Announcement service for the visually impaired

• US 7,366,499 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/208,843
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/563, 455/569.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/207.12
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A visually-impaired person possessing a GPS-equipped cellular phone, or other mobile communications device, who wants to know their location, uses the cellular phone to call a location-announcement service. In response, the service queries the GPS receiver for the person'"'"'s geographical coordinates, translates the coordinates into user-friendly information that is readily understandable by the person, and announces the user-friendly information to the person via the cellular phone, all without human involvement.

Claims

1. An announcement service for the visually impaired comprising:

in response to a person'"'"'s communications device establishing a communications connection to a remote server, the remote server querying the device to obtain therefrom device data maintained on the communications device;

in response to the obtaining, the server converting the obtained data into a form that is readily understandable by the person; and

in response to the converting, the remote server providing the obtained data in the readily-understandable form to the person via the communications connection;

wherein the obtained data is provided as a response to an option of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu provided by the remote server;

wherein the device data is selected from at least one of battery strength, signal strength, last number dialed, and received caller ID history.

2. The service of claim 1 wherein:

the device data is non-GPS information maintained on the communications device.

3. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

4. An apparatus comprising means for performing the steps of the method of claim 1.

5. An announcement service for the visually impaired comprising:

in response to a person'"'"'s communications device establishing a communications connection to a remote server, the remote server querying the device to obtain therefrom device data maintained on the communications device;

in response to the obtaining, the server converting the obtained data to audible form; and

in response to the converting, the remote server announcing the obtained data in audible form via the communications connection as a response to a an option of an interactive voice response (IVR) provided by the remote server;

wherein the device data is selected from at least one of battery strength, signal strength, last number dialed, and received caller ID history.

6. The service of claim 5 wherein:

the device data is non-GPS information maintained on the communications device.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 5.

8. An apparatus comprising means for performing the steps of the method of claim 5.