System for text assisted telephony

Abstract

A communication system comprising a hard of hearing user's wireless phone device configured to (i) wirelessly receive a hearing user's voice signal that originated at a hearing user's phone device, (ii) route the hearing user's voice signal to a relay for transcription into a text communication, (iii) receive a hard of hearing user's voice signal and (iv) transmit the hard of hearing user's voice signal to the hearing user's phone device, a hard of hearing user's captioned device that is independent of the hard of hearing user's phone device, the captioned device including a display screen and a processor, the processor in the captioned device configured to: (i) receive a text communication originating at the relay, the text communication corresponding to a transcription of the hearing user's voice signal, and (ii) display a text caption corresponding to the text communication on the display of the hard of hearing user's captioned device.

1 . A communication system comprising:
 a hard of hearing user's wireless phone device configured to:   (i) wirelessly receive a hearing user's voice signal that originated at a hearing user's phone device;   (ii) route the hearing user's voice signal to a relay for transcription into a text communication;   (iii) receive a hard of hearing user's voice signal; and   (iv) transmit the hard of hearing user's voice signal to the hearing user's phone device;   a hard of hearing user's captioned device that is independent of the hard of hearing user's phone device, the captioned device including a display screen and a processor, the processor in the captioned device configured to:   (i) receive a text communication originating at the relay, the text communication corresponding to a transcription of the hearing user's voice signal; and   (ii) display a text caption corresponding to the text communication on the display of the hard of hearing user's captioned device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device routes the hearing user's voice signal to the relay through the captioned device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein a communication link between the captioned device and the relay for transmitting the hearing user's voice signal to the relay and receiving the text communication from the relay is an internet connection. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further including a caption button that is selectable to cause the hard of hearing user's phone device to route the hearing user's voice signal to the relay. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the captioned device provides the caption button. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hearing user's voice signal is transmitted to the relay and the text communication is received from the relay over the same communication link. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hearing user's voice signal is transmitted to the relay and the text communication is received from the relay over first and second different communication links. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device provides the hearing user's voice signal to the captioned device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device broadcasts the hearing user's voice signal via a speaker to the hard of hearing user. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device includes the speaker used to broadcast the hearing user's voice signal. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A communication system, comprising:
 a hard of hearing user's wireless phone device configured to:   establish communication with a captioned device that is independent of the hard of hearing user's phone device;   receive a hearing user's voice signal originating at a hearing user's phone device;   provide the hearing user's voice signal to a hard of hearing user's captioned device; and   a hard of hearing user's captioned device including a display and a processor, the processor configured to:   establish a first communication link with the relay;   receive the hearing user's voice signal from the hard of hearing user's phone device;   transmit the hearing user's voice signal to the relay for transcription to text;   receive a text communication corresponding to the hearing user's voice signal from the relay; and   present the text communication on the display for the hard of hearing user to view.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the processor establishes the first communication link with the relay upon user selection of a caption option. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the processor receives the text communication from the relay on a second communication link that is different than the first communication link. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the first and second communication links are each internet links. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device is a cellular phone device. 
     
     
         17 . A method of facilitating captioning services for a hard of hearing user using a hard of hearing user's phone device while communicating with a hearing user using a hearing user's phone device, the method for use with a hard of hearing user's captioned device that includes a display and a processor, the method comprising the steps of:
 at the hearing user's wireless phone device:   wirelessly receiving a hearing user's voice signal that originated at a hearing user's phone device;   (ii) routing the hearing user's voice signal to a relay for transcription into a text communication;   (iii) receiving a hard of hearing user's voice signal; and   (iv) transmitting the hard of hearing user's voice signal to the hearing user's phone device;   at the captioning device:   (i) receiving a text communication originating at the relay, the text communication corresponding to a transcription of the hearing user's voice signal; and   (ii) displaying a text caption corresponding to the text communication on the display of the hard of hearing user's captioned device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device routes the hearing user's voice signal to the relay through the captioned device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein a communication link between the captioned device and the relay for transmitting the hearing user's voice signal to the relay and receiving the text communication from the relay is an internet connection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further including the step of receiving a caption command from a system user and routing the hearing user's voice message to the relay upon reception of the caption command. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the hearing user's voice signal is transmitted to the relay and the text communication is received from the relay over the same communication link. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the hearing user's voice signal is transmitted to the relay and the text communication is received from the relay over first and second different communication links. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device provides the hearing user's voice signal to the captioned device. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  further including the step of the hard of hearing user's phone device broadcasting the hearing user's voice signal via a speaker to the hard of hearing user. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device includes the speaker used to broadcast the hearing user's voice signal. 
     
     
         26 . A communication system comprising:
 a hard of hearing user's captioned device, the captioned device including a display screen and a processor, the processor of the captioned device configured to:   establish communication with a hard of hearing user's phone device that is independent of the hard of hearing user's captioned device;   receive a hearing user's voice signal that originates at a hearing user's phone device used during a phone conversation involving the hard of hearing user's phone device;   receive a text communication originating at a relay, the text communication corresponding to a transcription of the hearing user's voice signal; and   display a text caption corresponding to the text communication on the display of the hard of hearing user's captioned device.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the hard of hearing user's phone device is a wireless cellular phone device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the step of receiving the hearing user's voice signal includes receives the hearing user's voice signal from the hard of hearing user's phone device. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the step of receiving a text communication includes receiving the text communication directly from the relay. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the text is displayed substantially in real time as the hearing user utters the hearing user's voice message.