CA1254639A - Programmable telephone switcher - Google Patents
Programmable telephone switcherInfo
- Publication number
- CA1254639A CA1254639A CA000518072A CA518072A CA1254639A CA 1254639 A CA1254639 A CA 1254639A CA 000518072 A CA000518072 A CA 000518072A CA 518072 A CA518072 A CA 518072A CA 1254639 A CA1254639 A CA 1254639A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- telephone
- ports
- access code
- trunk line
- signals
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/66—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling
- H04M1/663—Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
- H04M1/665—Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set by checking the validity of a code
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/71—Substation extension arrangements
- H04M1/715—Substation extension arrangements using two or more extensions per line
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S379/00—Telephonic communications
- Y10S379/903—Password
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S379/00—Telephonic communications
- Y10S379/913—Person locator or person-specific
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S379/00—Telephonic communications
- Y10S379/914—Programmable telephone component
Abstract
Abstract The programmable telephone screening device routes an incoming call to a selected telephone device, depending on preestablished device priorities and upon access codes dialed by the caller. The device provides call hold, call forwarding and automatic dialing and is capable of testing the telephone utility network to determine DTMF and pulse dialing compatability. The device generates ringer signals for directly energizing the ringer circuits of standard telephone devices.
Description
5~
q~is imention relat~ g~nerally to teleEtlone ~l~g equiF~rent for c~nnection to t~e u~er side or a~tarer 61de of t~e teleEhon~ ne~ork intedaoe. More p~rtia~larly, the lnver~on relate~ ~itc~iny ~aratus which ~a~ be progr~d ~y the user or ~ r~ng caller ~o route the ln~ring call frc~r a ~tandard tele~hone devioe or outside llr~ to c~:
or ~ore ~ ti~e ~rd teleE~x dsvioes or other outfiide lines ac~rding to E~eprogr~d in~ruction& or a~ ~des.
1~ ho~olds and E~all ~ ne8ses h3ve se eral ~rd tele~hone devles ss~nne*.ed to a 6ingle aut~lde tel~e llne, for t~e ~enoe w~ ulti~e teleE~or#s can afford. Wit~ suc~ ~n arr~nge~rent, zm in ~ ing ~11 will nor ~ lly ring e~ery tele ~ ~e a~nnected to ~be out~dde line, unl~ one or ~ore of tbe telephone devi oe rlng circuit~ have been diEahled. Cnce t~e coll i~ ~n~wered, t~ere i6 no privacy between telephone devices; a party can ~rply pick up ~he hzndset of 2n unus~d telephcne to ~oritor or join in ~nother pnrty'~ teleFhone oonver~ation. W*ile convenient at tlres, thi~ lack o~ privacy can create prol~
In add$tion to the Fcivacy Frobler, standard teleFhone dev$ oe s are alBO defic$ent $n screening lnc~ing c~116. Addron call screen$ng devi oe s are avail~ble to ecreen out czllers who do not h~ve the oorrect FasEword or ~ccess code, ~Lwever, these dev~ oe e h~ve shortco~ings. Eor $nEtan oe , these devi oe s lack 6ecurity; on oe the correct acce~s co~e hasbeen entered, the inco~$ng c~ y be taken by or ~onitored by any one or ~ore Oe the telephone devi oe s connected to the systelr as di6cuseed ~bove.
Another d$Eadvantage is tbat unless t~e ~ller d$al~ a correct ac oe ~s code, that caller i~ s$nFly disoonnected - ncnauthorized c~ller~ cunno~
i463`~3 ~ n leave a ~essa~e on ~n anfiwering ~achine. Ai~o, ~ost prior ~rt call scree m ng devi oe s ~ntercept the telephone ring 6ign31 and silen oe the norral telephone r~nger circuit. Such dEvi oe s are typ~cally not caFakle of energiz~ng the ringer circuit~ in one or ~ore standaId telephone devi oe s and ~ust, therefore, prqvide an external electlonic ring cirulating apparatu~. Many personc who are accustoled to anawering a ringing telephone find the ~i~ulated ringing to be discon oe rting, particularly w~Y~n the ringing e~anates fra~ an aeparatus located sorewhere other than the telep~one.
In order to Fr w ide greater convenien oe to the ~ose znd ~all business tRlephone u~er, the present invention prc~ide~ a progran~able Uw~tCtL~ng dev~oe wbich ~electiYely ch~nnels lnoo~in~ call~ fros Et2uYdard telepk~ne devices or an outslde line sr l~nes to one or ~ore other ~ rd t~le~tu~ne devi oe ~, including ~nEwering ~Y~Cb~lle8, U~x3er~ and the like, or to otber out~ide lines. Ihe devi~e C~YUUllel5 the inco~ing lls ~ccording to a predefined pr$ori~y ~nd~or acoording to an access code dialed by the calling p rty. In the latter case the dl led acce~ codes oorre~Fond to the ~ctual deqi oe ~ wbich ~re deaired to be ~ccessed. F~r greater flexi~ ty, eacb teleph~ne devl oe ~y be ~t~ ~ore than one ~coess CDde. The unit c~n ~l~o be Ero~rD~ d to allow d lers w~ dD not di 1 a v lid ac~es8 code to be connected to ~ psedbined telephone device, ~uch ~s nn answering s~u~line.
A~cord$mgly, it $8 an object of tlhe psesent invention to provide a telephone awitchlng dev~ oe which incorporates the c~ll screening ~bilities descr$bed above, ~hereby t'he call$ng p~rty can eelect wbiclh tele p one devi oe or d~Yi oe s sbould respond to t~e call.
Anotl~ber object of the invemtian i~ to provide ~ screening ; L~ 6 ~ 3 ~e~one call diverter whi*l 9erRrate5 a E~tandard ring voltage ~ignal ~ble o~ energ~ing ttle r~nger cira~ c~E ~tandard tele~or~ devloe5.
It i6 ~ther cbject af t~e invention to prcvide a progra~e t~leEhone awltching a~atu~ w}~c~ ~ill en~ble ~e bo~old or Elrall h~sinRs6 tele ~ le u6er to incorporate a nur~er ~ o~ er eoFhl~ticated features into the te1epbone sy~te~. Such feature ~n d ude an interco~
~eature, wtereby two telqphone de~ice~ within the sy6~e~ Gan CoI~UniCate wi~h one another by si~ply dialing an ~Fpropriate acoeEs oode. Another such feature is ~ hold feature, wherety ~ny in~ide telepbone devi oe can put ~ny ot~er inElde devioe or an outs1de line on bold, whlle op*ionally oo~unicating with ~ny other lnEide devi oe or Gutsiae 1~ne.
~ et anot~er ~igh1y desirak1e feature i8 a ~sory dia1er, aforddng e~cn o the ~tandard telepbone devi oe 5 a ~epar~te auto~atic di~ling liEit-Yet another okject c the inYention i6 to provide an auto~atic te1ephone dialing El9nal protocol oonNerter whic~ autoratlcally te~ts the outside line and cQnverts a Ek~ndard telephone devi oe dial Eign31 fro~
p~l~e to tone or frcr tOnR ~o pulse, ~c ordlng to tbe oorFatability of tbe calling db~oe and tbe tel~e colpany being w ces~ed.
A further object o~ the i m ention i8 to p~ovide a ~creening telepbone call diverter ~hlch auto~aticolly connects a fir~t teleEbone devi oe to t~e first ~v~ilatle outside line, as ~oon as tb~t device is lifted off hook, wh~le optionally ~llowing or locking out all okher t~lepihone devi oe s whic'h ~ray wish to nccess that &are llne, thereby providing a gre~ter degree of Fslvacy.
Yet ther object of the invention is to Ftovide a progr~rcahle telephone ~witching apparatus which i~FleFentb an autoF~tic call ~54639 forwarding fe ture, ~ w~ng $nco~ing call~ to be auto~atically chann*led to an outside line. The ~pparatus t~en auto~atically dials a p~epro~rar~ed phone nulber on that l~ne to thereky ~orward the inoo~ing c211- If desired, the ~11 forwarding ~pparatu6 ~ay include a 6equenti~1 call forwarding feature which will divert the lnoo~ing calls 6equentially to different telepbone de~ioe6 (or outside 11ne~) accordlng to a preprogra~ed, priorit~zed aearch list. If the inco~ ~ g call ~6 not anfiwered ~y the fir~t forwarding nu~ber in the li8 1 ucce&si~e nu~ber~
fro~ the list ~re tried until the call is colEieted or until the progranred sequen oe i~ eYhaufited.
