TDD Interface for IVR Systems via Server Gateway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IVR systems are not designed to interact with customers who are deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired, requiring separate telephone numbers and relay services for text-based messaging, which limits the accessibility of automated telephony services.
Innovation Solution
A server computing system implements a TDD interface to receive incoming TDD protocol-based calls, invoke automated telephony services, and output information as TDD protocol-based data, enabling text-based messaging without the need for dedicated numbers or relay services, allowing TDD users to interact with IVR systems like voice users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate dedicated TDD telephone number is used for text-based messaging, then accessibility for deaf and hearing impaired users is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables standard telephone numbers to handle both voice calls and TDD text-based communications through a gateway system. The gateway receives TDD calls, converts text to speech, and routes to the IVR system, allowing a single telephone number to serve multiple communication types (voice and text) without requiring separate dedicated TDD numbers, thus improving accessibility while reducing infrastructure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The TDD gateway acts as an intermediary component between TDD devices and the IVR system. It converts TDD text-based protocols into speech-compatible formats that the IVR system can process, enabling seamless integration without requiring the IVR system to directly support TDD protocols, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture
2Ease of operation
If relay services are subscribed to for text-to-voice messaging, then communication capability is improved, but service costs and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service communication by integrating TDD gateway functionality directly into the telephony infrastructure. TDD users can independently communicate with IVR systems without human relay operators, as the gateway automatically performs text-to-speech conversion and routing, eliminating the need for paid relay services and reducing operational complexity
3Device complexity
If conventional IVR systems are used without TDD interface, then system simplicity is maintained, but accessibility to deaf and hearing impaired users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The TDD gateway serves as an intermediary layer between TDD devices and the conventional IVR system. It translates TDD text protocols into speech-compatible formats that the existing IVR system can process, enabling accessibility for deaf and hearing impaired users without requiring modifications to the core IVR system architecture, thus maintaining system simplicity while improving adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments are directed to a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) interface implemented by a server computing system. In one embodiment, the server computing system may be configured to receive an incoming telephony call from a TDD protocol-based device placed to a telephone number associated with the server computing system. In response to the incoming telephony call, the server computing system may invoke an automated telephony services application and associate a TTD interface with the incoming telephony call. The server computing device may output information from the automated telephony services application to the TDD protocol-based device via the TDD interface as TDD protocol-based data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.