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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to telecommunications and more
specifically, to the use of telecommunications relay services and
communication assistants to facilitate communications between hearing
parties using ordinary telephones and deaf, hard of hearing, or speech
disabled parties using a Text Telephone, such as a Telecommunication
Devices for the Deaf.
2. Related Art
Deaf hard of hearing, or speech disabled persons utilize Text Telephones,
such as Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf, to communicate over the
telephone with hearing parties using ordinary telephones. These deaf, hard
of hearing, or speech disabled parties must often utilize a
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) in conjunction with Text
Telephones. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical TRS environment 102. A hearing
caller 104 places a call using an ordinary telephone 106 to a TRS service
109 via a speaking means 108. The TRS service 109 consists of a
Communication Assistant (CA) 110 who relays the call to a text telephone
114, communicating via a typing means 112, so that a text telephone user
116 can communicate with the hearing caller 104. The CA 110 acts as a
translator between the hearing caller 104 and the text telephone user 116.
The system also works in reverse, where the text telephone user 116, can
initiate the telephone call to the hearing customer 104 with the CA 110
performing the same function as described above.
The use and implementation of TRS as well as other text telephony devices
are well known in the art. There are well known methods used to provide
deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled people with better access to
the telephone network services available to hearing customers. These
methods include TRS, direct person-to-person Text Telephone use, E-mail,
and electronic information databases. The present invention focuses on the
TRS method.
The TRS environment 102 has its disadvantages because the hearing caller
104, when initiating a telephone call, must remember or make note of two
different telephone numbers: (1) the telephone number of the
Telecommunication Relay Service (each state currently contracts
individually with a carrier to provide the relay service); and (2) the
telephone number of the text telephone user 116 so that the CA 110 can
connect the call. This is a particular problem in commercial situations
where the volume of calls the text telephone user 116 may receive will be
impacted. A typical business advertisement for a TRS subscriber is shown
below in Table 1:
TABLE 1
______________________________________
ROBERT'S MARKETING COMPANY
200 Beech Ave.
Sand, FL 12345
Phone: Please call 1-800-955-8770 (TRS) first,
and give CA this number: 555-1810
FAX: 555-1820
______________________________________
The problem is that the advertisement needs to contain more information,
uses more lines, and consequently, costs the TRS subscriber more money.
Furthermore, it may confuse potential customers who are not familiar with
TRS or know what a CA is. Some customers may be tempted to call the second
number directly resulting in a great deal of aggravation for both parties
involved. Therefore, hearing callers, as potential customers to TRS
subscribers, may not want to deal with the confusion or inconvenience of
dealing with a TRS telephone number.
The net result of the TRS environment 102, in a commercial sense, is loss
of business (that is, money) and an overall competitive disadvantage.
Thus, there is a need to have deaf hard of hearing, or speech disabled
users' telephone service more closely resemble the services routinely used
by hearing people and level the playing field. Commercial TRS subscribers
require that any difference in their telephone service be as transparent
as possible to their potential customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing an
enhanced telecommunications relay service (TRS) to deaf, hard of hearing,
or speech disabled telephone users by allowing them to advertise, publish,
or distribute a single toll-free telephone (i.e., "1-800") number, with an
extension number, to prospective callers. The enhanced TRS, available on
subscription basis, assigns each text telephone user an extension number,
which they may advertise along with the single toll-free number. Thus,
callers dial the single advertised telephone number and just ask for the
specific extension number. The communications assistant (CA), who will be
relaying the telephone call, can input the extension number into the
system that retrieves a subscriber profile. The subscriber profile
consists of the actual ten-digit telephone number of the subscriber and
the CA can then connect the call. The subscriber's profile also consists
of a service description that tells the CA how to introduce the caller to
the subscriber.
The present invention functions in the same way as a traditional TRS,
allowing hearing persons to communicate with the deaf, hard of hearing, or
speech disabled via the telephone and a CA. However, the present invention
allows the hearing customer to only deal with one telephone number and
makes the use of TRS as transparent and easy as possible to the hearing
caller. Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the
structure and opera tion of various embodiments of the invention, are
described in detail below with reference to the accompanying diagrams.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical telecommunications relay service
environment used by the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a telecommunications environment in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system useful for
implementing the present invention; and
FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are flowcharts representing the overall preferred
operation of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Overview
The present invention is directed to a system and method of directing a
telephone call from a hearing customer using an ordinary telephone to a
deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled business subscriber using a text
telephone, via a telecommunications relay service (TRS). FIG. 2 is a
high-level block diagram of a telecommunications environment 202 in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A
hearing customer 104 places a call using an ordinary telephone 106 dialing
the toll-free extension main number advertised by the text telephone user
116. The call is routed to a central location--the Enhanced TRS Extension
Processing system 208. The telephone call is then routed to one of a
plurality of businesses 220 based on the specific extension number
advertised along with the toll-free main number. Once the call is routed,
the Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system 208 operates like a
conventional TRS where the text telephone user 116 utilizes a text
telephone 114 to communicate with the hearing caller 104, via a
communications assistant (CA) 110.
FIG. 2 illustrates that the Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system 208
(via the main "1-800" number) can serve several subscribers, at different
locations, each distinguished by their unique extension number. Extension
numbers can be any combination of at least two digits (from 10 on up
depending on the number of subscribers). This limitation is a function of
current telephone switching technology. Furthermore, along with the unique
extension number assigned to each text telephone user 116, the text
telephone user may choose one of three service description options when
applying for a subscription to the Enhanced TRS Extension Processing
system 208 service. The text telephone user 116 can choose one of the
following: (1) Standard Introduction--where the CA 110 identifies the name
of the text telephone user 116, introduces the service using a standard
identification, and adds an explanation if needed; (2) Customized
Introduction--where the CA 110 will read the introduction from the
subscriber profile (e.g., "This is TRS CA #3456, and I will be relaying
this call for Mr. Smith of Robert's Marketing Company. He is hard of
hearing and he uses our service to facilitate his phone calls."); or (3)
Direct Connection--where the CA 110 will relay the call without
identifying or explaining the TRS. The text telephone user 116 would be
responsible for explaining the TRS and any necessary procedures to the
hearing caller 104.
Table 1, above, illustrates the commercial disadvantages of conventional
TRS systems, whereas the advantages of the Enhanced TRS Extension
Processing system 208 are shown below in Table 2:
TABLE 2
______________________________________
ROBERT'S MARKETING COMPANY
200 Beech Ave.
Sand, FL 12345
Phone: 1-800-555-1234, ext. 123
FAX: 555-1820
______________________________________
The advertisement needs to contain less information, uses less lines, and
consequently, costs the TRS subscriber less money. The advertisement will
also not confuse potential customers who are not familiar with TRS or know
what a CA is. Furthermore, customers will not be tempted to call the
second number directly (because there is none) which previously resulted
in a great deal of aggravation for both parties involved. Therefore,
potential customers will more likely respond to advertisements without
fear or anxiety that the business owner can not physically use the
telephone or without the feeling that they have to do something extra just
to get the same services or goods available elsewhere.
The chosen embodiment of the present invention is computer software running
(that is, executing) within a computer system 300 shown in FIG. 3. The
term "computer program product" is used to generally refer to a program
stored at removable storage device 318 or a hard disk installed in hard
disk drive 342. These computer program products are means for providing
software to computer system 300.
Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in main
memory and/or secondary memory 340. Computer programs can also be received
via communications interface 324. Such computer programs, when executed,
enable the computer system 300 to perform the features of the present
invention as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when
executed, enable the processor 304 to perform the features of the present
invention. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of
the computer system 300.