Another object læ to prcYidb a call screener ~hidh can be plased in ~ learn ~ode ~o analyze ~nd digit~lly record ~n audio beeper tone like that F~oduoed ~y a r w te oDntrol devi oe . Such rerote control devi oe 8 are lncluded with ~o~e 2nswerlng rach~nes to ~llow the owner to retrieve ressa~P~ ~y calling bore and using ~he beeper tc act$vate playback. The lnvention ~ake8 lt po6~$ble to access that re~ote oontrol feature without hnving to c~rry ~ beeper. T~e dig$t lly Etored beeFer tone ls produoed ~y the lnvent$on upcn reoeiving a predeter~ined di~led acceæs code.
qSese and other objects ~nd ~dvant~ges o~ the invention w~ll becore ~ore apparent fror the following deta~led de8crip*~0n w~en rebd in con~uncticn wlth the cconp~nying drawinga.
F$gures lA and lB conEtitute a hardware hlock diagrar of the ~nvention;
Figures 2A4 2B and 2C depict a detalled 8che~atic di~gra~ of the inventionS
Figure 3 i8 a Eofbware block diagr~r of the invention7 ~5~3~
Figures 4-6 ~re fladc~art diagrars of t~e ~F ro~nes of the invention; and Figures 7-11 are flc~d~art diagr~ o~ t~e tor~e ger~erating routines a~ the imention.
~ e E~esent im~ention 1~ ~dapted to conr~ct bets,~ e tEier's tele~ne 6y6t~r and the outs~ ele~hone lin~ or 1iFle6 for the purpose of ~ng new and p~ 1y ~n~vail~le features to the user's tele~one ~ysten~. ~e invention can~cts to t~e user 6ide 0~ the rR~orlc interfaoe ~ allows the E~ l offioe or bou~ehold telepone uær to ~gnificantly e~anoe t~e uE~ulnes~ of t~e in~ide or loc~l tele~e E~ r at a cost pceviou~ly u~attaina~e- ~>r purpDses o lll~:r~tlng t~e ~menticn~ it will be a~su~d that the user ha~ two tele~30ne devioes and or ? out~ide line. Telephone devioe~ as ueed bRrein ~cy Lncludb any devioe ~dapted for cDnnectlon to a telephone network interfa oe or ~n outside telepbone line, including both tone and rotary or pul~e~dialed telephcnes, wirelees ~radio) rerote telephones, answering ~achines, ~odb~s, telecopy~ng ~achine~ ~nd o~her data coc~unication equiFrent, ~peoXer phones, ~nd the like. ~le tbe Fre3ent invention 1~ ~llustr~ted u~lng tw~ user-~uppli~d ~eleehone devioefi snd one s~ngle out~ide llne, the invention ~y be ~sele~ented to support a g¢eater nurber ~f telepbone devlc~s and lnco~ing lines.
Re~erring fir t to Figures lA and lB, the ~nventicn i illustrated in ~lock diagr~. The invention i8 il~o illustrated in detail in Figures 2P4 2B ond 2C. Ib ~id in understanding the invention, reference wtll first be ~ade to the ~lock diagra~ of Figures 1~ an~ lB.
With re~eren~e to Pigure lB, the lnventiGn ig ~llustroted in conjuncticn 3~
with a first tele~or~ devic~ 10 ( lfio re~erred to z~ F~one 1) ~nd telepbone devioe 12 ( l~o ref erred to ~ E~one 2) . ~e i~vention i~ al90 illlE;trated ~ njun~on wit~ ~ o~ide l~ne, ~lo re~erred to as the ir.caring line or tr~k l~ne 14. Tele~ones 10 aIld 12 and lncarlng tr~k line 14 connect to and ~ ri~e the input/outp~t p rt~ of t~e lnvention as illu~trated. It will be under~tood that the ~nvention is cap4ble of being llFle~ented u~ing a great nL~ber of input/output ports ~nd that the e~bodilent in Figures 1 und 2 ~re ~Y~ely represæntat~Ye of the prefiently F¢eerred e~bodi~nt.
At the ~eart c~ the invention i~ ~lcroco~puter 16 (Ehown in Figure lA). ~lcroco~puter 16 hdfi four 8-bit buEe6 denoted ty the letter.
A, B, C ~nd D. Microoo~puter 16 Al~o i~Llude6 a re~et ter~inal, ~n interrupt request te!r~nal I~Q and a ~ystec clock terrinal which provides a f~lter clock yet to be di~cuseed. 5b s~Flify the ~dh&~atic block diagra~, t~e oonnectlcns to the ~icrocorputer input/output ports and other nfisociated teririnal~ b~ve been denoted ~y alpbanureric l~bels Flaoed on other oo~ponents in the ~yste~. Th--~, for es3~ple, the filter clock output te~inal 17 (Filter Clk) of ~icro ~ ter 16 i8 to be ooupled to t~e filter clock ~nput tenrinal 19 of ~ddress dec~der 18. Si~ilar designations are uaed el~ewhere throughout the klock diagra~.
Tbe prefiently preferred ~rbodirent is Fowered ~y low voltage ~lternat~ng current derived frQr a standard AC w~ll outlet 20 and ~tepped down through w~ ounted, step down transforrer 22, whlch in turn powers the invention's lnternal power supply 24. Power supFly 24 provides DC
voltages Vcc and Vee, a~ well as pro~iding a ~yster ground bus. Ihe d rcuit o the lnvention ~150 lncludes a ~deadran~ or ~wat~dog~ ti~er circuit 26 for protectlng against so~tware lock up of the ~lcrooorputer 3~3 Dea&ran ti~rer c$ralit 26 i5 a:~upled t~ the reæt ter~ir,al ai~
~icroc~puter 16. Dea~n tl~ circuit ~6 include~ ~ trigger input ter~i~ whi~ i5 CX:\~Cted tC) ~ itor ~ periodic pul~e trA~n E~oduoed ~e ~icrocc~puter 16. ~f for s~e re~on ~e periodic pl~l# traill oea~3e, as would o~r u~der ~fb~are lock up, t~e deahran t~er cira~t l~sues a re~et p~lç~e go t~e ~icroc~puter.
~ nlike prior ~rt ~11 ~creening devioes, the ~e~t lnvention generates ~ r~ng vo3t~ge wi~ sufficient erer3y to directly energize ~e ringer cira~ ; all o~ t~e teleE~ores ~nnected in the c~rc~t, in t~li5 case tele~nes 10 and 12. I~e ring vol~ge i~ gene.,ated using a DC to DC
c~rrverter 28 whi~ is~ t~rn drive~; ~ ring ~ifier 30 to E~:oduoe a ring ~oltage o~ ~pproxirately 70 volt~ R~S ~200 volts peak tD peak) at ~æro~ately 25 ~ e r~ng ~ol~ge frcsr ring 2~rpJlfier 30 i~ ~led to t~eFb~ne llr* 0ntrol clrcuitE; 32 and 34. C~uEiLed to th~ DC to DC
cDnverter 28 i~ an cff hDok de~ection clrcuit 66 for di~ahl~ng the ring generating circuit under ~icrocorputer c~ntrol wten either teleFhone 10 or telephone 12 is lifted off bDok.
Llne c4ntrol circuits 32 controls telephone 10, while line control circuit 34 cGntrol6 teleFh~ne 12. Essenti~lly line c4ntrol circuits 32 ~nd 34 ewltdh the re$pective tQleFbane6 between a ringer rcde and ~ ~eec~ rode or ~wdlo ~ode . ~hen aDnnected in the ringer ~ode, the he~oci~ted teleQbane will not respond ~4 ~4i oe 81gnalfi~ ~ence any telephones plaoed in the ringer ~ode cannot ~onlt4r ~ cc m erEation being conducted fro~ ~nother telephcne in the ~y~te~. The line control d rcuit ~ay, therefore, be energlzed wben prlvacy is deslred.
Cbupled to t~e l~ne control d rcuits 32 d 34 are detectian circNits U ~nd 46 for detecting when t~e resFective te1eF~one~ 10 ~nd 12 ~5~63~
~ being used during ~peech or on hook. Detection circuit 44 and 46 are supQlied with curr~nt by ~yna~ic current ~ource 48 and are c~uFled to the l~ne x ntrol circuits 32 3nd 34 dusing the qpeech ~ode. Ihe current fro~
current ~ource 48 i~ delivered to telephones 10 ~nd 12 there~y producing a co~parati~ely low DC ~pedanoe wtile ~aintalnlng a high ~rpedan oe tD
speech. Detection circl~ts 44 and 46 are ocuçled via bus D to ~icrooolFuter 16.
In a si~ilar f ~ hion, the inoo~ing runk l~ne 14 ~ nl50 0 up1ed to a line c~ntrol cirouit 36, which sw~tc~es tetween ~ ringer ~odR and a Epeech rode. In the r~nger ~ode, ~ trunk line ring detect~on circuit 38 ~onitors the trunk l~ne and ~enEes inco~ng rinq Q~gnals. ~hen an ~ncoclng ring sigr~l i8 dete~ted~ llne bold load 40 prcvide~ a DC load uFon tbe incor~ng trunk line 14 ~o that ~ e telephone utility equiF~ent w~ll re~Dgnize an off bDok oondition. Line ~ld load 40 e5Flcy8 a dyna~ic current sour oe to ~i~ulate a DC load wh~le F~esenting ~ oorparativel~ high i~sedan oe to $noo~ing 8peeCh 6ignal5- CDupled to the l~ne bold load i~ a l~ne current drop interruFt circuit 42. Ihl8 c~rcuit ~en~es thR br~ef voltage dro~out (ooc~only lJlOth sec.) which n~r~ally occurs during qpeech p th ~witching ~n the utility coFpany clrcNits (6uch ~8 ~ter ~ cocplete nws~er b3~ been di~led, or w~en the calling party b~ngs up~.
The preeent ~nvent$on generates ~nd deCOde8 tone cDdes (D~Y~`
code6). ~he decoding of DrMF oode~ is accorpl~3hed ~y using a ~lgh band filter 50 and a low b3nd filter 52. The b~gh ba~d filter p sses freguencies in the range of 1209 Bz. through 2500 Bz. m e low band filter paEsR~ frequencies ln the range 697 Ez. through 941 Ez. Filters 50 and 52 nre re6ponclve to audible tone8 on slgnal routlng bus 54 and oolluricate thofle tones to ~lcrocorputer 16 througlh bus D.
~5~i;3~
AS Wi11 be e~lA~r~d n~ore fully below, the invention ~ be progr~$ed ~ 3e u~r to perfor~r ~ wide variety of user selected fu~ctions. To pr~lde ~ ~nvenient ~d econc~rlcal ~ean~ for progr~ing t~e isr~rention, the user ~iIrply enters p~ogr~ing ~r~truction~ ~rou~ the t4u~ k~ypad or rotary pul~e dialing ciralits found lsl ~st ~n:3ard tel~or~ devioeE.
In order to generate the fre~encies nee&d to p~oduoe l~MF
a~des and in order to prod~ce the 25 ~. ring voltage wave~or~, a tone ring qenerator cir~t 56 15 ~avi~d. Cira~t 56 ~ a)~led to h~ B c~
FicrOc~puter lb and provides fr~uenc~es in the r~nge of 0 to 1600 ~z.
q~e frequencie~ generated ~y cira~it 56 ~re ~lified ~n tone ring fier 58. qbe out~ut frc~r tone dng ~llfier ~ ~ coupJ,ed to ring ~r~ifier 30 tto provide the 2S ~ vefor~r frar which the ring ~olt~ge is generated) ~nd d~o to ~ tone di~a~e circuit 60. q~one disa~ile circuit 60 is an analog swit~ing ~ra~it whic~ awple~ or decx)uples the m~5F 'cones to Bi9nal routing bus 54.
In general, the imention perfor~s ~? c~ $~; functils ~y selecti~ely routing various m~D? 6ign 1 8~ voi oe slgnal~, logic signals and ring ~oltages bet~een the ~ariou~ input/output ports And devi oe 8 which ocrprise tke circulk of the lnvention. T~ ~fisist in rout~ng the ~oi oe and DIMF ~ignal8~ tbe inYention includes an internnl line di~hling and coupling circuit 62 ~d an e~ternal l~ne di~akling couFling circuit 64.
Bcth circuit~ 62 bnd 64 are analog gwitdhing c$rcuits which are coupled to oo~unicate with slgnal routing bus 54. Circuit 62 1~ coupled to llne control circuit~ 32 ~nd 34 vi~ detecticn circuits 44 and 46, ~nd, thus, ooc~unicate with the telephones lO and 12. Circuit 64 ccl~unicate~ with trunk line control circuit 36 via line bold load 40 nnd, thus, ? $ 3~ ~
,~rmicates w~th the inc~ring tr~k l~ne 14. Both circuits 62 snd 64 sre 0witc~a~e be~een ~ abled state ~ disabled sta~e ulder ~icroc~puter c~ntrol v$a bu~ A.
~ n~r acoess ~rory 68 ~ pcavi~d for storing u~er ff~tered phcr~ nurber~ d al60 for BtGring u~er-selec~ securit~ de6 and digitally eslcoded audio ~ er tone~ yet to b cribed. gando~ ~coe ss ~ ory 68 i~ oDuFled to ~icrooo~puter 16 through bu C under tbe control of addres~ dbooder circuit 18. ~n gener~l, addres~ deooder 18 receive~
f~lter clock &ign 1~ and addres6 clock E~gllA15 fro~ ~icroco~puter 16. qhe signal~ re divided down using a cQunter oircuit withLn the ~ddres6 deooder 18, ~nd the re6ult~nt lower frequency signal ~s u~ed to driYe or clock tbe ~lter~ 50 and 52 End Also u3ed for ~e~ory addressing ~he rando~
acce~6 ~e~ory.
Wit~ ~e foregping hDrdware tlock diagr~r of the ~nvent1on ~n ~lnd, referen oe ~eq ncw be had to Figures 2A, 2B ~nd 2C for ~ ~ore det iled unoer~tanding of the invention in 1e~ presently Freferred e~bodi~ent.
Figure~ 2A4 2B and 2~ oorpriEe the ~ ete e1ectronic cirçuit cf th2 1nvention. Where applicable, oertain FortioD~ o~ the cirouit h2ve been de~ignated u6ing t~e reference nurer~l6 of Figures lA and lR~
With re~ferenoe to Figu~e 2P4 ~lcroco5puter 16 p~eerably corprlæ s an XMDS lntegrated c1rcuit, BULh ~S ~utorol~ MC6805UB.
Hicrocolputer 16 prwide6 four eight-bit h~P6, de6ignated AD-A7, 90-B7, CO-C7 and DO-D7. Ihe A tU8 i8 used to cor~unicate with ill 6wltche~ and relay6 in the circuit and al80 wlth the address deooder circuit 18.
Address decDder circuit 18 iE pce~erably ~rple~ented ua~ng ~ CMDS cDunter, such a8 MC14040CP lntegrated circuit. The B bu8 of ~icrocorputer 18 ~ ?~ S4~3~
cDupled to the digital to ana1og circu$try of the ~nvention. Ihe C bus controlfi the randc~ ~cces~ ~e~ory lRAM), such a~ ~e~ory 68, and al50 provide6 0 ntrol cver the address deooder circuit 18. BU6 D of crooorputer 16 serves ~s t~e signal 1nput port. Deadran tl~er c1rcuit 26 supplies a reçRt signal to ~icroco~puter 16 if the ~ead~an c1rcuit i~
n~t periodically 1nitialized- PCWOE Rupply 24 e~ploys voltage regulators 70 to Fcovide a Ycc voltage of +5 volts ~d a Vee voltage d -7 ~
In order to ensure that the rando~ ~ccess ~e~ory 68 i5 Frotected durLng ti~es when the power i~ shut cff, a capa d tor 130 is Flaoed between the supply voltage lead ~nd yround of the randk~ a~cess ~e~ory chip.
Capacitor 130 is Freferahly on tbe crder cf l,000 ~icrofarad~, and the randc~ ~ccess ~e~ory chip i~ a CHD6 cbip, 6uch as SCMelC14-4, (eee P~gure 2B). Ibe lc~ cLrrent drain ~eguirerents of t~e CMD6 cblp ~nd the ocrparatively large capacltor illow the rete~tion c dnta Etored in the r~ndor acce8s ~e~ory for ~3ny ~ours and the need to reFlase ~ac~up batteries i~, therefore, eli~inated.
Ad~ress dec~der circ~lt 18 receives ~erial data cn lines CS and C7 fro~ riorocs~puter 16 and al~o recei~es tbe clock signal via tbe CLR
~ersiNal. Ihe ad~resa decoder di~ide~ tbe Ey~te~ clock dDwn for prcviding clock to f~lters 50 and 52 vi~ leads A3', AA', A5' and Ab' fro~ tbe addres~ decoder 18. Deccder circuit lB al60 F~oqides tbe a~dres~ aignal~
for addrea~ing randor acoe~s se~ory 6B. Also, ~f de61red, ~n option speech synthe6izer chip 72 ~y be included to aid in p¢ogr~r~Lng, to proFpt lnoo~ing ~llera for tbe access c ~ or to i ~ eFent n telepbone answerlng function. Speech 6ynthe6izer chip 72 z~y be irple~ented u~ing an SP~0256 integrated circult couçled to address deoodRr clrcult 18 as ~hown and prcvides ~n output to the tone r~ng generntor DcFlifler 58.
