Patents Assigned to Ultratec, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10015311
    Abstract: A system and method for presenting caller ID information related to a caption assisted telephone call incorporating a first party Network appliance, a first party telephone service/terminal, and a relay linkable to the first party Network appliance via the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek
  • Patent number: 9967380
    Abstract: A communication system including a hard of hearing user's captioned device, the captioned device including a display screen and a processor. The processor in the captioned device is 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 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell
  • Patent number: 9961196
    Abstract: A method of and system for facilitating a captioned conversation between a hard of hearing user using a hard of hearing user's captioned device and a hearing user, the method including the steps of establishing communication between the captioned device and a hard of hearing user's phone device that is independent of the captioned device, and establishing communication between the captioned device and a relay for communicating a text communication from the relay to the captioned device, the text communication including a text transcript corresponding to a hearing user's voice signal transmitted to the hard of hearing user's phone device from a hearing user's phone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell
  • Patent number: 9955007
    Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone, comprising storing analog test data in a captioned telephone memory, dialing a telephone number to a relay gateway, connecting to the relay gateway over a communication network and performing a test of the communication network quality using the test data to determine if the network is sufficient to carry analog data, the test including at least one of transmitting the test data to the relay gateway and receiving test data from the relay gateway via the communication network, wherein the network is one of a POTS network and a VOIP network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
  • Patent number: 9350857
    Abstract: A system and method for use with an assisted user's communication device that includes a display and a speaker, the method comprising the steps of providing a processor programmed to perform the steps of, upon placement of an emergency call to a hearing user, recognizing the call as an emergency call, automatically initiating a captioning service to provide text transcription of voice messages from the hearing user and maintaining the captioning service for at least a time out period irrespective of actions by the assisted user and, upon placement of a non-emergency call, only starting the captioning service after a request for the captioning service from the assisted user is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D Vitek
  • Patent number: 9131045
    Abstract: A method of and system for operating a captioned telephone service, the method comprising the steps of providing words spoken by a remote user to a relay, at the relay, a call assistant listening to the words spoken by the remote user and re-voicing the words into a computer with voice recognition software trained to the voice of the call assistant to create a text stream of the words spoken by the remote user and presenting the text stream to an assisted user via a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engleke, Kevin R. Colwell
  • Patent number: 8917822
    Abstract: A device and method for providing captioned services to an assisted user using a captioned device linkable via a first communication link to a hearing user's device where the method includes the steps of, at a relay, receiving a request for captioning service from the captioned device on a second communication link, in response to the request, setting up the captioning service at the relay including receiving hearing user voice signals from the captioned device, providing the voice signals to a call assistant to transcribe into text and transmitting the text back to the captioned device to display, wherein the step of receiving a request may be prior to establishment the first communication link and wherein the step of receiving a request may be subsequent to establishment of the first communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell
  • Patent number: 8917821
    Abstract: A system and method for presenting caller ID information related to a caption assisted telephone call incorporating a first party Network appliance, a first party telephone service/terminal, and a relay linkable to the first party Network appliance via the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek
  • Patent number: 8908838
    Abstract: A system and method for providing captioned services comprising a relay, an assisted user's captioned device including a processor programmed to perform the steps of establishing a first communication link between the captioned device and a hearing person's device, receiving voice signals from the hearing person via the first communication link, receive an indication that an activator has been activated to invoke a captioning service and in response transmitting the hearing user's voice signals received at the captioned device to a relay via a second communication link, receiving text back corresponding to the hearing user's voice signals from the relay and displaying the text wherein the assisted user can invoke the captioning service either prior to or after the first communication link is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell
  • Patent number: 8515024
    Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone call in which an assisted user is connected by a captioned telephone device which is connected both by one line to a remote user and a second line to a relay providing captioning for a conversation, the method comprising the steps of, when a call is received at the captioned telephone device on the first line, the captioned telephone device calling the relay on the second line to initiate captioning service set up prior to the call being answered, after the call is answered, the captioned telephone device passing spoken words received on the first telephone line to the second telephone line and the captioning service then providing captioning to the captioned telephone device of the spoken words transmitted on the second telephone line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek
