Systems and methods for providing real-time conversation using disparate communication devices

• US 7,412,040 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/369,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.16, 379/93.15, 379/201.01, 379/52, 379/88.22, 379/93.01, 379/88.17, 379/93.32
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing real-time conversation among a plurality of disparate communication devices include receiving a first communication from a first communication device operating in a first communication mode, translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by a second communication device operating in a second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode, and providing the second communication to the second communication device.

Claims

1. A method for providing real-time conversation between disparate communication devices, the method comprising:

providing a list of second communication devices associated with a second user to a first user of a first communication device, wherein at least one of the listed second communication devices operates in a second communication mode that is different from the other listed second communication devices;

receiving a selection by the first user of one of the listed second communication devices;

receiving a first communication from the first communication device operating in a first communication mode;

determining if a translation is necessary;

if a translation is necessary and prior to translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, attempting to establish a connection in the second communication mode;

if a connection is established then translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode,

extracting a message from the second communication, and

providing the second communication to the selected second communication device, wherein the second communication provides the second communication device with an opportunity to respond; and

if a connection is not established then notifying the first user with a return message in the first communication mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third communication from the selected second communication device as a result of the second communication device responding to the second communication;

translating the third communication into a fourth communication that is suitable for processing by the first communication device operating in the first communication mode; and

providing the fourth communication to the first communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth communication provides the first communication device with an opportunity to respond, the method further comprising:

receiving a fifth communication from the first communication device as a result of the first communication device responding to the fourth communication;

translating the fifth communication into a sixth communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode; and

providing the sixth communication to the selected second communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication mode is data and the second communication mode is audio.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein translating the first communication comprises converting data in a VoiceXML format data to audio.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein translating the second communication comprises converting the audio to VoiceXML format data.

7. A computer readable medium containing instructions encoded thereon that perform acts to provide real-time conversation between disparate communication devices, the acts comprising:

providing a list of second communication devices associated with a second user to a first user of a first communication device, wherein at least one of the listed second communication devices operates in a second communication mode that is different from the other listed second communication devices;

receiving a selection by the first user of one of the plurality of second communication devices;

receiving a first communication from the first communication device operating in a first communication mode;

determining if a translation is necessary;

if a translation is necessary and prior to translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, attempting to establish a connection in the second communication mode;

if a connection is established then translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode,

extracting a message from the second communication, and

providing the second communication to the selected second communication device, wherein the second communication provides the selected second communication device with an opportunity to respond;

if a connection is not established then notifying the first user with a return message in the first communication mode.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the acts further comprises:

receiving a third communication from the second communication device as a result of the selected second communication device responding to the second communication;

translating the third communication into a fourth communication that is suitable for processing by the first communication device operating in the first communication mode; and

providing the fourth communication to the first communication device.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the fourth communication provides the first communication device with an opportunity to respond, the acts further comprising:

receiving a fifth communication from the first communication device as a result of the first communication device responding to the fourth communication;

translating the fifth communication into a sixth communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode; and

providing the sixth communication to the selected second communication device.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first communication mode is data and the second communication mode is audio.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein translating the first communication comprises converting data in a VoiceXML format data to audio.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein translating the second communication comprises converting the audio to VoiceXML format data.

13. A system for providing real-time conversation between disparate communications devices, the system comprising:

providing means for providing a list of second communication devices associated with a second user to a first user of a first communication device, wherein at least one of the listed second communication devices operates in a second communication mode that is different from the other listed second communication devices;

receiving means for receiving a selection by the first user of one of the plurality of second communication devices;

receiving means for receiving a first communication from the first communication device operating in a first communication mode;

translation means for translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode;

determination means for determining if a translation is necessary,

if a translation is necessary and prior to translating the first communication into a second communication that is suitable for processing by the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode, attempting to establish a connection in the second communication mode,

if a connection is established then extracting a message from the second communication,

if a connection is not established then notifying the first user with a return message in the first communication mode, and

transmission means for providing the second communication to the selected second communication device, wherein the second communication provides the selected second communication device with an opportunity to respond.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein the receiving means is also for receiving a third communication from the selected second communication device operating in the second communication mode,

wherein the translation means is also for translating the third communication into a fourth communication that is suitable for processing by the first communication device operating in the first communication mode, and

wherein the transmission means is also for providing the fourth communication to the first communication device, wherein the fourth communication provides the first communication device with an opportunity to respond.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first communication mode is data and the second communication mode is audio.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for translating the first communication is for converting data in a VoiceXML format data to audio.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for translating the second communication is for converting the audio to VoiceXML format data.