~l~5L~j3~
lters 50 and 52 ~ay be ~splerented uslng dlsltal tworpcle filter circuit~, ~uch AS MFlOCN integrated circuit~- IbR fiignal~ input to filters 50 and 52 on leads A3', ~A', A5' ~nd A6' ~upply the referan oe clock. ~n tbe FKeEently Freferred e~odirent, the blgh band filter 50 bas breakpoints at 941 EZ. and 2500 Ez. Low band f~lter 52 has breakpomts at 69J E~. and 1209 ~z. Eigh band fllter 50 Freerably ha high ~and ~fiis be~een 1477 ~z. u~ 250û ~z~ ~ting to r~r~nally 6 dB boost above tbe level of ftlter 50 in the 1209 9z. to 1477 ~z. range tand akove the Feak filter level c the low band filter 52). qhe pre~erred f~lter p~s~band w~ve~hapes ~re depicted ~n the respect~ve block~
of filter~ 50 ~nd 52 ~n Figure 2B.
R2~erring to F$gures 2B ~nd 2C, the ~ignal rout~ng bus 54 is uEtr~ted. Ihi~ sign 1 rout~ng bUE serves as the pr~ary ~peech p~th ~nd tone p~th for rout~ng the v~riou~ voioe 8ignal8 ~nd t~ne 819n~lE to their appropriate destination~. Signal flow on routing bus 54 is bidirectlonal. Ihe ring voltage Eignal tr~vel8 on r~ng signal bus 74.
Ihe following will p~eEent a fur~her description of the first c¢ the ring slgnal ge~erating ~nd cDntrol c~rcltit~ ~nd ~econd o~ the ~udio (~oi oe ~nd tDne) generatlng ~nd cDntrol clrcuits.
Tbe Fre~ent inv~ntion pr w ldes circultry for ~r~Yating the ringer clrc~its c~ at le~t four atandard telephone devlc#~ at tbe s~re t~re. Wit~ reeerence to the DC to DC c~verter 28 ~Figure 2B), ~n c~ctl-ator 76 cDnverts the DC energy of power supply 24 into Alternating current which 18 then stepped up through ~tep up tran~forser 78. The EtepFed up AC voltage 18 then rectified ~y rectifier ~0 to provide approsirately ~- 100 volt8 DC. Ihi~ +~- 100 V~lt 8ignal 18 then ~plied to ring ~rpllfier 30 whld~ operate6 ~n a E~lhrEull fashion. The tone r~ng ~ L~3 ~
g~nera~or 56 i~ coupled to the B ku~ of ~icrocx~puter 16, operatlng as a digit~l t~ an~log 0 nYerter. When it ~ de~ired to generate ~ teleFhone ring signal, ~icro~xxrputer 16 provides t~e digital l~gic ~quivalent of a 25 Ez. triangle wavefor~ which the digital to ~nalog CDnVerter of t~ne ring generator 56 ~pFlie~ to tone ring ~plifier 58. qbe ¢utput of ~rplifier 58 1~ ~ 2~ ~z~ ~ine wave wkich drives the p~hrEull a~plifier circuit ~f r~ng ~¢plifie~ 30. A 25 ~z., no~inally 70-100 v~lts RMS ring ~oltage ~gnal i~ thus developed on ring signal h.c 74.
Signal bu~ 74 zplitfi ~nd ~upplies the ring ~ignal to line control circuits 32 and 34. The line control circuit~ are, i~ turn, cDuFled to flr~t tele~e devioe port or phDne j~ck 82 ~nd ~esDnd teleFbcne devioe port or p~ ck 84. ~e li~ 0ntro~ c~rcuits eac~ carpriE# casputer ~ntroll~d rel~ys 86. Line a~ntrol ciralit 32 ~8 r~$ve to lead AD
and line c~ntr~ circuit 34 i8 resE~siY~ to 1~ ~1. Rel~s 86 ~w$tdh under aJrputer ~ntrol to ~N~ect E~one jacks 82 and B4 ~o el~er the spee ~ and tone signal F~th of cignil routing bu8 54 or to t~e rlng ~ignal bu~ 74. In Figure 2C, both relay~ are Ehown cDnnectins the Fhone jacks with the speech and tone pRth of bu~ 54.
In order to nDti~y ~icrocorputer 16 that a telephone receiver has been lifted off hDok ~en t~e line oontr~l circuit~ Are lr. tbe ring Fcde, tbe o~f hook detection circuit 66 is pcovided. Ibe c~f ~ook detection circ~it 66 re~ponds to the current dr~wn ~y the standard telephone devio#s connected to the inventian. When a standbsd telephone devt oe i~ on hDok, with the ringer circuit connected, the effect~ve i~sedbn oe of the teleFhone devioe 18 ~o~ratlvely bigh, wi~h t!he ringer circuit drawing ~pproxlrately 10 ~A~ ~hen ~he hDnd&et of the telephone dbvi oe is lifted, thereby dlEoonnect~ng the ringer circu~t ~nd connecting the voioe circult, 3~3 ~e e~fectlve ~danoe drops s~rec~21y. With ~100 volt R~ a~lied ~olta~, tbe s~rd tPlep~one devloe ~i3ht drEsl on ~e order of 20 ~rp6, a6suring t~e E~wer s~ly were ahle to &liver 20 ~rp6. ~he ring detect~on c:~rcuit 66 fienses the c~ange in current dr~n ~ t~e harsd~et i~ lifted ~d this ~s~o~ation is prc~ided via lead D3 to ~icro~uter 16. A different s~re is provided for ~ing w~en ~e reoei~er 1B off hook during the 8~ ~ode. I~ i8 dil:~;sed below in c~nnecticn with the audio portion af~ t:he irlvention.
dio portion of t~e illventi~ lncludes the voioe routing circuitry, tor~ generating and de~ding circuitry ~d an optional ~peed syT~thesizer, ~11 ~aring si~al routing h~s 54- ~08ed at ~riou~
points ~long bu~ 54 are line disabling circ~ts, su~ ~; t~e tone di~hle ~ rouit 60, t~e internal l~ne disa ~ e ~nd a)upling circuit 62 ~ e esternal line di~hle and coupl~ng clrcuit 64. Eac~ o~ ~be~e circu~ts eFplcys ~n FST switching transistor, 5uch ~6 an ~PF4861 transistor. Each FET 1~ controlled by a bipolar transistor, 8uch a~ a 2NB9oe tranEistor, wbich i5~ in tLrn, c3ntrolled by one of the leads Oe corputer bu~ A. As indicated, clrcuits 60, fi2 and 64 ~re 0 ntrolled by lead~ A5, A6 and A7, re6Fec~ively~ qbne di6a~1~ng cira:lit 60 ~upes and &c~uple8 the tle generat~an circu~try frc~ h~ 54. q~e intern~l line di~e ~ra~it 62 couFles and dbcDuples phone jaCk8 82 ~nd 84 fro~ the slgnQl r ~ bu~.
S~r~larly~ e~ternal llne di6~1e drcuit 64 couE~Les and 13eCOU~ile8 ~sunk line iack 88 frclr h ~ 54. E~y ~electively E~WitC ~ ng circuits 60, 62 ~nd 64, the vol oe ~nd tone sign~ls on bus 54 ~3y be routed bebween the desired inputs ~nd 0UtpUt8-In or & r to & tect when the telepbone h~ndbet h~s been lifted ofbook duri~g the ~peech sode (or touch di~llng ~ode) detection circuits 44 -1~
3 ~
~ ~ 46 are Frovided. Detection drcuit 44 ~onitor~ the telephone devioe connected to jack 82, wh~le detection circuit 46 ~onitors the t~leEbone devioe connected to jack 84. Eash circ~it corprise~ ~n oF~oi~olator 90 with intem al llght eritting dlode aonnected in t~e 8peeCh patb cf slgnal routlng bus 54. 5b prokect the llght e~itting diodes ~rc~ da~age by e~oessive current, ~hunt resi~tor~ 92 are al~o pr w ided. A tr~ns$~tor~zed current 60ur oe ~8 suppl~es c~rrent to power the phone~ during the ~eeech ~ode, and th~s current i8 ~enEed ~y the light eritt~ng diodes of GFtoiEolators 90. Current eour oe ~8 pre~erably deli~ers at least 60 sA, to each pbone and can provide sufficient power to operate at least three Bt~dard t~ fii~rUlt40eOl~ly of bDok. ~y in~e~n~3 t:~e ap~ci~
of curr ~ t sDurc~ 48 even greAter nuGbers o~ Ebones can be 6upported.
~ben the teleFbone h~ndbet 1 lif~ed, with the o~rrespo ~ 9 line control circ~it 32 or 34 in tbe ~udio or Yo~ oe ~ode, current ~8 dr~wn frcr current sour oe 48 through cFtol~olator 90 to t~e telephone devi oe . Thi~ current en~rgize~ tbe optoisol~tor ~hich provide~ an indication therecf on 1P~ DO
or Dl tD ~ricrocoFFuter 16.
