Patents by Inventor Troy Vitek
Troy Vitek 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).
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Patent number: 11936809Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone comprising the steps of dialing a telephone number to a relay gateway, connecting to the gateway over a communication network, performing a test to assess communication network quality, based on the test results, setting up the captioned telephone to operate in at least one of a first mode and a second mode wherein each of the first and second modes is one of (i) a PSTN mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via analog transmission and (ii) an IP mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via the Internet.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2023Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11895257Abstract: A communication system and method usable to facilitate communication between a hearing user and an assisted user. In particular, the system employs a wireless portable tablet or other portable electronic computing device linked to a captioning enabled phone as a remote interface for that phone, thereby providing an assisted user with more options, more freedom, and improved usability of the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11856123Abstract: A communication system and method usable to facilitate communication between a hearing user and an assisted user. In particular, the system employs a wireless portable tablet or other portable electronic computing device linked to a captioning enabled phone as a remote interface for that phone, thereby providing an assisted user with more options, more freedom, and improved usability of the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11588936Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11570300Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone comprising the steps of dialing a telephone number to a relay gateway, connecting to the gateway over a communication network, performing a test to assess communication network quality, based on the test results, setting up the captioned telephone to operate in at least one of a first mode and a second mode wherein each of the first and second modes is one of (i) a PSTN mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via analog transmission and (ii) an IP mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via the Internet.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11570291Abstract: A communication system and method usable to facilitate communication between a hearing user and an assisted user. In particular, the system employs a wireless portable tablet or other portable electronic computing device linked to a captioning enabled phone as a remote interface for that phone, thereby providing an assisted user with more options, more freedom, and improved usability of the system.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11201957Abstract: A text-assisted telephony system for use by an assisted user while communicating with a hearing user via a hearing user's phone device. The system includes first and second assisted user's communication devices, each including a processor, a microphone, a speaker, a display and a communication component. One processor is programmed to establish a voice call with the hearing user's phone device. One processor is programmed to establish a communication link with the other processor. Each processor is programmed to generate an alert indicating when an incoming call is received and to enable an assisted user to answer the call and, upon one of the devices being used to answer a call, that device receiving text captions from a remote relay corresponding to a hearing user's voice signal and presenting the text captions to the assisted user via the device display.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11190630Abstract: A communication system and method usable to facilitate communication between a hearing user and an assisted user. In particular, the system employs a wireless portable tablet or other portable electronic computing device linked to a captioning enabled phone as a remote interface for that phone, thereby providing an assisted user with more options, more freedom, and improved usability of the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11153432Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone comprising the steps of dialing a telephone number to a relay gateway, connecting to the gateway over a communication network, performing a test to assess communication network quality, based on the test results, setting up the captioned telephone to operate in at least one of a first mode and a second mode wherein each of the first and second modes is one of (i) a PSTN mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via analog transmission and (ii) an IP mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via the Internet.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Publication number: 20210306455Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11070669Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: ULTRATEC INC.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 11064070Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: ULTRATEC, INC.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 10601980Abstract: A communication system for communicating between a hearing user using a hearing user's communication device and an assisted user, the communication system comprising a relay that receives a hearing user's voice signal and converts that voice signal to text, a text to braille converter that receives the text generated at the relay and converts that text to braille data, a braille display device that is capable of generating braille messages that can be detected by an assisted user via touch and an assisted user's captioned device that receives the braille data and uses the braille data to drive the braille display device to generate braille messages for the assisted user to sense.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Christopher R Engelke, Kevin R Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 10560574Abstract: A method of operating a captioned telephone comprising the steps of dialing a telephone number to a relay gateway, connecting to the gateway over a communication network, performing a test to assess communication network quality, based on the test results, setting up the captioned telephone to operate in at least one of a first mode and a second mode wherein each of the first and second modes is one of (i) a PSTN mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via analog transmission and (ii) an IP mode in which data is communicated between the captioned telephone and the relay gateway via the Internet.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Publication number: 20200007671Abstract: A text-assisted telephony system for use by an assisted user while communicating with a hearing user via a hearing user's phone device. The system includes first and second assisted user's communication devices, each including a processor, a microphone, a speaker, a display and a communication component. One processor is programmed to establish a voice call with the hearing user's phone device. One processor is programmed to establish a communication link with the other processor. Each processor is programmed to generate an alert indicating when an incoming call is received and to enable an assisted user to answer the call and, upon one of the devices being used to answer a call, that device receiving text captions from a remote relay corresponding to a hearing user's voice signal and presenting the text captions to the assisted user via the device display.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Christopher R. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Publication number: 20190373109Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Publication number: 20190238679Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 10298753Abstract: A method for maintaining contact information in a hearing impaired assisted user's communication device includes the steps of (a) providing a web site for altering assisted user contact information, (b) linking a proxy device to the web site, (c) receiving an identifier associated with the assisted user's device via the proxy device, (d) identifying an assisted user's device via the received identifier, (e) enabling the proxy device to be used to modify contact information for the assisted user associated with the received identifier, (f) starting a timer to time out a sync timeout period, (g) during the sync timeout period, receiving an indication via the assisted user's device confirming a desire to update the assisted user's contact information, (h) updating the assisted user's contact information, and (i) at the end of the timeout period, ceasing an indication that updated data is ready to be used from the assisted user's device.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 10225400Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 23, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. Engelke, Kevin R. Colwell, Troy Vitek
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Patent number: 10051120Abstract: A method for setting tones on an assisted user's communication device where the assisted user is hearing impaired, the method comprising the steps of (a) storing a sample voice recording in a memory of an assisted user's device, (b) presenting tone setting tools via a display screen on an assisted user's device, (c) receiving tone setting parameters via the assisted user's device, (d) playing the sample voice recording via a speaker on the assisted user's device where the sample voice recording is broadcast using the tone specified by the tone setting parameters, (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) until the tone of the sample voice recording is optimized; and (f) storing the optimized tone setting parameters for subsequent use as well as a method by which a proxy can help an assisted user enter manage contact and other information on an assisted user's device.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Ultratec, Inc.Inventors: Robert M Engelke, Kevin R Colwell, Troy Vitek