Internet protocol text relay for hearing impaired users

• US 8,526,581 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C21 Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: C21 Patents LLC
• Inventors: Charugundla, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US12/719,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20100166155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/265.09, 379 9301- 9303, 379/121.06, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/142.14, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

IP text relay or phone captioning is described herein, to facilitate communication through the use of traditional phone or VOIP or internet telephone system between people of hearing impaired and those who can hear. This service and device will enable users to communicate with users of hearing via assistance of an operator who will transcribe the call, while also receiving the Caller ID of the calling party and not the relay center.

Claims

1. A system for communication, comprising:

a transceiving device for registering a telephone user for voice transcribing services based on user information received by the transceiving device through a website, and upon registration, the transceiving device is capable of automatically connecting to a telephone of the registered user via an IP connection, wherein the user information comprises a user primary telephone number and the transceiving device assigns a telephone number to the registered user telephone that is matched to the user primary telephone number,

and the transceiving device is also capable of automatically establishing telephone calls originated by the registered user telephone and telephone calls originated by another telephone calling the registered user telephone whereby

in establishing a telephone call between the registered user telephone and another telephone in which the transceiving device is connected to the registered telephone via an IP connection, the transceiving device provides caller id information of the other telephone to the registered user telephone and provides caller id information of the registered user telephone to the other telephone, and after having established the telephone call and during the established telephone call between the telephones in which the transceiving device is connected to the registered user telephone via an IP connection, the transceiving device relays voice communications between the registered telephone and the other telephone, and further the transceiving device transcribes voice communications from the other telephone into text and transmits such text along with the voice communications from the other telephone to the registered user telephone via the IP connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the text is XML text.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein voice recognition software is used to provide at least a portion of the text.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said transceiving device provides streaming text transmission of the voice communications from the other telephone in real time.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the registered telephone is an IP telephone.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the transceiving device comprises and ACD relay center having a computer capable of executing voice recognition software and said computer is connected to a database via an internet connection where said database is connected to a Service URL web server and the internet connection is a multi-linked, multi-tier IP capable of handling multiple telephone calls.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein the IP telephone is capable of receiving an XML feed.

12. The system of claim 5 wherein the IP telephone comprises devices capable of performing multi-linked duplex communications and devices capable of displaying internet content to perform communication.

7. A method of communication, comprising:

registering, by a transceiving device, a telephone user requesting registration wherein the transceiving device receives user information through a website and wherein the user information comprises a user primary telephone number that is matched to a telephone number assigned by the transceiving device to a registered user telephone;

connecting automatically, by the transceiving device, a registered user telephone to the transceiving device via an IP connection;

relaying, by the transceiving device, voice communications between the registered user telephone and another telephone during a telephone call established by the transceiving device;

providing, by the transceiving device while establishing the telephone call, caller id information of the registered user telephone to the other telephone and caller id information of the other telephone to the registered user telephone; and

transcribing, by the transceiving device during the established telephone call, voice communications from the other telephone into text and the transceiving device transmitting such text along with the voice communications from the other telephone to the registered telephone user via the IP connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the text is XML text.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein voice recognition software is used to provide at least a portion of the text.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the text is a real time transcription of the voice communications from the other telephone.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the registered telephone is an IP telephone.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the IP telephone is capable of receiving an XML feed.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the IP telephone comprises devices capable of performing multi-linked duplex communications and devices capable of displaying internet content to perform communication.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the transceiving device comprises and ACD relay center having a computer capable of executing voice recognition software and said computer is connected to a database via an internet connection where said database is connected to a Service URL web server and the internet connection is a multi-linked, multi-tier IP capable of handling multiple telephone calls.