Ihe ~io circu~Sry cf the lnventicn i~ caFobae c~ routLng ~oth voi oe ~ignal6 and al~o tone Elgnil6, such ~s tbe tone~ ueed in prcvlding tone dialing ~rMF slgnal6). Tbe lnvention i6 oaFakle cf produclng D~MF
signil~ by eendlng the appropriate digit~l 6ignals fro~ FiC~OCCrputer 16 to the tone ring generator circuit 56. qDne rlng gener~tor 56 was dbscribed above in oonnection with the production of the 25 ~z. ring Bi9n~l w~vefor~. DIffF ~lgn~l~ are produoed ln a ~ ar f~sblon. By storing a predefined ~et of telepbone nur~ers in rando~ ac oe 88 ~erory 68, the inNentisn ifi clp~kle of pl~clng ~ teleibone call UBin9 tone or DrMF
oodes. ~hP oodes are routed along bus 54 to the trunk line ~ck 88, wblch --1~
~?~.5aa~i3~3 ~ n t~ ected to t~e out~;ide tele~one line. ~e irF~ention is al~o capable of being progr~d to ~ehave in ~ ~Jariet~ different wa~
u~ing 1~? cx~des ~od~ ~rd teleFbone a:s~cted to elther of j~cks 82 ~nd 84. q~e DI~F ~de~ are again routed on b~ 54 to filter~ 50 52, whidl reEipond to the ~F fr~ bands ~nd p~ovide digital ~ignal6 o;n line~; D6 ~d D7 of ~croc~ter 160 Micro~uter 16 i~
progr~d to ~nterpret ~ese ~ignal_ ~q ~ogrz~ng ~tructions.
In addition to generating and re~nding to ~F tor:eC~ the ~mention i~ also ~le ~ E~o&clng ~;nd responding to E~ e dial ing signal~. In order to produoe pul~e ~aling sign~lA~ ltne aontrol c~rcuit 36 i~ ~it~ed on ~nd odEf ~3er ~ter cDntrol tc~ pro~e t~e ~ropriate ~tring ~ dialing pU113e6- PUlEle d~ ignal6 are detected using dete*ion c~ra~tq A,4 d ~6. Pulse d~l~ng si~pals ~:oduoe E~lsed alrrent flcb~ rou~ e op~solator 90, ~hlch, in tllrrl~ l;igllal8 ricr ~ ter 16~ , a standard rotary dial tele ~ one ~y be u~ed to prcvide progral~ing in6tructions to ~icrocorputer 16.
The trunk line 6ide cf t~e circuit, cDupled ~o trunk llne port or ~ack 88, includes a trunk line cDntrol circuit 36 wbich F~ w ides a oorFuter cDntrolled rel~y K , oontrolled vla llne A2. Ihe l~ne control circuit 36 1B ~wi~r~Ahle between a voi oe p~th via aign~l rout~ng bu~ 54 ~nd a ringer p th tD ~icrocolpuker 16 ~la trunk llne ring detection circuit 38 and l~ne DQ. m e trunk l~ne rlng detectlon circuit 38 oFerates es~entially as a voJtzlge divider to ~Laoe t~e lr~lng r~ng voltage ~no~inally 100 volt~ RMS) at ocrputer loglc level~. In order tD per~it the c~vi oe to Flaoe an incc~ing call on hold, line hold circuit 40 is coupled to signal routing bus 54. Ihe llne hold circuit lncludes rectifier diodes 94 ~nd a trhn$istorized current sink drcult 96. riodes rectify the inoo~in~ voltage ~ that the ~nv~ntion w~ perate properly regardless of ~be tip and ring polarity of the incc~ing line.
Current ~ink 96 ac~s as ~ load to si~ulate the re~ponse of an offhook teleEbone so tbat the telepbone utility drcuits w~ll 0ensæ tbecurrent f lo~ and retain vo~ oe ooc~unication ccnnections. L$ne current drop ~nterrupt d rcuit 42 ~onltors the current gving into current slnk 96 and detect8 droFout8 a8 a 6top in current flcwo Wb~n a dropout occurs, an interrupt i~ generated, 6ignaling ~icrocc~puter 16 to e~ecute a line current drop interrupt æ rvi oe rout~ne.
n gure 3 depict the eoftware block dl3grar of the invention w~ich i~ Pful in understhnding the lnvention ~n operation. Essentially, the hlock diagr m colpci æ s a group o~ $ntercD~nected ~locks whidh ~y be lnterpreted as ocrputer progr~F rout ~ which oontrol tbe oFesatlon o~ tbe lnv ~ ion. ReEet klock 98 18 tbe entry p~int when ricroco~puter 16 is f~rst powered up- In re~et routine 98, a nurber CLf bou~ekeeplng f ~ ctions are perfor~ed. Y~r eY~rple, a spot check of t~e data skored in r~ndb~
acoess re~ory 68 18 perfo~red. Cyclic redLndancy cbecking retbcds tCRC) r~y be used in thiQ regard. If the RAM d~t~ fAil8 tbe error checking routines, the re~et prooedure inltiilizes tbe d~ta ~pa oe to predbfined dbfault conditlon~. Al~o durlng reset, tbe ~lcr~ccapuker 16 places the circult off hook and atterF~ to dl~l ~ ptedeterrlned nurber, ~uc~ a8 tbe nulber 5, using DIXF code~. If the tel-phco~ l*~llty circuit reEponds wit~
a break ln dial tone, thi8 ~ndicate6 that ~be custorer ba8 tanR BerVioe~
~nd the circuit cf the invention i~ set up to operate wltb ~rMF cqdb~. If a break in diDl tone iB not re oe ived, lt iB afiSU~ed that the cu~turer iB
c~nnected to a pul~e dialed line ~nd the circuit i8 set up to p~cvide only pulse dialing 8ignal8 through trunk l~ne ~ack B8.
~ 5 ~ 3 ~
After all re6et pcocedures h3ve been Ferfor~ed, oontlol p~oceeds to tbe ~tart up walt state 100. Wait state 100 l~ple~ents a loop ~n which Frogra~ control re~a$ns until one o~ the ~elephones is l~fted of hook or unt~1 an incoFing ca~l is received. ~hen either Oe tkefie two events occ~r~, F~ogra~ cDntrol jucp6 to the ~ain control Ero ~ e 102. In the ~ain prograr procedhre, ~crooorputer 16 deteDrines what eYent caused oontrol to ju~p fror the start up pr ~ re tD the ~n proced~re and tben call~ the appropriate procedure for responding to that event.
P~r es~ple, if prograr control entered the sa~n blOCk 102 because of an outside c~ll, control branches to anEwer block lG4. Answer klock 104 dete~r~nes which phcne or phone~ should r~ng. 5his will depend uFon the ~anner in which the DpQbr~tu6 ba~ been progranred, eit~er ~y t~e uEer or ~y the default cond~tion~ estahli~hed in re$et block 98. Ihe inventicn ~y be progr~r~ed to ring all phone~ 0 nnected to the dbvi oe or it rzy be progr~rled to ring Eelected Ehone~ only, or it ~y ke progr~r~ed to ring a first phone for ~ predeter~ined t~re ~nterval ~nd tben tranEfer the ring to ~nother pbone or phones. EsEenti lly, ~icroco~puter 16 routes the ring 8ignæl to the ~ppropr~ate Ehone or pone8 ty Ewitching line control circuit~ 32 ~nd 34 bo the r$nger ~cde ~ln ~bidh coee t~e ~ e rlng~) or to tbe speech ~ode ~in wh$dh case tbe pbone dbe~ not ring).
rn ~dd$tlon to E~reprogr~rred r$ng a~gnal rou ~ , t~e $nvention ~loo has the caE~bllity of routing the ring El9nal $n ~ccordbn oe with instructions ~ent by the calling party. 5he invent$on bas the abllity to treat oe rtain telepbones as eecurity phones, which cannot be rung by a calling party unless the calllng party enters the proper nccess code. 5b i~Flerent this feature, anEwer block 104 jurps to the rultlpurpose r$ng ~nd beep generator block 106. Elock 106 generates the Eo~tw~re trlangle --1~
~ 3~?
e~orrs ~ich t~e tone ring genera~or 56 0r~erts islto t~e 25 ~z. rlng ~gnal. Block 106 also generates the ~F a)des, and iB ~ileo caE~ble o prodlc~ng other ~d~o beeF6 and tone~ u~ed ~y the ~ ren~cn to ~nmn~ate praspts to the u~;er. ~en ~er blodc 104 ~coe6E;e~ ring ~nd i~p generator l~lock 106, a E;~ort ~di~le si~ or bee~ i~; trar~itted on the sign~l rout~ng 2-~1R 54 ~nd out to t~e tru~)c line jack. qtle ~ r~g caLler will receive t~e audi~e ~gnal or beep a~ ~ praspt to enter t~e aCoe6~;
ax3e. ~he entered ~cc~ ~de 1~ interrogated in read and cl~rpare block 108. ~i~ b~or-k dea)des the dialed acce6~ cx)de ~nd ~eck~ the a)de a~st t~e li~ correc~ c~des ~tored in ran&~r hCoeSS ~ory 68. If t~e acoesE; ax3e ~ fo~d ~n the ~rory l~;t, t~en t~e a~rre~nding eealrit~y pbone i8 ~ung. I~ e ~de ~ rx)t fo~d ~n tbe 118~ one of the designated æalrit~ ~one~ wil1 be ~9. In the preE~ently ~re~erred ffr~xadi~nt, re~ tiloclc 98 ret~ up one Et~ non-æ~rit:y e. In the event the p~oper access code ~s nc~t entered, the nonrsecurlty phone will ring. Cf cDur~e, tbe non~security Etone ~ay s$lply be ~ coc~ercially avail~k1e answering ~adh~ne. Eence, the ~enticn provid~ efective c~ creening whic~ e u~er frar b~ving ~o re~;pDnd to ~wi~nted calls, and yet ~e~ reE~pond to all c~lls incc~ing.
