receive a request from a wireless device associated with a hearing-impaired party for establishing a communication link to a hearing party, identify a first communication assistant from a plurality of communication assistants, 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 full duplex communication link to the wireless device, the full duplex communication link being configured to allow each of the first device and the wireless device to transmit text messages to the other respective device in a streaming manner, communicate with the hearing-impaired party, via the wireless device, over the full duplex communication link using streaming text messages, and establish a voice link with the hearing party. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. 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:
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receive a request from a wireless device associated with a hearing-impaired party, the request being associated with establishing a communication link to a hearing party; establish a persistent, full duplex communication link with the wireless device, the persistent, full duplex communication link being configured to allow the transmission of streaming text messages; and establish a voice link to the hearing party. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system, comprising:
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means for receiving a request from a wireless device, the wireless device being associated with a hearing-impaired party and the request being associated with establishing communications with a hearing party; means for forwarding the request to a communication assistant; and means for establishing a full duplex data link between the communication assistant and the wireless device, the full duplex data link being configured to allow the streaming transmission of data between the communication assistant and the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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receiving a telephone number from a wireless device associated with a hearing-impaired party, the telephone number corresponding to the telephone number of a first party; establishing a full duplex data link with the wireless device; and communicating with the hearing-impaired party via the wireless device over the full duplex data link using streaming text messages. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification