US6078650A — Telephone system integrated text based communicat…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 333 words

A process of answering a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with each other, comprising: (a) receiving said TTY call in a port adapted to receive said TTY call, said port in communication with said private branch exchange; (b) requesting identification information be provided to identify said called party by said text server; (c) checking a first database of parties having access to said port via said text server and said private branch exchange with said identification information to determine whether said called party is in said first database and has access to said port by said text server; (d) if said called party is in said first database, then (d1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a first message; (d2) leaving said first message by said calling party; (d3) storing said first message on a text server memory accessible by said text server; (d4) connecting said text server to said voice mail system; and (d5) sending a second message to said voice mail system to notify said called party that said TTY call was received; (e) if said called party is not in said first database, then checking a second database of parties having access to said voice mail system with said identification information to determine whether said called party is in said second database; and (f) if said called party is in said second database, then (f1) prompting with said text greeting said calling party to leave said first message; (f2) leaving said first message by said calling party; (f3) storing said first message on said text server memory accessible by said text server; (f4) connecting said text server to said voice mail system; and (f5) sending said second message to said voice mail system to notify said called party that said TTY call was received.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 333 words

A process of answering a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with each other, comprising: (a) receiving said TTY call in a port adapted to receive said TTY call, said port in communication with said private branch exchange; (b) requesting identification information be provided to identify said called party by said text server; (c) checking a first database of parties having access to said port via said text server and said private branch exchange with said identification information to determine whether said called party is in said first database and has access to said port by said text server; (d) if said called party is in said first database, then (d1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a first message; (d2) leaving said first message by said calling party; (d3) storing said first message on a text server memory accessible by said text server; (d4) connecting said text server to said voice mail system; and (d5) sending a second message to said voice mail system to notify said called party that said TTY call was received; (e) if said called party is not in said first database, then checking a second database of parties having access to said voice mail system with said identification information to determine whether said called party is in said second database; and (f) if said called party is in said second database, then (f1) prompting with said text greeting said calling party to leave said first message; (f2) leaving said first message by said calling party; (f3) storing said first message on said text server memory accessible by said text server; (f4) connecting said text server to said voice mail system; and (f5) sending said second message to said voice mail system to notify said called party that said TTY call was received.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 70 words

The process of claim 1, wherein said identification information is selected from a group consisting of said called party's first name, said called party's employee number, said called party's social security number, said called pay's computer address, said called party's mailbox number, said called party's login name, said called party's last name, said called party's full name, said called party's individual telephone number, and said called party's Internet protocol address.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

The process of claim 1, wherein said TTY call is a TDD call.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

The process of claim 1, further comprising: (g) if said called party is not in said first database or said second database, then said calling party is asked to leave said first message which is stored in a general mailbox.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1, wherein said first database is stored in memory and accessible with software by said text server.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 1, wherein steps (d1), (d2), (f1), and (f2) are in a format that is understandable to a deaf person, speech impaired person, and hard-of-hearing person.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process of claim 1, wherein said steps (d1), (d2), (f1), and (f2) are in a text format.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 1, after step (d5), comprising: (d6) sending instructions to said called party informing said called party how to retrieve said first message.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1, after step (d5), comprising: (d6) signaling said called party that said first message has been received.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 1, after step (d6), comprising: (d7) lighting a light on a telephone used by said called party to indicate that said first message has been received.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 54 words

The process of claim 1, further wherein said TTY call has a source format, and comprising after step (a): (a1) determining said source format of said TTY call and, if necessary, converting said TTY call to a format understandable by said voice mail system and able to be stored in said text server memory.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process of claim 1, wherein said first database is also comprised of a list of individuals having access to a text server.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 202 words

A process of answering a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with one another, comprising: (a) accepting said TTY call from said calling party; (b) determining whether said TTY call comforms to Q TTY format; (c) automatically prompting said calling party initiating said TTY call with an option to leave a first message; (d) if said option is selected, (d1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a first message; (d2) checking a first database of individuals having access to said private branch exchange to determine whether said called party is in said first database and (d3) if said called party is in said first database, then storing said first message to said called party in a memory accessible by said text server, said called pay having access to said text server, and sending a second message to said voice mail system from said text server to notify said called party that said TTY call has been received, said called party having access to said voice mail system.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 202 words