If ~ain hlock 102 w ~ a~tered be~ ~e the ~ et of ~ oE the telepbones bas been lifted off hook, tb~t Fhone ifi aukc~at~cally pl~oed ln a cDnditllDn for pl~cing outsiae call8. By ~cJentarily depressing and then liftlng the switc!h bGok, the phone is plaoed in the executlve ~ode 110.
Depres~ing the swltch hcok a ~econd tile returns the progra~ to the ~ain block 102. qbe executive ~ode 18 the pri~ary progr~ ng ~ode ~n whlch ~he user can ~lter the way $n which the lnvention perforrs. ~hble 1 below 5~
__~s the a~rar~ ~ le ~n the eæaItive ~de. ~e first ten ~ n q~le 1 ~e des~nated nC. ~e E~ecutive C~d &lect ~et.
Be~u~e t~ere are only ten d$g~ t3n~rd rotary di~l ~one, the ~ero digit ~s u~3ed a~ a prefix ~o select a ~eoond ~t a~ a:~ands deslgnated a~ t~e E~ tive S~1l3rent ~and Select æt.
~5~i3 ~aBLE~
1 . A~o Redial
q~is imention relat~ g~nerally to teleEtlone ~l~g equiF~rent for c~nnection to t~e u~er side or a~tarer 61de of t~e teleEhon~ ne~ork intedaoe. More p~rtia~larly, the lnver~on relate~ ~itc~iny ~aratus which ~a~ be progr~d ~y the user or ~ r~ng caller ~o route the ln~ring call frc~r a ~tandard tele~hone devioe or outside llr~ to c~:
or ~ore ~ ti~e ~rd teleE~x dsvioes or other outfiide lines ac~rding to E~eprogr~d in~ruction& or a~ ~des.
1~ ho~olds and E~all ~ ne8ses h3ve se eral ~rd tele~hone devles ss~nne*.ed to a 6ingle aut~lde tel~e llne, for t~e ~enoe w~ ulti~e teleE~or#s can afford. Wit~ suc~ ~n arr~nge~rent, zm in ~ ing ~11 will nor ~ lly ring e~ery tele ~ ~e a~nnected to ~be out~dde line, unl~ one or ~ore of tbe telephone devi oe rlng circuit~ have been diEahled. Cnce t~e coll i~ ~n~wered, t~ere i6 no privacy between telephone devices; a party can ~rply pick up ~he hzndset of 2n unus~d telephcne to ~oritor or join in ~nother pnrty'~ teleFhone oonver~ation. W*ile convenient at tlres, thi~ lack o~ privacy can create prol~
In add$tion to the Fcivacy Frobler, standard teleFhone dev$ oe s are alBO defic$ent $n screening lnc~ing c~116. Addron call screen$ng devi oe s are avail~ble to ecreen out czllers who do not h~ve the oorrect FasEword or ~ccess code, ~Lwever, these dev~ oe e h~ve shortco~ings. Eor $nEtan oe , these devi oe s lack 6ecurity; on oe the correct acce~s co~e hasbeen entered, the inco~$ng c~ y be taken by or ~onitored by any one or ~ore Oe the telephone devi oe s connected to the systelr as di6cuseed ~bove.
Another d$Eadvantage is tbat unless t~e ~ller d$al~ a correct ac oe ~s code, that caller i~ s$nFly disoonnected - ncnauthorized c~ller~ cunno~
i463`~3 ~ n leave a ~essa~e on ~n anfiwering ~achine. Ai~o, ~ost prior ~rt call scree m ng devi oe s ~ntercept the telephone ring 6ign31 and silen oe the norral telephone r~nger circuit. Such dEvi oe s are typ~cally not caFakle of energiz~ng the ringer circuit~ in one or ~ore standaId telephone devi oe s and ~ust, therefore, prqvide an external electlonic ring cirulating apparatu~. Many personc who are accustoled to anawering a ringing telephone find the ~i~ulated ringing to be discon oe rting, particularly w~Y~n the ringing e~anates fra~ an aeparatus located sorewhere other than the telep~one.
In order to Fr w ide greater convenien oe to the ~ose znd ~all business tRlephone u~er, the present invention prc~ide~ a progran~able Uw~tCtL~ng dev~oe wbich ~electiYely ch~nnels lnoo~in~ call~ fros Et2uYdard telepk~ne devices or an outslde line sr l~nes to one or ~ore other ~ rd t~le~tu~ne devi oe ~, including ~nEwering ~Y~Cb~lle8, U~x3er~ and the like, or to otber out~ide lines. Ihe devi~e C~YUUllel5 the inco~ing lls ~ccording to a predefined pr$ori~y ~nd~or acoording to an access code dialed by the calling p rty. In the latter case the dl led acce~ codes oorre~Fond to the ~ctual deqi oe ~ wbich ~re deaired to be ~ccessed. F~r greater flexi~ ty, eacb teleph~ne devl oe ~y be ~t~ ~ore than one ~coess CDde. The unit c~n ~l~o be Ero~rD~ d to allow d lers w~ dD not di 1 a v lid ac~es8 code to be connected to ~ psedbined telephone device, ~uch ~s nn answering s~u~line.
A~cord$mgly, it $8 an object of tlhe psesent invention to provide a telephone awitchlng dev~ oe which incorporates the c~ll screening ~bilities descr$bed above, ~hereby t'he call$ng p~rty can eelect wbiclh tele p one devi oe or d~Yi oe s sbould respond to t~e call.
Anotl~ber object of the invemtian i~ to provide ~ screening ; L~ 6 ~ 3 ~e~one call diverter whi*l 9erRrate5 a E~tandard ring voltage ~ignal ~ble o~ energ~ing ttle r~nger cira~ c~E ~tandard tele~or~ devloe5.
It i6 ~ther cbject af t~e invention to prcvide a progra~e t~leEhone awltching a~atu~ w}~c~ ~ill en~ble ~e bo~old or Elrall h~sinRs6 tele ~ le u6er to incorporate a nur~er ~ o~ er eoFhl~ticated features into the te1epbone sy~te~. Such feature ~n d ude an interco~
~eature, wtereby two telqphone de~ice~ within the sy6~e~ Gan CoI~UniCate wi~h one another by si~ply dialing an ~Fpropriate acoeEs oode. Another such feature is ~ hold feature, wherety ~ny in~ide telepbone devi oe can put ~ny ot~er inElde devioe or an outs1de line on bold, whlle op*ionally oo~unicating with ~ny other lnEide devi oe or Gutsiae 1~ne.
~ et anot~er ~igh1y desirak1e feature i8 a ~sory dia1er, aforddng e~cn o the ~tandard telepbone devi oe 5 a ~epar~te auto~atic di~ling liEit-Yet another okject c the inYention i6 to provide an auto~atic te1ephone dialing El9nal protocol oonNerter whic~ autoratlcally te~ts the outside line and cQnverts a Ek~ndard telephone devi oe dial Eign31 fro~
p~l~e to tone or frcr tOnR ~o pulse, ~c ordlng to tbe oorFatability of tbe calling db~oe and tbe tel~e colpany being w ces~ed.
A further object o~ the i m ention i8 to p~ovide a ~creening telepbone call diverter ~hlch auto~aticolly connects a fir~t teleEbone devi oe to t~e first ~v~ilatle outside line, as ~oon as tb~t device is lifted off hook, wh~le optionally ~llowing or locking out all okher t~lepihone devi oe s whic'h ~ray wish to nccess that &are llne, thereby providing a gre~ter degree of Fslvacy.