In an embodiment where the invention is implemented using software, the
software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into
computer system 300 using removable storage drive 314, hard drive 342 or
communications interface 324. Alternatively, the computer program product
may be downloaded to computer system 300 over communications path 326. The
control logic (software), when executed by the processor 304, causes the
processor 304 to perform the functions of the invention as described
herein.
In another embodiment the invention is implemented primarily in hardware
using, for example, hardware components such as application specific
integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of a hardware state machine so
as to perform the functions described herein will be apparent to persons
skilled in the relevant art(s).
Implementation
Referring to FIG. 4(A), flowchart 402 represents the operation of the
Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system 208. Flowchart 402 begins at step
404 with control passing immediately to step 406. In step 406 the hearing
caller 104, having dialed the toll-free main number, requests a specific
extension number. This request is received by the CA 110. In step 407, the
CA 110 inputs the requested extension number into the Enhanced TRS
Extension Processing system 208. In another embodiment of the present
invention, the CA 110 would not have to request and manually input the
desired extension number into the Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system
208 as shown in steps 406 and 407. Other input mechanisms could be
utilized such as the caller 104 simply imputing the desired extension
number, in response to an automated voice prompt, using the telephone
keypad to transmit dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signals to the
Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system 208.
In step 408, the database of the Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system
208 is accessed to search for a subscriber profile associated with the
entered extension number. Step 410 determines if such an associated
subscriber profile is found. If the associated subscriber profile is not
found, the CA 110 in step 412 transfers the hearing caller 104 to a
customer service representative (CSR). The CSR can then troubleshoot the
call since no subscriber was found which matched the requested extension
number. At this point, operation of flowchart 402 is complete, as
indicated by step 413.
Referring again to step 410, if the associated subscriber profile is found,
control passes to step 411. Referring to FIG. 4(B), step 411 immediately
passes control to step 414. Step 414 displays the associated subscriber
profile to the CA 110. The subscriber profile comprises of the name,
ten-digit telephone number, and introduction option of the text telephone
user 116. In step 416, the CA 110 then dials the ten-digit telephone
number of the text telephone user 116. In another embodiment of the
present invention, the CA 110 would not have to manually dial the
telephone number of the text telephone user 116 as shown in step 416.
Other dialing mechanisms could be utilized such as the Enhanced TRS
Extension Processing system 208 automatically dialing the actual ten-digit
telephone number.
In step 418, the CA 110 determines if the text telephone user 116 has
selected the Standard Introduction option. If so, the standard
introduction of the hearing caller 104 to the text telephone user 116 is
given by the CA 110 at step 420. Then normal TRS service proceeds at step
422 until the hearing caller 104 and the text telephone user 116 have
concluded their communication. At this point, Enhanced TRS Extension
Processing system 208 operation is complete, as indicated by step 424.
Referring again to step 418, if the CA 110 determines that the text
telephone user 116 has not selected the Standard Introduction option, step
426 is performed. Step 426 determines if the text telephone user 116 has
selected the Customized Introduction option. If so, the customized
introduction of the caller 104 to the text telephone user 116 is given by
the CA 110 at step 428. Then normal TRS service proceeds at step 422 until
the hearing caller 104 and the text telephone user 116 have concluded
their communication. At this point, Enhanced TRS Extension Processing
system 208 operation is complete, as indicated by step 424.
Referring again to step 426, if the CA 110 determines that the text
telephone user 116 has not selected the Customized Introduction option,
step 427 is performed. This is because if the text telephone user 116 has
not chosen the Standard Introduction or Customized Introduction options,
then Direct Connection must have been selected. Thus, control passes
immediately to step 422 where normal TRS service proceeds until the
hearing caller 104 and the text telephone user 116 have concluded their
communication. At this point, Enhanced TRS Extension Processing system 208
operation is complete, as indicated by step 424.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described
above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of
example, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the
relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus the
present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described
exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the
following claims and their equivalents. All cited patent documents and
publications in the above description are incorporated herein by
reference.
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