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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A communication system and format is described for use in assisted telephonic communications, intended to help users who are hearing impaired use the telephone system. A relay connects a hearing user with the assisted user. The relay creates a text message stream containing the words spoken by the hearing user. The relay then combines the digital characters of the text message with packets of digitized voice spoken by the hearing user and sends the combined digital data packets to the station of the assisted user. The station of the assisted user is capable of separating the voice from the text and displaying the text for reading by the assisted user.

Abstract: A communication system and format is described for use in assisted telephonic communications, intended to help users who are hearing impaired use the telephone system. A relay connects a hearing user with the assisted user. The relay creates a text message stream containing the words spoken by the hearing user. The relay then combines the digital characters of the text message with packets of digitized voice spoken by the hearing user and sends the combined digital data packets to the station of the assisted user. The station of the assisted user is capable of separating the voice from the text and displaying the text for reading by the assisted user.