BT110 Tablet Controller and Mobile App

Features and Functionality

Alexa built-in

Features and Functionality of the BT110 Tablet Controller and Mobile App

Employing advanced far-field acoustic processing and utilizing Amazon cloud-based speech recognition and natural language understanding, the BT110 product offers its user a convenient hands-free voice-commands based interface for call control and device management. Adding to the convenient hands-free voice-commands interface, the companion BuddyTalk Tablet Controller and Mobile App further provide a context-sensitive GUI-based control and management vehicle to its user.  Furthermore, while the BuddyTalk device delivers a high-quality hands-free speakerphone mode for voice calls, the BuddyTalk Mobile App’s private mode allows BuddyTalk’s users to conduct voice calls using his/her mobile phones for privacy.  This page describes the features and benefits of the BuddyTalk Tablet Controller and Mobile App. 

The BuddyTalk products offer multiple modes of call management.  They include:

  1. Voice commands (for example: “Alexa, call John Smith”)
  2. Touch panel
  3. Mobile App
  4. Tablet Controller
  5. RJ11 POTS phone

While voice commands are useful for call control in many cases, non-voice-commands based call control mechanisms can be more appropriate and/or convenient under a certain circumstances.  The BuddyTalk products offer two context-sensitive GUI-based call control vehicles: the Tablet Controller and the BuddyTalk Mobile App.  The Tablet Controller and the BuddyTalk Mobile App offer the following features:

  1. Place and manage calls through the context-sensitive GUI.
  2. Record/maintain Call History and use Call History to make calls.
  3. Manage Contacts and support Contacts-based calling.
  4. Display the current device call state.
  5. Manage the BuddyTalk device:
    • Control speaker volume
    • Turn on/off muting for Alexa interactions
    • Setup start-of-request/end-of-request sounds

The BuddyTalk Tablet Controller

 

The following Tablet Controller processes and features are described:

  1. Setting up and pairing the BuddyTalk Tablet Controller
  2. Managing Calls
  3. Managing Contacts
  4. Device Management and Status Display
    • Call status display
    • Cloud mute and phone mute
    • Volume control.

Setting up the BuddyTalk Tablet Controller

See Setting up BuddyTalk Tablet Controller for the Tablet Controller setup instructions.

Note that after the Tablet Controller has been successfully set up and if the BuddyTalk device has completed its Alexa and SIP registration/authorization requirements, the Cloud icon and the Device icon at the upper right corner of all pages should turn green after several seconds.  

The Cloud icon

  • Green Cloud icon, indicating that the BT110 device has successfully completed ACM and SIP registration .
  • Red Cloud icon, indicating that the BT110 device has either failed ACM registration, SIP registration, both ACM and SIP registrations,or the Tablet Controller is unable to connect to the BuddyTalk server in the Internet.

The Device icon

  • Green Device icon, indicating that the Tablet Controller has successfully connected to the BuddyTalk device .
  • Red Device icon, indicating that the Tablet Controller has not connected to the BuddyTalk device yet

Managing Calls

After setting up the BuddyTalk Tablet Controller, the BuddyTalk users can use the Tablet Controller to manage calls and the BuddyTalk device.

Call Initiation.  A call can be initiated using the Dial Pad, via the Contacts, or the Call History. To dial a TEL number, from the Main page, tap Call to enter the Dial Pad page.

To make a call from the Dial Pad page, input the phone number and tap the Phone icon.

To make a call from Contacts, tap Contacts from the Main page, and select the name that you want to call.

To make a call from call History, tap History from the Main page, and select the record that you want to call.

Once the call record is selected, tap the Phone icon to initiate the call.

A History or Contacts based call can also be initiated after entering the Dial Pad page by tapping the History or the Contacts icon to the right of the Dial Pad on the Dial Pad page.

Managing Contacts for the BT110 Tablet Controller

To manage Contacts, tap Contacts from the Main page.

Tap ADD to add a contact, or tap IMPORT to import Contacts from your BuddyTalk Mobile App.

Choose ADD: Add a contact’s details manually to the BuddyTalk Tablet Cotroller.

