SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS FOR VIDEO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE AUDIBLY-IMPAIRED AND AUDIBLY-CAPABLE
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for enabling electronic communication with an audibly-impaired user are disclosed. A system may include a relay service configured to provide translation services during a communication session between a first user and a second user. The relay service may be configured to receive near-end video data from a first communication device associated with the first user, transmit call assistant video data from a call assistant station associated with a call assistant to the first communication device, transmit and receive voice data to and from a second communication device associated with the second user, facilitate far-end video data to be transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device, and facilitate the near-end video data to be transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device.
1 . A system comprising:
a relay service configured to provide translation services during a communication session between a first user and a second user, the relay service configured to:
receive near-end video data from a first communication device associated with the first user;
transmit call assistant video data from a call assistant station associated with a call assistant to the first communication device;
transmit and receive voice data to and from a second communication device associated with the second user;
facilitate far-end video data to be transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device; and
facilitate the near-end video data to be transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the relay service further comprises a routing server configured to:
transmit the near-end video data to the second communication device; and
transmit the far-end video data to the first communication device.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the routing server comprises a multipoint control unit.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the call assistant station is configured to receive the near-end video data and the voice data.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the call assistant station is configured to display the near-end video data and the call assistant video data on an electronic display for viewing by the call assistant.
6 . An apparatus comprising:
a first communication device configured to facilitate a communication session between a first user at the first communication device and a second user at a second communication device through a relay service configured to provide translation services, the first communication device configured to:
receive and display far-end video data from the second communication device; and
receive and display call assistant video data from the relay service.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first communication device is further configured to transmit near-end video data to both the relay service and to the second communication device.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first communication device is configured to display the near-end video data at least substantially simultaneously with the far-end video data and the call assistant video data on an electronic display thereof.
9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first communication device is configured to display the call assistant video data and the far-end video data simultaneously.
10 . An apparatus configured for communication with a first communication device associated with an audibly-impaired individual, the apparatus comprising:
a second communication device associated with an audibly-capable individual, the second communication device configured to:
transmit and receive voice data to and from a relay service configured to provide translation services;
transmit far-end video data to the first communication device; and
receive near-end video data from the first communication device.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device is configured to receive the near-end video data while receiving the voice data.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device is configured to receive the near-end video from the first communication device through the relay service.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device is configured to transmit the far-end video data to the first communication device through a routing server of the relay service.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an electronic display configured to display a multi-frame image of the audibly-impaired individual.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the electronic display is configured to display the multi-frame image of the audibly-impaired individual while receiving the voice data from the relay service.
16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device comprises a memory device configured to store a software application configured to facilitate transmitting the far-end video data to the first communication device and receiving the near-end video data from the first communication device.
17 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second communication device includes:
a first device configured to transmit and receive the voice data to and from the relay service; and
a second device configured to transmit the far-end video data, receive the near-end video data, and
display the near-end video data and the far-end video data.
18 . A method of establishing a communication session between an audibly-impaired user and an audibly-capable user, the method comprising:
facilitating transmission of near-end video data from a first communication device to a second communication device;
facilitating transmission of far-end video data from the second communication device to the first communication device;
facilitating transmission of call assistant video data from a call assistant station of a relay service to the first communication device; and
facilitating transmission of voice data between the relay service and the second communication device.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein facilitating transmission of near-end video data from the first communication device to the second communication device includes routing the near-end video data to the second communication device through the relay service.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein facilitating transmission of the voice data between the relay service and the second communication device and facilitating transmission of the near-end video data from the first communication device to the second communication device occurs at least substantially simultaneously.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein facilitating transmission of far-end video data from the second communication device to the first communication device includes routing the far-end video data to the first communication device through the relay service.
22 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising facilitating transmission of the near-end video data from the first communication device to the call assistant station.
23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising displaying the near-end video data and the call assistant video data on an electronic display of the call assistant station.
24 . A system for establishing a communication session between an audibly-impaired user and an audibly-capable user, the system comprising:
a first communication device associated with the audibly-impaired user, the first communication device configured to:
transmit near-end video data to a relay service;
receive far-end video data associated with the audibly-capable user from the relay service; and
receive call assistant video data associated with a call assistant from the relay service;
a second communication device associated with the audibly-capable user, the second communication device configured to:
receive the near-end video data; and
transmit and receive voice data to and from the relay service; and
the relay service, wherein the relay service comprises:
a call assistant station configured to transmit and receive the voice data to and from the second communication device; and
a routing server configured to receive the near-end video data, the far-end video data, and the call assistant video data.
25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the first communication device is configured to display the far-end video data and the call assistant video data.
26 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the second communication device is configured to display the near-end video data.
27 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the second communication device is configured to display the near-end video data while receiving the voice data.
28 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the first communication device is configured to display the far-end video data and the second communication device is configured to display the near-end video data.