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

• US 7,826,601 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US12/178,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 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 translating a communication with a translation device comprising:

storing information associated with a calling device and information associated with a receiving device;

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

rendering a user interface to a caller on the calling device, the user interface allowing the caller to modify the information associated with the calling device and modify the information associated with the receiving device;

determining that a translation from the first communication mode to a second communication mode compatible with the receiving device is necessary in order to successfully transmit a second communication to the receiving device;

attempting to establish a connection with the receiving device in the second communication mode when a translation is determined to be necessary;

translating the first communication into the second communication mode when a connection is established, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode; and

transmitting the second communication in the second communication mode to the receiving device, wherein the second communication provides the receiving device with an opportunity to respond.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising extracting a message from the first communication.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising translating the extracted message into the second communication mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating of the first communication into the second communication mode is translating the first communication from an audio mode to a data mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating of the first communication into the second communication mode is translating the first communication from a data mode to an audio mode.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the data mode is a text mode.

7. A translation device comprising:

a memory module storing information associated with a calling device and information associated with a receiving device.

a receiver module configured to receive a first communication from the calling device in a first communication mode;

a transmitter module configured to transmit a second communication in a second communication mode to the receiving device, wherein the second communication provides the receiving device an opportunity to respond;

a processing module programmed to;

render a user interface to a caller on the calling device, the user interface allowing the caller to modify the information associated with the calling device and modify the information associated with the receiving device,

determining when a communication translation is necessary in order to successfully transmit the second communication to the receiving device, and

attempt to establish communication with the receiving device via the transmitting module when a translation is determined to be necessary; and

a translation module configured to translate the first communication received in the first communication mode via the receiving module into the second communication transmitted in the second communication mode by the transmitting module when translation is determined to be necessary, wherein the first communication mode is different from the second communication mode.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing module extracts a message from the first communication.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein attempting to establish a connection comprises transmitting a call request to an element of a communications network.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the translation module is a Voice XML Gateway.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the Voice XML Gateway includes a speech-to-text/text-to-speech converter.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing module provides one of a voice interface and a data interface, the type of interface being provided is compatible with the communication mode of the user requesting to access the database.

13. A translation apparatus comprising:

a memory device storing information associated with a calling device and information associated with a receiving device;

a network translation device coupled to the memory device and programmed to;

render a user interface on the calling device, the user interface allowing the caller to modify the information associated with the calling device and modify the information associated with the receiving device;

receive a first communication from the calling device communicating in a first communication mode;

receive the information associated with the calling device and the information associated with the receiving device from the memory device in response to receiving the first communication; and

a gateway server coupled to the network translation device, the gateway server programmed to;

attempt to establish a connection with the receiving device based on the information retrieved;

determine if a translation from the first communication mode to a second communication mode is required;

translating the first communication in the first communication mode to a second communication in the second communication mode when a connection is successfully established and a translation is required; and

transmitting the second communication the receiving device.

14. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the second communication transmitted to the receiving device includes a means for the second communication device to respond to the second communication in real time.

15. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the attempt to establish a connection is accomplished by sending a call request to an element of communications network.

16. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the gateway server is Voice XML Gateway server.

17. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the gateway server may attempt to establish a connection after transmitting the first communication.

18. The network translation device of claim 16, wherein the Voice XML Gateway server includes a text-to-voice/voice-to-text converter.

19. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the gateway server is a Voice XML Gateway using a defined vocabulary to perform speech recognition.

20. The network translation device of claim 13, wherein the gateway server is a Voice XML Gateway including a recording means to record an audio message file for delivery to the receiving device.