  • Patent number: 8416925
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for commencing a caption assisted telephone call using a combination of a first party telephone terminal and a first party Network appliance, the method comprising the steps of connecting the first party Network appliance to a relay, using the first party Network appliance to specify a first party call back telephone number, using the relay to dial the first party call back telephone number, specifying a confirmation activity that must be performed via the first party telephone terminal in order to continue a telephone call process, when the first party telephone terminal is answered, monitoring activities via the first party telephone terminal and when the confirming activity occurs, continuing the telephone call process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek
  • Patent number: 8213578
    Abstract: A method of and system for operating a captioned telephone service, the method comprising the steps of providing words spoken by a remote user to a relay, at the relay, a call assistant listening to the words spoken by the remote user and re-voicing the words into a computer with voice recognition software trained to the voice of the call assistant to create a text stream of the words spoken by the remote user and presenting the text stream to an assisted user via a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engleke, Kevin R. Colwell
  • Patent number: 7881441
    Abstract: Text captioned telephony, in which a telephone conversation is accompanied by text captions to aid in hard-of-hearing users, is implemented without the use of specialized text captioned telephone terminals by using a combination of an Internet appliance such as a computer and a telephone or by generalized voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek, Kurt M. Gritner
  • Patent number: 7660398
    Abstract: Captioned telephone are devices intended to provide text captions to persons needing assistance with telephone communications. Captioned telephones provide text by using the services of a relay interposed between the assisted user and the hearing user, the relay providing the captioning for the assisted user. While captioned telephone service can be delivered over a single telephone line, if the assisted user has two telephone lines available for the captioning service, additional features and advantages are possible in the delivery of captioned telephone service to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy D. Vitek
  • Patent number: 7555104
    Abstract: A relay is described to facilitate communication through the telephone system between hearing users and users who need or desire assistance in understanding voice communications. To overcome the speed limitations inherent in typing, the call assistant at the relay does not type most words but, instead, re-voices the words spoken by the hearing user into a computer operating a voice recognition software package trained to the voice of that call assistant. The text stream created by the computer and the voice of the hearing user are both sent to the assisted user so that the assisted user can be supplied with a visual text stream to supplement the voice communications. A time delay in the transmission of the voice of the hearing user through the relay is of assistance to the assisted user in comprehending the communications session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Engelke
  • Publication number: 20080152093
    Abstract: A method of and system for operating a captioned telephone service, the method comprising the steps of providing words spoken by a remote user to a relay, at the relay, a call assistant listening to the words spoken by the remote user and re-voicing the words into a computer with voice recognition software trained to the voice of the call assistant to create a text stream of the words spoken by the remote user and presenting the text stream to an assisted user via a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: ULTRATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engleke, Kevin R. Colwell
  • Patent number: 7319740
    Abstract: An arrangement for providing captioned telephone service is provided which permits persons who are hard of hearing to receive captioning of their telephone communications as they need it. A personal interpreter/captioned telephone device can dial a relay on a second telephone line while the assisted user if conversing with a hearing user over a first telephone line. The second telephone line connects to a relay which provides voice to text translation service and returns a text stream to the captioned telephone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin Colwell
  • Patent number: 7006604
    Abstract: A relay is described to facilitate communication through the telephone system between hearing users and users who need or desire assistance in understanding voice communications. To overcome the speed limitations inherent in typing, the call assistant at the relay does not type most words but, instead, re-voices the words spoken by the hearing user into a computer operating a voice recognition software package trained to the voice of that call assistant. The text stream created by the computer and the voice of the hearing user are both sent to the assisted user so that the assisted user can be supplied with a visual text stream to supplement the voice communications. A time delay in the transmission of the voice of the hearing user through the relay is of assistance to the assisted user in comprehending the communications session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Engelke
  • Patent number: 7003082
    Abstract: An arrangement for providing captioned telephone service is provided which permits persons who are hard of hearing to receive captioning of their telephone communications as they need it. A personal interpreter/captioned telephone device can dial a relay on a second telephone line while the assisted user if conversing with a hearing user over a first telephone line. The second telephone line connects to a relay which provides voice to text translation service and returns a text stream to the captioned telephone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin Colwell
  • Patent number: D763219
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin Colwell, Troy Vitek, Peter Kirschhoffer