Secured switch for three-way communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11368585-B1
Application number	US-202117209281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2021
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A tool for providing a secure communication channel during three-way communications. The tool initiates a three-way communication from a user device, wherein the three-way communication is a connection between a user, a third-party interpreter, and a service provider. The tool enables a passthrough function of a secured switch for transmitting non-privileged data during the three-way communication. The tool determines whether privileged data is to be transmitted during the three-way communication. Responsive to a determination that privileged data is to be transmitted during the three-way communication, the tool mutes an audio communication component. The tool activates a bypass function of the secured switch for transmitting the privileged data on an alternate audio communication component. The tool transmits the privileged data directly from the user to the service provider through the alternate audio communication component, wherein the alternate audio communication component supports unidirectional text-to-speech (TTS) audio communication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a secure communication channel during three-way communications, the method comprising:
initiating a three-way communication from a user device, the three-way communication being between a user, a third-party interpreter, and a service provider;
enabling a secured switch in the three-way communication to establish two communication functions for the three-way communication, a passthrough function and a bypass function, the passthrough function providing for communications between the user, the third-party interpreter, and the service provider, the bypass function providing for text-to-speech communications between the user and the service provider including a smart mute function for disabling an audio connection channel of the third-party interpreter in the three-way communication;
monitoring the three-way communication for typing input from the user device;
responsive to identifying typing input from the user device, activating the bypass function of the secured switch for text-to-speech communications;
communicating the typing input directly from the user to the service provider by the text-to-speech communications provided by the bypass function while the audio connection channel connecting the third-party interpreter is disabled; and
upon completing the text-to-speech communications between the user and the service provider, deactivating the bypass function and reverting back to the passthrough function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the three-way communication from the user device, further comprises:
initiating the three-way communication from the user device to the service provider through the third-party interpreter, wherein the three-way communication includes a video conference communication component supporting bidirectional audio and visual communication between the user and the third-party interpreter, the audio communication component supporting bidirectional audio communication between the third-party interpreter and the service provider, and the alternate audio communication component supporting unidirectional text-to-speech (TTS) audio from the user directly to the service provider.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein
enabling the secured switch further comprises:
enabling a video conference communication component supporting bidirectional audio and visual communication between the user and the third-party interpreter, and the audio communication component supporting bidirectional audio communication between the third-party interpreter and the service provider.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the typing input from the user device includes:
detecting the typing input from open-air digital handwriting utilizing ocular character recognition (OCR).

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein activating the bypass function of the secured switch further comprises:
enabling unidirectional text-to-speech audio communication from the user directly to the service provider utilizing a text-to-speech generator for converting the typing input to voice data.

6. A computer program product for providing a secure communication channel during three-way communications, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the stored program instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform a method comprising:
initiating a three-way communication from a user device, the three-way communication being between a user, a third-party interpreter, and a service provider;
enabling a secured switch in the three-way communication to establish two communication functions for the three-way communication, a passthrough function and a bypass function, the passthrough function providing for communications between the user, the third-party interpreter, and the service provider, the bypass function providing for text-to-speech communications between the user and the service provider including a smart mute function for disabling an audio connection channel of the third-party interpreter in the three-way communication;
monitoring the three-way communication for typing input from the user device;
responsive to identifying typing input from the user device, activating the bypass function of the secured switch for text-to-speech communications;
communicating the typing input directly from the user to the service provider by the text-to-speech communications provided by the bypass function while the audio connection channel connecting the third-party interpreter is disabled; and
upon completing the text-to-speech communications between the user and the service provider, deactivating the bypass function and reverting back to the passthrough function.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein initiating the three-way communication from the user device further comprises:
initiating the three-way communication from the user device to the service provider through the third-party interpreter, wherein the three-way communication includes a video conference communication component supporting bidirectional audio and visual communication between the user and the third-party interpreter, the audio communication component supporting bidirectional audio communication between the third-party interpreter and the service provider, and the alternate audio communication component supporting unidirectional text-to-speech (TTS) audio from the user directly to the service provider.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein enabling the secured switch further comprises:
enabling a video conference communication component supporting bidirectional audio and visual communication between the user and the third-party interpreter, and the audio communication component supporting bidirectional audio communication between the third-party interpreter and the service provider.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein identifying the typing input from the user device further comprises:
detecting the typing input from open-air digital handwriting utilizing ocular character recognition (OCR).

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein activating the bypass function of the secured switch further comprises:
enabling unidirectional text-to-speech (TTS) audio communication from the user directly to the service provider utilizing a text-to-speech generator for converting the typing input to voice data.

11. A computer system for providing a secure communication channel during three-way communications, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage media, the stored program instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform a method comprising:
initiating a three-way communication from a user device, the three-way communication being between a user, a third-party interpreter, and a service provider;
enabling a secured switch in the three-way communication to establish two communication functions for the three-way communication, a passthrough function and a bypass function, the passthrough function providing for communications between the user, the third-party interpreter, and the service provider, the bypass function providing for text-to-speech communications between the user and the service provider including a smart mute function for disabling an audio connection channel of the t

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Shiver Brent
• Unwala Ali Ishaq
• Yan Shunguo
• Brunet Thomas Andrew

Classifications

• H04M2201/39

  using speech synthesis · CPC title

• H04M3/56

  Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities (video conference systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04M2203/2061

  Language aspects · CPC title

• G10L13/00

  Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems · CPC title

• H04L65/1069

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title