When choosing to import contacts from your BuddyTalk Mobile App which is paired to the same BuddyTalk device, tap IMPORT FROM ANOTHER BT APP.

If choosing IMPORT FROM ANOTHER BT APP, tap YES, I AGREE from the corresponding BuddyTalk Mobile App to authorize the Tablet Controller to import contacts.

Device Management and Status Display - Call Status, Cloud Mute, Phone Mute, and Volume Control

The Tablet Controller also allows you to view some device and phone call status, and conveniently manage the BuddyTalk device.

  1. Call Status display
  2. Cloud Mute and Phone Mute
  3. Volume Control

Call Status

The following Call Status can be displayed:

  1. Making an Outbound Call
  2. Receiving an Inbound Call
  3. On an Active Call

Making an Outbound Call.

Receiving an Inbound Call.

On an Active Call.

Note that the BT110 has all set-based call features disabled since the Amazon ACM does not support call features presently. In addition to hanging up the call, there are two possible actions that can be performed during an active call: sending DTMF digits and sending Hook Flash events. The dial pad allows the user to press DTMF digits (e.g., for IVR interactions), and the Flash icon is to mimic the flash hook of a POTS phone to allow the user to send Hook Flash events. The actions taken by the device when the user tap the Flash icon on the Tablet Controller during an active call will be dependent on the device state and the configurations of the device, but there will be no messages sent to the ACM server.  The same applies to the Flash button on the device Touch Panel, the Flash icon on the Mobile App, and the flash hook on the POTS phone connected to the BT110 FXS port. The Flash icon/Flash button/Flash Hook can possibly be used to trigger server-based call features (e.g., call hold, call transfer, 3-way calls), and, depending on the configuration settings, such Hook Flash events can be sent to the server by SIP Info or SIP Notify (if the SIP proxy/server sends Subscribe). 

Cloud Mute and Phone Mute

  • Cloud Mute Off/On. Cloud Mute is to turn off the microphone for the voice to be sent to the Alexa cloud for speech recognition. When Cloud Mute is On, Alexa is no longer listening, and therefore will not respond to any AVS commands.
  • Phone Mute Off/On. Phone Mute is to turn off the microphone for the speech to be sent to the remote party during 2-way calls. When Phone Mute is On, the remote party will not hear local voice during an active call. 

The BuddyTalk user can turn on Cloud Mute by either tapping the Cloud button on the top cover of the BuddyTalk device or the Cloud Mute icon on the bottom of any Tablet Controller web page.

Main page with Cloud Mute OFF

Main page with Cloud Mute ON

The Cloud Mute icon

  • Cloud Mute off.
  • Cloud Mute on.

The BuddyTalk user can turn on Phone Mute during an active call by either tapping the Phone Mute button on the top cover of the BuddyTalk device or the Phone Mute icon on the bottom of any Tablet Controller page.

Active Call with Phone Mute OFF

Active Call with Phone Mute ON

The Phone Mute icon

  • Phone Mute off.
  • Private mode on.

Volume Control

The BuddyTalk device’s speaker volume can be controlled from the device volume buttons on the top of the the device cover, or from the Volume Control page of the Tablet Controller.

The BuddyTalk Mobile App

 

 

The following BuddyTalk Mobile App processes and features are described:

  1. Setting up and pairing the BuddyTalk Mobile App
  2. Managing Calls
  3. Managing Contacts
  4. Hands-free Speakerphone mode and Private mode
  5. Device Management and Status Display
    • Call status display
    • Cloud mute and phone mute
    • Volume control

 

You may also watch the BuddyTalk Mobile App pairing and usage video.

Setting up BuddyTalk Mobile App

See Setting up BuddyTalk Mobile App for the Mobile App setup instructions.

Note that after the Mobile App has been successfully set up and if the BuddyTalk device has completed its Alexa and SIP registration/authorization requirements, the Cloud icon and the Device icon at the upper right corner of all pages should turn green after several seconds.  

The Cloud icon

  • Green Cloud icon, indicating that the BT110 device has successfully completed ACM and SIP registration .
  • Red Cloud icon, indicating that the BT110 device has either failed ACM registration, SIP registration, both ACM and SIP registrations,or the Mobile App is unable to connect to the BuddyTalk server in the Internet. 

