Call Direct Convenient invocation of relay services

1
Call Direct-Convenient invocation of relay
services

• New ways to invoke relay services. Improve
  opportunities for telecomm users with
  disabilities
• Gunnar Hellström
• Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency
• ITU-T SG 2
• 2007-02-06

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Relay services the backbone of accessible
communication

• Relay services translate between remote
  conversational modes.
• Sign language ltgt Speech
• Real-time text ltgt Speech
• Captioned speech ltgt Speech
• Sign language and text ltgt Speech
• Weak or distorded speech ltgtSpeech
• Etc.
• Important for equal opportunities to
  telecommunication for people with disabilities
• The Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency
  procures relay services as part of responsibility
  for accessible telecommunications.

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Common principle for relay services

• Mode translation between two call legs.

speech
text
Text relay example
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Call setup through most relay services

• Three steps in the invocation
• 1. The user calls the service number
• 2. Perform a dialogue about the destination
• 3. The service calls the destination
• When answered, the call can be performed between
  the two parties in modes they master

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Pre-study and trial to improve invocation

• The three-step call-setup causes obstacles in
  some situations.
• Mentioned in a number of service surveys in
  Sweden.
• Pre-study to find feasible solutions 2005.
• Trial 2007.
• May have general usability relevance.

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Direct number to user through relay

• Problem The three step process is too
  complicated to describe to hearing persons.
  Result Few calls.
• Problem The three step procedure cannot be
  captured in an electronic phone-book. Result
  Few calls.
• Solution A personal number to lead the call
  through a relay service to the relay user

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Direct number to hearing user through relay

• Problem The three step procedure cannot be
  captured in an electronic phone-book. Result
  Cumbersome calling for relay users.
• Solution Direct number to hearing user through
  relay.

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Redirect calls to go through relay

• Problem Disabled user left to handle a voice
  phone. No way to prepare for handling incoming
  calls.
• Solution Redirect calls to go through the users
  personal relay number

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Transfer incoming calls to go through relay

• Problem Disabled user is alone with a voice
  phone. A call comes in. No way to handle that
  call. Frustration.
• Solution Transfer incoming call to the personal
  relay number

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Transfer ongoing calls to go through relay

• Problem A call is handled by a hearing person. A
  need to transfer to a disabled person appears.
• Solution Transfer the ongoing call to the
  personal relay number.

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Invoke relay service when needed

• Problem The relay user wants to have ONE number
  for all calls, both relayed and non-relayed.
• Solution Network invocation of relay based on
  comparing user preferences.

Language Swedish sign language Medium Total
conversation
Language Spoken Swedish Medium Voice
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Direct contact with 112-emergency

• Problem All users need to have just one
  emergency number 112 (911 etc)Relay service may
  be needed, but may not prevent direct contact

Solution Let user call emergency service through
112.Let emergency service invoke relay through a
three-party call
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Existing partial solutions

• TextDirect in UK
• Direct call ( with prefix )
• Compares media used and connects relay if unequal
• Web based text relays
• Electronic phone book in the service. Solves need
  for direct call through relay for relay users

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Solution alternatives

• Solution alternatives are tried now
• Telephone connection solution
• Terminal connection solution
• Network connection solution
• Usability validation of alternatives

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Solution example

• Personal number to relay user

A solution Double enum resolution
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Solution example

• Direct call to hearing user

Possibilities e.g. IP
Sipnumber_at_relay PSTN
172number PSTN operator-prefix
number
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Solutions

• Transfer calls to go through the relay

SIP Refer transfer
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Call Direct Network connection solution

• The videophone user has two numbers
• Directly to the videophone
• Through relay

Network located bridge
08-12345
08-67890
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Call Direct Terminal connection solution

• The user makes a three-party call with the relay
  when needed

Relay
08-12345
User
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NGN standardisation
NGN R1 Requirements Y.2201 contains the
following NGN shall provide the means needed
for invocation of relay services. Relay
services translate between various modes of
communication that are of interest for people
with disabilities (e.g., sign language, lip
reading, text, voice). Invocation of relay
services may be based on user preferences,
address resolution or user commands. NGN shall
have the capability to invoke relay services by
either party in an emergency telecommunication.
There may be a need to follow up with details.
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Conclusion

• Convenient invocation of relay services is
• Desired
• Feasible
• Possible to implement in many different ways
• In process of trial implementation and validation
• Worth considering for standardisation of service
  description and invocation methods e.g. in NGN.
• An important step towards equal opportunities to
  telecommunication

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Convenient invocation of relay services
The reports from the pre-study can be found
at www.pts.se/Dokument/dokumentlista.asp?Section
id2884ItemidLanguageidEN