Telephone system integrated text based communication apparatus and system to enhance access for TDD and/or TTY devices

摘要

An integrated text based TTY system comprises a telephone network, a private branch exchange, a voice mail system, and a text server. The telephone network is adapted to receive a TTY call from a calling party from a TTY device, which is external to said integrated text based TTY system, to a called party. A private branch exchange is in communication with the telephone network and adapted to receive the TTY call from the telephone network. A voice mail system is in communication with the private branch exchange. A text server is in communication with the private branch exchange to receive the TTY call. The text server is also in communication with the voice mail system. The text server receives identification information to identify the called party, so that the text server can check a database of individuals able to receive the TTY call to determine whether the called party is in the database and if the called party is in the database then the text server signals the called party that the TTY call from the calling party has been made. The private branch exchange is also in communication with the text server via a modem and a first communication path extending from the private branch exchange to the modem and the modem is in communication with the text server to receive the TTY call which is routed to the text server by the private branch exchange. The modem recognizes the TTY call as conforming to TTY standards and, if necessary, converts the TTY call into ASCII. The modem also receives a response to the TTY call and converts the response to the TTY call into an appropriate format that conforms to the TTY standards to create a converted response to the TTY call, and transmits the converted response to the TTY call.