The Device icon

  • Green Device icon, indicating that the BuddyTalk Mobile App has successfully connected to the BuddyTalk device .
  • Red Device icon, indicating that the BuddyTalk Mobile App has not connected to the BuddyTalk device yet

Once the Mobile App has been setup and paired with the BuddyTalk device, the SETTINGS page provides the following BuddyTalk device settings options:

  1. Check New Version:  tap the CHECK button to check if there are newer Mobile App versions available.  
  2. MAC Address: Showing the MAC address of the BuddyTalk device currently paired with the Mobile App. To remove the pairing, tap the REMOVE button. The Mobile App will then show the Device Setup page to allow the user to re-pair the Mobile App to a different BuddyTalk device.  
  3. Device Authentication: Tapping the RE-PAIR button will trigger the Mobile App to be paired with the BuddyTalk device with the MAC address shown in the MAC Address field.
  4. Alexa Start of Request Sound and Alexa End of Request Sound:  Choose to enable or disable the sound when the BuddyTalk device detects the Alexa Wakeword and at the end of the device listening to Alexa requests respectively. 
  5. Restore Web Console ID/PW: Tap the RESTORE button to restore the BuddyTalk device’s web console user login ID and password to their factory default values which are on the label pasted on the based of the BuddyTalk device.

Managing Calls

After setting up the BuddyTalk Mobile App, the BuddyTalk users can use the Mobile App to manage calls and the BuddyTalk device.

Call Initiation.  A call can be initiated using the Dial Pad, via the Contacts, or the Call History. To dial a TEL number, from the Main page, tap CALL to enter the Dial Pad page.

To make a call from the Dial Pad page, input the phone number and tap the Phone icon.

To make a call from CONTACTS, tap CONTACTS from the Main page, and select the name that you want to call.

To make a call from call HISTORY, tap HISTORY from the Main page, and select the record that you want to call.

Once the call record is selected, tap the Phone icon to initiate the call.

A HISTORY or CONTACTS based call can also be initiated after entering the Dial Pad page by tapping the HISTORY or the CONTACTS icon below the dial pad.

Managing Contacts for the BT110 BuddyTalk Mobile App

To manage Contacts, tap CONTACTS from the Main page.

Tap ADD to add a contact, or tap IMPORT to import Contacts from your mobile device contacts or from another BuddyTalk Mobile App.

Choose ADD: Add a contact’s details manually to the BuddyTalk Mobile App.

When choosing to import contacts from your mobile device, tap either MERGE WITH or IMPORT FROM MOBILE CONTACTS.

Alternatively, tap IMPORT FROM ANOTHER BT APP to import the contacts of another BuddyTalk App which is paired to the same device.

If choosing MERGE WITH or IMPORT FROM MOBILE CONTACTS, tap Allow to authorize the app to import contacts from this mobile device.

Hands-Free Speakerphone mode and Private Mode

With their speakers and microphones, the BuddyTalk products normally operate in a Hands-Free Speakerphone mode. With the companion BuddyTalk Mobile App, the BuddyTalk can also be used in a Private Mode in which the mobile phone becomes a conduit for the audio/voice signal. 

The Private Mode can be activated by tapping the Private Mode icon located at the lower right corner of each BuddyTalk Mobile App GUI page.   . 

Main page with Private Voice Mode OFF

Main page with Private Voice Mode ON

The Private Mode icon

  • Private Mode off.
  • Private Mode on.

Upon tapping the Private Mode icon, the BuddyTalk device will announce “Private Mode on” from its speaker, and the Private Mode icon turns green and the Flash button on the top of the BuddyTalk device will be blinking blue slowly.  The Private Mode can be turned off by either tapping the Private Mode icon on the BuddyTalk Mobile App or tapping the Flash button on the top of the BuddyTalk device. At the moment when the Private Mode is turned off, the BuddyTalk speaker will announce “Private Mode off“, the Private Mode icon of the BuddyTalk Mobile App turns back to white, and the Flash button light turns off.

