Patents by Inventor James O. Smith, Jr.

James O. Smith, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and system for providing communication services for hearing-impaired parties
    Patent number: 7200208
    Abstract: A method for providing communication services for the hearing-impaired includes establishing a communication link between a hearing-impaired party and a communication assistant. The communication assistant may also establish a voice link with a hearing party. The hearing-impaired party and the communication assistant may then communicate via text messages, such as instant messages. The hearing party may send a voice message to the communication assistant. The communication assistant may then convert the voice message into an instant message and transmit the instant message to the hearing-impaired party. The communication assistant may also convert instant messages received from the hearing-impaired party into voice messages for the hearing party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: MCI, LLC
    Inventors: James O. Smith, Jr., William A. McClelland, Chris R. Heidelbauer
  • Filtering signals in a conference call environment
    Patent number: 6542582
    Abstract: A method for providing telephone services for the hearing-impaired includes establishing a conference call between a hearing-impaired party, a hearing party and a communication assistant. The hearing party sends a voice message to the communication assistant. The communication assistant converts the voice message into a corresponding text message and transmits the text message to the hearing-impaired party. The text message is displayed to the hearing-impaired party using a device that includes a modem. The modem outputs a synchronization tone in response to receiving the text message. The synchronization tone and other tones may then be filtered to ensure that they do not reach the communication assistant and the hearing party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: WorldCom, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Smith, Jr.