Device independent text captioned telephone service

• US 8,416,925 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultratech Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ultratech Incorporated (Veeco Instruments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Engelke, Robert M, Colwell, Kevin R., Vitek, Troy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US12/102,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20080187108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/93.15, 379/90.01, 704/271
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2475 for a hearing impaired user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• 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 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the method comprising the steps of connecting the first party Network appliance to a relay, using the first party Network appliance to specify a first party call back telephone number, using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number, specifying a confirmation activity that must be performed via the first party telephone terminal in order to continue a telephone call process, when the first party telephone terminal is answered, monitoring activities via the first party telephone terminal and when the confirming activity occurs, continuing the telephone call process.

Claims

1. A method of commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the first party Network appliance to a relay;

(b) using the first party Network appliance to specify a first party call back telephone number;

(c) using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number;

(d) specifying a confirmation activity that must be performed via the first party telephone terminal in order to continue a telephone call process;

(e) when the first party telephone terminal is answered, monitoring activities via the first party telephone terminal; and

(f) when the confirming activity occurs, continuing the telephone call process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of specifying a confirmation activity includes presenting instruction via the first party Network appliance specifying confirming information to be entered via the first party telephone terminal, the step of monitoring including monitoring information input via the first party telephone terminal.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of also presenting information via the first party telephone terminal indicating that the call is a caption assisted telephone call.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the confirming instruction instructs the first party to press at least one specific dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) button on the first party telephone terminal.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first party Network appliance includes a display screen and wherein the step of presenting a confirmation instruction includes presenting instructions via the display screen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring for the confirming activity continues until one of the confirming activity occurs and a time out period expires and, when the time out period expires prior to the confirming activity occurring, the method further includes the step of disconnecting from the first party telephone terminal.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the confirming activity includes the first party speaking a specific phrase into the first party telephone terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 further including using the first party Network appliance to specify a second party target telephone number, the step of continuing the telephone call process including calling the second party target telephone number.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirming activity requires the first party to enter a second party target telephone number via at least one of the first party Network appliance and the first party telephone terminal.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of using the first party Network appliance to specify a second party target telephone number includes specifying the second party target telephone number prior to using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the Network appliance is a wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless device includes the telephone associated with the first party call back telephone number.

13. A method of commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the first party Network appliance to a relay;

(b) using the first party Network appliance to specify a first party call back telephone number and a second party target telephone number;

(c) using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number;

(d) presenting a confirmation instruction to the first party via the first party Network appliance instructing the first party to enter confirming information via the first party telephone terminal;

(e) monitoring information input via the first party telephone terminal; and

(f) when the confirming information is entered, continuing the telephone call process.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of also presenting instruction via the first party telephone terminal indicating that the call is a caption assisted telephone call.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the confirming instruction instructs the first party to press at least one specific dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) button on the first party telephone terminal.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of monitoring information continues until one of the confirming activity occurs and a time out period expires and, when the time out period expires prior to the confirming activity occurring, the method further includes the step of disconnecting from the first party telephone terminal.

17. A system for commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the system comprising:

a first party telephone terminal;

a second party telephone terminal;

a first party Network appliance; and

a relay linkable to the first and second party telephone terminals and to the Network appliance;

wherein, when the first party Network appliance communicates with the relay and provides a first party call back telephone number to commence a telephone call process, the relay dials the first party call back telephone number, monitors activities performed via the first party telephone terminal and only continues the telephone call process when a confirming activity occurs.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the relay further presents confirmation instructions via the first party Network appliance indicating a confirmation process that should be performed via the first party telephone terminal.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the relay also presents instruction via the first party telephone terminal indicating that the call is a caption assisted telephone call.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the confirming instruction instructs the first party to press at least one specific dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) button on the first party telephone terminal.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the first party Network appliance includes a display screen and wherein the confirming instructions are presented via the display screen.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the relay monitors for confirming activity until one of the confirming activity occurs and a time out period expires and, when the time out period expires prior to the confirming activity occurring, the relay disconnects the first party telephone terminal.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the first party Network appliance is a wireless device.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the wireless device includes the first party telephone terminal.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the first party telephone terminal and the first party network appliance form parts of a single communication device.

26. A method of commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting the first party Network appliance to a relay;

(b) using the first party Network appliance to specify a first party call back telephone number;

(c) using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number;

(d) using at least one of the first party telephone and the first party Network appliance to specify a confirmation activity that must be performed in order to continue a telephone call process,

where the first party telephone is used to specify the confirmation activity, the confirmation activity having to be performed using at least one of the first party telephone terminal and the first party Network appliance; and

where the first party Network appliance is used to specify the confirmation activity, the confirmation activity having to be performed using at least the first party telephone;

(e) when the first party telephone terminal is answered, monitoring activities via at least one of the first party telephone terminal and the first party Network appliance; and

(f) when the confirming activity occurs, continuing the telephone call process.