When the Private Mode is on, the user communicates with Alexa (and the Alexa Voice Service server) and/or the remote party if he/she is on the call through the mobile phone’s speaker and microphone.  When the Private Mode is off, the device gets back to the hands-free mode and the user uses the BuddyTalk device’s speaker and microphones for communications with Alexa and the remote party. 

  • Private Mode ON indicated by the Flash LED slow blinking blue.
  • Private Mode can be turned off by tapping the Flash button.

Device Management and Status Display - Call Status, Cloud Mute, Phone Mute, and Volume Control

The BuddyTalk Mobile App also allows you to view some device and phone call status, and conveniently manage the BuddyTalk device.

  1. Call Status display
  2. Cloud Mute and Phone Mute
  3. Volume Control

Call Status

The following Call Status can be displayed:

  1. Making an Outbound Call
  2. Receiving an Inbound Call
  3. On an Active Call

Making an Outbound Call.

Receiving an Inbound Call.

On an Active Call.

In addition to hanging up the call, there are two possible actions that can be performed during an active call: sending DTMF digits and sending Hook Flash event. The dial pad allows the user to press DTMF digits (e.g., for IVR interactions), and the Flash icon is to mimic the flash hook of a POTS phone to allow the user to send Hook Flash events. The actions taken by the device when the user tap the Flash icon on the Mobile App during an active call will be dependent on the device state and the configurations of the device, but there will be no messages sent to the ACM server.  The same applies to the Flash button on the device Touch Panel, the Flash icon on the Tablet Controller, and the flash hook on the POTS phone connected to the BT110 FXS port. The Flash icon/Flash button/Flash Hook can possibly be used to trigger server-based call features (e.g., call hold, call transfer, 3-way calls), depending on the configuration settings, such Hook Flash events can be sent to the server by SIP Info or SIP Notify (if the SIP proxy/server sends Subscribe). 

Cloud Mute and Phone Mute

  • Cloud Mute Off/On. Cloud Mute is to turn off the microphone for the voice to be sent to the Alexa cloud for speech recognition. When Cloud Mute is On, Alexa is no longer listening, and therefore will not respond to any AVS commands.
  • Phone Mute Off/On. Phone Mute is to turn off the microphone for the speech to be sent to the remote party during 2-way calls. When Phone Mute is On, the remote party will not hear local voice during an active call. 

The BuddyTalk user can turn on Cloud Mute by either tapping the Cloud button on the top cover of the BuddyTalk device or the Cloud Mute icon on the bottom of any BuddyTalk Mobile App web page. 

Main page with Cloud Mute OFF

Main page with Cloud Mute ON

The Cloud Mute icon

  • Cloud Mute off.
  • Cloud Mute on.

The BuddyTalk user can turn on Phone Mute during an active call by either tapping the Phone Mute button on the top cover of the BuddyTalk device or the Phone Mute icon on the bottom of any BuddyTalk Mobile App page.

Active Call with Phone Mute OFF

Active Call with Phone Mute ON

The Phone Mute icon

  • Phone Mute off.
  • Private mode on.

Volume Control

The BuddyTalk device’s speaker volume can be controlled from the device volume buttons on the top of the the device cover, or from the Volume Control page of the BuddyTalk Mobile App.

Settings

The SETTINGS page allows the following setting options:

  1. Pairing the Mobile App with another device. Please see Setting up BuddyTalk Mobile App for details.
  2. Enable/disable Alexa request sounds: Start of Request and End of Request .
  3. Restore web console ID/PW. When the RESTORE button is tapped, the user ID and PW for the web console access will be restored to their factory default values. The factory default user ID and PW are pasted on the bottom of the BuddyTalk device.

Manual Firmware Update

If the user has chosen not to enable ‘Auto Update Firmware’ for the BuddyTalk device during the setup process, the user can manually update the device firmware using the BuddyTalk Mobile App: 

  1. Open the BuddyTalk Mobile App. 
  2. From the Home Page, tab the Menu icon at the upper left corner.
  3. Then tap About.  Then, tap UPDATE DEVICE FIRMWARE. 

Also see the Manual Firmware Update video.

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