Video Relay Service Call Routing by Language Preference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video relay service (VRS) systems for deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired individuals face inefficiencies when trying to communicate with hearing persons who speak different languages, as users are often routed to incorrect language queues, leading to unnecessary waiting times.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that routes VRS calls to a call queue corresponding to the preferred language associated with the phone number being called, allowing users to store language preferences or select them during the call initiation process, thereby bypassing unnecessary language queues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If VRS systems use a default spoken language setting, then the system can operate with simple configuration, but users experience unnecessary waiting time when calling persons who speak different languages
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by determining and storing the language associated with each telephone number in advance. When a call is initiated, the system retrieves the pre-stored language information and routes the call directly to the appropriate language queue, eliminating the need for users to wait in the default language queue and then be transferred.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining the correct language queue based on the called party's stored language preference. The routing process occurs automatically without requiring user intervention to specify the language or manually transfer between queues, thereby reducing waiting time while maintaining simple user interaction.
2Productivity
If VRS equipment places callers in the default language queue, then the routing process is simple, but communication efficiency decreases due to unnecessary transfers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by determining and storing the language associated with each telephone number in advance. When a call is initiated, the system retrieves the pre-stored language information and routes the call directly to the appropriate language queue, eliminating the need for users to wait in the default language queue and then be transferred.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by storing language preferences associated with telephone numbers and using this information to automatically route calls to the correct language queue. This creates a closed-loop system where past language preference data informs future routing decisions, improving communication efficiency without adding complexity to the user interface.
3Loss of time
If the system stores language preferences for each phone number, then call routing becomes more efficient, but the system requires more complex data management
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by determining and storing the language associated with each telephone number in advance. When a call is initiated, the system retrieves the pre-stored language information and routes the call directly to the appropriate language queue, eliminating the need for users to wait in the default language queue and then be transferred.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method routes a video relay service call to a call queue corresponding to a preferred language after receiving an input from a user to initiate a video relay service call. The preferred language may be stored in connection with the phone number being called, and the system automatically routes the video relay service call to a call queue for one or more sign language interpreters fluent in the language associated with the telephone number. If there is no default language associated with the phone number being called, the caller can be asked for a language, or a default language can be used.