Yet ther object of the invention is to Ftovide a progr~rcahle telephone ~witching apparatus which i~FleFentb an autoF~tic call ~54639 forwarding fe ture, ~ w~ng $nco~ing call~ to be auto~atically chann*led to an outside line. The ~pparatus t~en auto~atically dials a p~epro~rar~ed phone nulber on that l~ne to thereky ~orward the inoo~ing c211- If desired, the ~11 forwarding ~pparatu6 ~ay include a 6equenti~1 call forwarding feature which will divert the lnoo~ing calls 6equentially to different telepbone de~ioe6 (or outside 11ne~) accordlng to a preprogra~ed, priorit~zed aearch list. If the inco~ ~ g call ~6 not anfiwered ~y the fir~t forwarding nu~ber in the li8 1 ucce&si~e nu~ber~
fro~ the list ~re tried until the call is colEieted or until the progranred sequen oe i~ eYhaufited.
Another object læ to prcYidb a call screener ~hidh can be plased in ~ learn ~ode ~o analyze ~nd digit~lly record ~n audio beeper tone like that F~oduoed ~y a r w te oDntrol devi oe . Such rerote control devi oe 8 are lncluded with ~o~e 2nswerlng rach~nes to ~llow the owner to retrieve ressa~P~ ~y calling bore and using ~he beeper tc act$vate playback. The lnvention ~ake8 lt po6~$ble to access that re~ote oontrol feature without hnving to c~rry ~ beeper. T~e dig$t lly Etored beeFer tone ls produoed ~y the lnvent$on upcn reoeiving a predeter~ined di~led acceæs code.
qSese and other objects ~nd ~dvant~ges o~ the invention w~ll becore ~ore apparent fror the following deta~led de8crip*~0n w~en rebd in con~uncticn wlth the cconp~nying drawinga.
F$gures lA and lB conEtitute a hardware hlock diagrar of the ~nvention;
Figures 2A4 2B and 2C depict a detalled 8che~atic di~gra~ of the inventionS
Figure 3 i8 a Eofbware block diagr~r of the invention7 ~5~3~
Figures 4-6 ~re fladc~art diagrars of t~e ~F ro~nes of the invention; and Figures 7-11 are flc~d~art diagr~ o~ t~e tor~e ger~erating routines a~ the imention.
~ e E~esent im~ention 1~ ~dapted to conr~ct bets,~ e tEier's tele~ne 6y6t~r and the outs~ ele~hone lin~ or 1iFle6 for the purpose of ~ng new and p~ 1y ~n~vail~le features to the user's tele~one ~ysten~. ~e invention can~cts to t~e user 6ide 0~ the rR~orlc interfaoe ~ allows the E~ l offioe or bou~ehold telepone uær to ~gnificantly e~anoe t~e uE~ulnes~ of t~e in~ide or loc~l tele~e E~ r at a cost pceviou~ly u~attaina~e- ~>r purpDses o lll~:r~tlng t~e ~menticn~ it will be a~su~d that the user ha~ two tele~30ne devioes and or ? out~ide line. Telephone devioe~ as ueed bRrein ~cy Lncludb any devioe ~dapted for cDnnectlon to a telephone network interfa oe or ~n outside telepbone line, including both tone and rotary or pul~e~dialed telephcnes, wirelees ~radio) rerote telephones, answering ~achines, ~odb~s, telecopy~ng ~achine~ ~nd o~her data coc~unication equiFrent, ~peoXer phones, ~nd the like. ~le tbe Fre3ent invention 1~ ~llustr~ted u~lng tw~ user-~uppli~d ~eleehone devioefi snd one s~ngle out~ide llne, the invention ~y be ~sele~ented to support a g¢eater nurber ~f telepbone devlc~s and lnco~ing lines.
Re~erring fir t to Figures lA and lB, the ~nventicn i illustrated in ~lock diagr~. The invention i8 il~o illustrated in detail in Figures 2P4 2B ond 2C. Ib ~id in understanding the invention, reference wtll first be ~ade to the ~lock diagra~ of Figures 1~ an~ lB.
With re~eren~e to Pigure lB, the lnventiGn ig ~llustroted in conjuncticn 3~
with a first tele~or~ devic~ 10 ( lfio re~erred to z~ F~one 1) ~nd telepbone devioe 12 ( l~o ref erred to ~ E~one 2) . ~e i~vention i~ al90 illlE;trated ~ njun~on wit~ ~ o~ide l~ne, ~lo re~erred to as the ir.caring line or tr~k l~ne 14. Tele~ones 10 aIld 12 and lncarlng tr~k line 14 connect to and ~ ri~e the input/outp~t p rt~ of t~e lnvention as illu~trated. It will be under~tood that the ~nvention is cap4ble of being llFle~ented u~ing a great nL~ber of input/output ports ~nd that the e~bodilent in Figures 1 und 2 ~re ~Y~ely represæntat~Ye of the prefiently F¢eerred e~bodi~nt.
At the ~eart c~ the invention i~ ~lcroco~puter 16 (Ehown in Figure lA). ~lcroco~puter 16 hdfi four 8-bit buEe6 denoted ty the letter.
A, B, C ~nd D. Microoo~puter 16 Al~o i~Llude6 a re~et ter~inal, ~n interrupt request te!r~nal I~Q and a ~ystec clock terrinal which provides a f~lter clock yet to be di~cuseed. 5b s~Flify the ~dh&~atic block diagra~, t~e oonnectlcns to the ~icrocorputer input/output ports and other nfisociated teririnal~ b~ve been denoted ~y alpbanureric l~bels Flaoed on other oo~ponents in the ~yste~. Th--~, for es3~ple, the filter clock output te~inal 17 (Filter Clk) of ~icro ~ ter 16 i8 to be ooupled to t~e filter clock ~nput tenrinal 19 of ~ddress dec~der 18. Si~ilar designations are uaed el~ewhere throughout the klock diagra~.
Tbe prefiently preferred ~rbodirent is Fowered ~y low voltage ~lternat~ng current derived frQr a standard AC w~ll outlet 20 and ~tepped down through w~ ounted, step down transforrer 22, whlch in turn powers the invention's lnternal power supply 24. Power supFly 24 provides DC
voltages Vcc and Vee, a~ well as pro~iding a ~yster ground bus. Ihe d rcuit o the lnvention ~150 lncludes a ~deadran~ or ~wat~dog~ ti~er circuit 26 for protectlng against so~tware lock up of the ~lcrooorputer 3~3 Dea&ran ti~rer c$ralit 26 i5 a:~upled t~ the reæt ter~ir,al ai~
~icroc~puter 16. Dea~n tl~ circuit ~6 include~ ~ trigger input ter~i~ whi~ i5 CX:\~Cted tC) ~ itor ~ periodic pul~e trA~n E~oduoed ~e ~icrocc~puter 16. ~f for s~e re~on ~e periodic pl~l# traill oea~3e, as would o~r u~der ~fb~are lock up, t~e deahran t~er cira~t l~sues a re~et p~lç~e go t~e ~icroc~puter.
~ nlike prior ~rt ~11 ~creening devioes, the ~e~t lnvention generates ~ r~ng vo3t~ge wi~ sufficient erer3y to directly energize ~e ringer cira~ ; all o~ t~e teleE~ores ~nnected in the c~rc~t, in t~li5 case tele~nes 10 and 12. I~e ring vol~ge i~ gene.,ated using a DC to DC
c~rrverter 28 whi~ is~ t~rn drive~; ~ ring ~ifier 30 to E~:oduoe a ring ~oltage o~ ~pproxirately 70 volt~ R~S ~200 volts peak tD peak) at ~æro~ately 25 ~ e r~ng ~ol~ge frcsr ring 2~rpJlfier 30 i~ ~led to t~eFb~ne llr* 0ntrol clrcuitE; 32 and 34. C~uEiLed to th~ DC to DC
cDnverter 28 i~ an cff hDok de~ection clrcuit 66 for di~ahl~ng the ring generating circuit under ~icrocorputer c~ntrol wten either teleFhone 10 or telephone 12 is lifted off bDok.
Llne c4ntrol circuits 32 controls telephone 10, while line control circuit 34 cGntrol6 teleFh~ne 12. Essenti~lly line c4ntrol circuits 32 ~nd 34 ewltdh the re$pective tQleFbane6 between a ringer rcde and ~ ~eec~ rode or ~wdlo ~ode . ~hen aDnnected in the ringer ~ode, the he~oci~ted teleQbane will not respond ~4 ~4i oe 81gnalfi~ ~ence any telephones plaoed in the ringer ~ode cannot ~onlt4r ~ cc m erEation being conducted fro~ ~nother telephcne in the ~y~te~. The line control d rcuit ~ay, therefore, be energlzed wben prlvacy is deslred.