A process of answering a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with one another, comprising: (a) accepting said TTY call from said calling party; (b) determining whether said TTY call comforms to Q TTY format; (c) automatically prompting said calling party initiating said TTY call with an option to leave a first message; (d) if said option is selected, (d1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a first message; (d2) checking a first database of individuals having access to said private branch exchange to determine whether said called party is in said first database and (d3) if said called party is in said first database, then storing said first message to said called party in a memory accessible by said text server, said called pay having access to said text server, and sending a second message to said voice mail system from said text server to notify said called party that said TTY call has been received, said called party having access to said voice mail system.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 59 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after step (c), (e) presenting a second option to transfer said TTY call to a number used by said called party; and (f) if said second option is selected, requesting said number used by said called party be provided and transferring said TTY call to said number used by said called party.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 67 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after step (c), (e) presenting a second option to transfer said TTY call to a mail box accessible by said called party; and (f) is said second option is selected, requesting identification information to identify said mail box, receiving a mail box message to be stored in said mail box and storing said mail box message in said mail box.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 57 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after (d1): (d4) checking a second database of individuals having access to said voice mail system to determine whether said called party is in said second database and if said called party is in said second database then storing said first message in said memory accessible by said text server.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 80 words

The process of claim 13, wherein identification information is provided to check said first database and said identification information is selected from a group consisting of said called party's first name, said called party's employee number, said called party's social security number, said called party's computer address, said called party's mailbox number, said called party's login name, said called party's last name, said called party's full name, said called party's individual telephone number, and said called parry's Internet protocol address.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 98 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after step (d2): (d4) if said called party is not in said first database, then providing a second option to said calling party of leaving said first message in a general mailbox; and if said second option is selected, then receiving said first message and storing said first message in said general mailbox and sending a second message in said voice mail system that said TTY call has been received and said first message has been stored in said general mailbox, said called party having access to said voice mail system.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 25 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after (d3): (d4) leaving instructions to said called party explaining how said called party can retrieve said message.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 13, further comprising after (d3): (d4) lighting a light on a telephone used by said called party to indicate that said message has been received.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 48 words

The process of claim 13, wherein said first database corresponds to a database of users having access to said private branch exchange via a system, said system selected from a group consisting of a text server system, an e-mail system, a computer network, and 4 voice mail system.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 163 words

A process of handling a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with one another, comprising: (a) receiving said TTY call to said called party by said private branch exchange; (b) checking a database by said text server of at least one party capable of receiving said TTY call from said calling party to determine whether said called party is able to receive said TTY call; and (c) if said called party is in said database, then (c1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a message in a TTY format; (c2) receiving said message in said TTY format; (c3) storing said message; and (c4) generating an indication by said text server that notifies said called party that said calling party has left said message via said voice mail system.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 163 words

A process of handling a TTY call from a calling party to a called party via a private branch exchange, a text server, and a voice mail system, said private branch exchange, said text server, and said voice mail system in communication with one another, comprising: (a) receiving said TTY call to said called party by said private branch exchange; (b) checking a database by said text server of at least one party capable of receiving said TTY call from said calling party to determine whether said called party is able to receive said TTY call; and (c) if said called party is in said database, then (c1) prompting with a text greeting said calling party to leave a message in a TTY format; (c2) receiving said message in said TTY format; (c3) storing said message; and (c4) generating an indication by said text server that notifies said called party that said calling party has left said message via said voice mail system.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 22, wherein said at least one party has access to a text server via a telephonic instrument.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 22, wherein said at least one party have access to a voice mail system, said voice mail system capable of interacting with a telephonic instrument.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 101 words

The process of claim 22, after step (a) further comprising: (d) checking a second database of at least one party capable of receiving said TTY call from said called party (e) if said called parry is in said second database, then (e1) prompting with said text greeting said calling party to leave a second message in said TTY format; (e2) receiving said second message in said TTY format; (e3) storing said second message; and (e4) generating an indication by said text server that notifies said called party that said calling party has left said second message via said voice mail system.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 25, wherein said database contains parties having access to a text server and wherein said second database contains parties having access to a voice mail system.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 23, wherein step (c4) is performed by lighting a light on a telephone used by said called party to indicate that said message has been left.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-06-20	2003-12-20	2004-06-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-06-20	2007-12-20	2008-06-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-06-20	2011-12-20	2012-06-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Telephone system integrated text based communication processes to enhance access for TDD and/or TTY devices

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