CANADIANS: I invented a wireless relay service. Help me commercialize!

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Mark Rejhon

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Help!

I was so frustrated that Canada doesn't have the cool wireless relay service stuff that the Americans has. So I invented my own wireless relay system! Here is the software that I invented for my own personal use. I am probably the only deaf person in Canada who has the luxury of this system in Canada.

I am a Deaf Computer Programmer -- 19 years programming experience -- Please see my resume at http://www.marky.com/resume/

Features Of My Universal Wireless Server-Based TDD Software:
- Designed to work with BELL CANADA RELAY SERVICE, but can be modified to any relay service.
- TRULY Device-Independent
- REALTIME KEYPRESS AT A TIME. No hitting Enter. No AOL/AIM/WAP.
- No delays, just as fast as a REAL TDD.
- Works on most wireless devices (BlackBerry, PocketPC, PalmPilot, TREO, J2ME, HipTop, Sidekick);
- Works on computers too (Laptops, PC);
- Transfer phone calls from one device to another seamlessly;
- Color coded text for my typing versus relay operator;
- Adjustable font size for laptop; BIG PRINT MODE;

Can some Canadian company help me commercialize this system, please? Contact me at www.marky.com ...

minitdd_laptop.jpg


minitdd_blackberry_1.jpg


minitdd_blackberry_2.jpg


minitdd_pocketpc_1.jpg


minitdd_pocketpc_2.jpg


minitdd_pocketpc_3.jpg


minitdd_pocketpc_4.jpg


(Please note: The hardware isn't my invention. Only the server-based TDD software is.)
 
My server-based TDD software can be used as both a Wireless AND Desktop TDD/TTY/Relay system. In fact, it has become my primary TDD/TTY/Relay system now, even for non-wireless desktop use at home!

minitdd_desktop.jpg
 
I wonder if it would help to talk with CSD at http://www.c-s-d.org? I'd like to see your program licensed by all of the major cell and landline carriers to distrubute to the Deaf and HOH.

:thumb:

Steve

[I forwarded this link to a friend]
 
Thanks. I will go check out that link. Just so you know, anyone can contact me at MiniTTY@marky.com by the way.

By the way, you may notice that the conversation is the same on several devices. That's my demonstration of the "Call Transfer" feature. That means I can transfer from my desktop PC, to a cordless HipTop/BlackBerry and continue the exact same phone call while I step away from the computer, or vice-versa. Just like switching between corded phones and cordless phones in the middle of a conversation!
 
If anyone knows of any Canadian organizations or government departments where I can apply for a grant, to fund the further development and commercialization of this product, please let me know. Or any businesses I can work with, partner with, etc.

Please note, this system can be adapted/modified for use with almost any country's resident relay service (USA, UK, etc). My primary interest is commercializing this in Canada, but any commericalization in other countries would at least provide me with the funds necessary to commercialize in Canada.

I am also very happy to demonstrate this product in person in Ottawa (I live in Ottawa, though I could travel to Montreal or Toronto in a pinch).
 
Patent it!

deaflibrarian said:
Mark, what you have done looks and sounds fantastic!

Seeing as you're getting the word out and showing pictures and examples of your invention I would document, document, and document some more to prove that this is your invention and to protect you from copycats. That might be why things are being delayed with places like the CAD and the government. They could be busy trying to figure it out and making it themselves!

Above all, try and get your invention licensed and/or patented in the USA, Canada, and Europe.

First of all I would start here for basic information:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcanadaorgs.htm

Then if that doesn't help regarding the hows and wheres, then I'd try contacting these various places. Usually by clicking on the "Contact" button you'll find names, addresses, emails, and telephone numbers:

Adaptive Technology Resource Centre at the University of Toronto
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/

Business Development Bank of Canada
http://www.bdc.ca/en/home.htm

Innovation in Canada
http://innovation.gc.ca/gol/innovation/site.nsf/en/index.html

Strategis Canada
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inrti-rti.nsf/en/h_te02568e.html

Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance
http://www.cata.ca//commercialization.html

Canadian Technology Network
http://ctn-rct.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/home_e.shtml

Gallaudet University's Technology Access Program
http://tap.gallaudet.edu/

Good luck and I'm still waiting whether this sort of stuff works with VCO. As far as I have found out Blackberry and Sidekick do not enable VCO calls (speak into microphone and read text).
Click to expand...

Deaflibrarian is correct. Get your invention, software, process, etc. patented in Canada, US, and Europe! Write yourself a patent disclosure including dates and other known prior art. I'd suggest you don't go into detail on the forums without getting this done first.

Good luck!
Steve
 
Yes, I knew it was a risk posting this invention publicly. However, it is much easier for me to generate ideas, get advice, spread the word, if I publicly post about such a system. The problem is that there is no wireless relay in CANADA. It`s much easier for me to find help by a public announcement like this.

A patent can be very expensive, and the lawyers necessary to make a patent good, as well as the time and money spent. Plus I don`t even know if this is a marketable invention -- yet. I am probably the first person to announce such an invention. Maybe I`d want to partner with a company such as Nexcom or some other company, as long as I can get Canadian relay service capability (or at least help me finance a Canadian version). Or maybe I`ll get a grant from the Canadian government. The problem is Canada has only ONE TENTH the population of USA -- smaller market. Meaning, paying thousands dollars for a patent is a bit risky at this stage. It`s cheaper for me to elect public comments like what I am doing right now.

My bread-and-butter Computer Consulting business (unrelated to MiniTTY) pays for the food on the table, and I can`t afford to work for free to commercialize MiniTTY unless I am able to get paid for commercializing MiniTTY.

Maybe a grant or business would like to help me commercialize this in the USA or UK or elsewhere, then that would help me have the funds to commercialize this in Canada. I am pretty willing to demonstrate this device in person or elsewhere (Transportation expenses must be covered though)

Anybody wishing to give me advice/help/pointers/etc can email me at MiniTTY@marky.com

Anyone can learn more about me at my Personal Home Page too - http://www.marky.com

I also made over 20 pages of offline documentation about my invention... so I have developed a significant amount of documentation already. I have not posted any of this documentation on the Internet at this time.

If nobody wants to buy my invention within 1 or 2 years, I`ll probably open source it, with source code published on Internet, (Linux style) for personal non-commercial non-revenue use (with some legal agreement requiring a licensing agreement of some kind if a business wanted to use my system).

It would be very complicated for an individual to set up, and cost a fair bit money per month to run just just 1 phone line for themselves. I`d rather commercialize it, get the funds to make it an EVEN BETTER PRODUCT, a universally-accessible product, that anybody can use, with one-click user-friendliness.
 
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deaflibrarian,

Thank you very much for posting the links. Excellent time-saving research material!

On another subject, I also got two emails giving me helpful information such as that, nothing concrete yet as of yesterday (Will check again tonight). Keep the information coming, everyone...
 
How do I contact Scott Simser? I did a Google Search on him, but I could not find contact information.
 
deaflibrarian said:
Banjo, are you a librarian in disguise? :wave: :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

LOL, I imagine I'll make a good librarian but it's the profession of graphic designing that I am involved with. :)
 
Mark Rejhon said:
How do I contact Scott Simser? I did a Google Search on him, but I could not find contact information.
Click to expand...

Last I heard, Scott Simser could be reached through the Canadian Hearing Society:

http://www.chs.ca/

Wasn't he on their Board of Directors for awhile?

Other agencies you might want to check with:

CCRW, the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (since I originally got the wireless device, thinking there was Canadian wireless relay, so I could be reached any time by friends, family, and most importantly, by work) might be able to steer you in the right direction for grants and such, since they have a whole section on entrepreneurship and such on their affiliate site, workINK:

http://www.workink.com/display.asp?Page_ID=10813

Here is their main site address:

http://www.ccrw.org/en/

Also, the HRDC's Opportunities Fund is pretty good with handing out money, and/or locating funding sources.(For useful purposes, I add, contrary to what the loyal opposition had to say to Jane Stewart at the time.)

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/epb/sid/cia/grants/of/desc_of.shtml

Hope this helps!

WHoH
 
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Mark Rejhon said:
By the way, you may notice that the conversation is the same on several devices. That's my demonstration of the "Call Transfer" feature. That means I can transfer from my desktop PC, to a cordless HipTop/BlackBerry and continue the exact same phone call while I step away from the computer, or vice-versa. Just like switching between corded phones and cordless phones in the middle of a conversation!
Click to expand...

This is certainly a feature that sounds exciting. The first question I would ask is "How?!!" but telling us how would be giving away your secret and companies would copy it.

What I want to know is if your product makes it seamless and painless to transfer -- i.e., open up a menu from either device and just press "continue call on this device" or "forward call to such and such device." My father often forwards calls from his work line to cell phone when he is physically in the building but not in the office.

He'll then answer his line, talk to the person while walking back to his office, and then nonchalantly say, "Can I put you on hold for a second? I'll be right back."

He'll then transfer it to his office line, and it'll be like he was in the office the whole time. REALLLLLLLY fools his superiors (who are in another city) and customers who think he's at his desk 10 hours a day when he's really taking long lunches and walks around the office or working out in the gym.
 
Mark,

Can your software support VCO on the devices that are mobile phones? Example:

Treo 650. Connect to Relay. Enable VCO. Operator connects to third party. You speak to the third party via the Treo 650 and read the response on the Treo.

This would come closest to being a mobile CapTel phone. If you can make this work with a Treo or Pocket PC or whatever, that would be great. Let me know the feasibility of this holy grail of mobile devices for the ORAL deaf. Thanks.
 
rushabh,

No, not yet. It may be possible in the future, using 3-way calling, and a TDD modem, using a network that allows simultaneous voice and data. Alternatively, you can buy two phones (one for voice, one for data) and pull mobile VCO.

MiniTTY does work on the Treo600 and Treo650, though (confirmed.)
 
Mark Rejhon said:
rushabh,Alternatively, you can buy two phones (one for voice, one for data) and pull mobile VCO.
Click to expand...

Mark, can you elaborate on this alternative? I am really interested in having a VCO-capable mobile phone as CapTel has spoiled me big time. Thanks.
 
To pull off mobile VCO, it is very tricky. It requires 2 cellphones and a 3-way calling subscription, plus an external TTY tethered, or some kind of a VoIP server at home with 3-way calling with call-forwarding capability to the cellphone, so that your cellphone can "dial-into" the VoIP server. Some kind of a complex setup, some "programming glue" may be required to make it all operate together.

The other alternative, slightly simpler, is to have two cellphones and a TTY (one of them tethered to an external TTY, one of them for voice), and using the 3-way-calling trick.

Expensive, requires 2 cellphone plans, but pseudo-CapTel-style full-duplex mobile VCO can definitely be pulled off in a way similiar to having 2 landline phones at home with 3-way conference calling.
 
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