Cbupled to t~e l~ne control d rcuits 32 d 34 are detectian circNits U ~nd 46 for detecting when t~e resFective te1eF~one~ 10 ~nd 12 ~5~63~
~ being used during ~peech or on hook. Detection circuit 44 and 46 are supQlied with curr~nt by ~yna~ic current ~ource 48 and are c~uFled to the l~ne x ntrol circuits 32 3nd 34 dusing the qpeech ~ode. Ihe current fro~
current ~ource 48 i~ delivered to telephones 10 ~nd 12 there~y producing a co~parati~ely low DC ~pedanoe wtile ~aintalnlng a high ~rpedan oe tD
speech. Detection circl~ts 44 and 46 are ocuçled via bus D to ~icrooolFuter 16.
In a si~ilar f ~ hion, the inoo~ing runk l~ne 14 ~ nl50 0 up1ed to a line c~ntrol cirouit 36, which sw~tc~es tetween ~ ringer ~odR and a Epeech rode. In the r~nger ~ode, ~ trunk line ring detect~on circuit 38 ~onitors the trunk l~ne and ~enEes inco~ng rinq Q~gnals. ~hen an ~ncoclng ring sigr~l i8 dete~ted~ llne bold load 40 prcvide~ a DC load uFon tbe incor~ng trunk line 14 ~o that ~ e telephone utility equiF~ent w~ll re~Dgnize an off bDok oondition. Line ~ld load 40 e5Flcy8 a dyna~ic current sour oe to ~i~ulate a DC load wh~le F~esenting ~ oorparativel~ high i~sedan oe to $noo~ing 8peeCh 6ignal5- CDupled to the l~ne bold load i~ a l~ne current drop interruFt circuit 42. Ihl8 c~rcuit ~en~es thR br~ef voltage dro~out (ooc~only lJlOth sec.) which n~r~ally occurs during qpeech p th ~witching ~n the utility coFpany clrcNits (6uch ~8 ~ter ~ cocplete nws~er b3~ been di~led, or w~en the calling party b~ngs up~.
The preeent ~nvent$on generates ~nd deCOde8 tone cDdes (D~Y~`
code6). ~he decoding of DrMF oode~ is accorpl~3hed ~y using a ~lgh band filter 50 and a low b3nd filter 52. The b~gh ba~d filter p sses freguencies in the range of 1209 Bz. through 2500 Bz. m e low band filter paEsR~ frequencies ln the range 697 Ez. through 941 Ez. Filters 50 and 52 nre re6ponclve to audible tone8 on slgnal routlng bus 54 and oolluricate thofle tones to ~lcrocorputer 16 througlh bus D.
~5~i;3~
AS Wi11 be e~lA~r~d n~ore fully below, the invention ~ be progr~$ed ~ 3e u~r to perfor~r ~ wide variety of user selected fu~ctions. To pr~lde ~ ~nvenient ~d econc~rlcal ~ean~ for progr~ing t~e isr~rention, the user ~iIrply enters p~ogr~ing ~r~truction~ ~rou~ the t4u~ k~ypad or rotary pul~e dialing ciralits found lsl ~st ~n:3ard tel~or~ devioeE.
In order to generate the fre~encies nee&d to p~oduoe l~MF
a~des and in order to prod~ce the 25 ~. ring voltage wave~or~, a tone ring qenerator cir~t 56 15 ~avi~d. Cira~t 56 ~ a)~led to h~ B c~
FicrOc~puter lb and provides fr~uenc~es in the r~nge of 0 to 1600 ~z.
q~e frequencie~ generated ~y cira~it 56 ~re ~lified ~n tone ring fier 58. qbe out~ut frc~r tone dng ~llfier ~ ~ coupJ,ed to ring ~r~ifier 30 tto provide the 2S ~ vefor~r frar which the ring ~olt~ge is generated) ~nd d~o to ~ tone di~a~e circuit 60. q~one disa~ile circuit 60 is an analog swit~ing ~ra~it whic~ awple~ or decx)uples the m~5F 'cones to Bi9nal routing bus 54.
In general, the imention perfor~s ~? c~ $~; functils ~y selecti~ely routing various m~D? 6ign 1 8~ voi oe slgnal~, logic signals and ring ~oltages bet~een the ~ariou~ input/output ports And devi oe 8 which ocrprise tke circulk of the lnvention. T~ ~fisist in rout~ng the ~oi oe and DIMF ~ignal8~ tbe inYention includes an internnl line di~hling and coupling circuit 62 ~d an e~ternal l~ne di~akling couFling circuit 64.
Bcth circuit~ 62 bnd 64 are analog gwitdhing c$rcuits which are coupled to oo~unicate with slgnal routing bus 54. Circuit 62 1~ coupled to llne control circuit~ 32 ~nd 34 vi~ detecticn circuits 44 and 46, ~nd, thus, ooc~unicate with the telephones lO and 12. Circuit 64 ccl~unicate~ with trunk line control circuit 36 via line bold load 40 nnd, thus, ? $ 3~ ~
,~rmicates w~th the inc~ring tr~k l~ne 14. Both circuits 62 snd 64 sre 0witc~a~e be~een ~ abled state ~ disabled sta~e ulder ~icroc~puter c~ntrol v$a bu~ A.
~ n~r acoess ~rory 68 ~ pcavi~d for storing u~er ff~tered phcr~ nurber~ d al60 for BtGring u~er-selec~ securit~ de6 and digitally eslcoded audio ~ er tone~ yet to b cribed. gando~ ~coe ss ~ ory 68 i~ oDuFled to ~icrooo~puter 16 through bu C under tbe control of addres~ dbooder circuit 18. ~n gener~l, addres~ deooder 18 receive~
f~lter clock &ign 1~ and addres6 clock E~gllA15 fro~ ~icroco~puter 16. qhe signal~ re divided down using a cQunter oircuit withLn the ~ddres6 deooder 18, ~nd the re6ult~nt lower frequency signal ~s u~ed to driYe or clock tbe ~lter~ 50 and 52 End Also u3ed for ~e~ory addressing ~he rando~
acce~6 ~e~ory.
Wit~ ~e foregping hDrdware tlock diagr~r of the ~nvent1on ~n ~lnd, referen oe ~eq ncw be had to Figures 2A, 2B ~nd 2C for ~ ~ore det iled unoer~tanding of the invention in 1e~ presently Freferred e~bodi~ent.
Figure~ 2A4 2B and 2~ oorpriEe the ~ ete e1ectronic cirçuit cf th2 1nvention. Where applicable, oertain FortioD~ o~ the cirouit h2ve been de~ignated u6ing t~e reference nurer~l6 of Figures lA and lR~
With re~ferenoe to Figu~e 2P4 ~lcroco5puter 16 p~eerably corprlæ s an XMDS lntegrated c1rcuit, BULh ~S ~utorol~ MC6805UB.
Hicrocolputer 16 prwide6 four eight-bit h~P6, de6ignated AD-A7, 90-B7, CO-C7 and DO-D7. Ihe A tU8 i8 used to cor~unicate with ill 6wltche~ and relay6 in the circuit and al80 wlth the address deooder circuit 18.
Address decDder circuit 18 iE pce~erably ~rple~ented ua~ng ~ CMDS cDunter, such a8 MC14040CP lntegrated circuit. The B bu8 of ~icrocorputer 18 ~ ?~ S4~3~
cDupled to the digital to ana1og circu$try of the ~nvention. Ihe C bus controlfi the randc~ ~cces~ ~e~ory lRAM), such a~ ~e~ory 68, and al50 provide6 0 ntrol cver the address deooder circuit 18. BU6 D of crooorputer 16 serves ~s t~e signal 1nput port. Deadran tl~er c1rcuit 26 supplies a reçRt signal to ~icroco~puter 16 if the ~ead~an c1rcuit i~
n~t periodically 1nitialized- PCWOE Rupply 24 e~ploys voltage regulators 70 to Fcovide a Ycc voltage of +5 volts ~d a Vee voltage d -7 ~
In order to ensure that the rando~ ~ccess ~e~ory 68 i5 Frotected durLng ti~es when the power i~ shut cff, a capa d tor 130 is Flaoed between the supply voltage lead ~nd yround of the randk~ a~cess ~e~ory chip.
Capacitor 130 is Freferahly on tbe crder cf l,000 ~icrofarad~, and the randc~ ~ccess ~e~ory chip i~ a CHD6 cbip, 6uch as SCMelC14-4, (eee P~gure 2B). Ibe lc~ cLrrent drain ~eguirerents of t~e CMD6 cblp ~nd the ocrparatively large capacltor illow the rete~tion c dnta Etored in the r~ndor acce8s ~e~ory for ~3ny ~ours and the need to reFlase ~ac~up batteries i~, therefore, eli~inated.
Ad~ress dec~der circ~lt 18 receives ~erial data cn lines CS and C7 fro~ riorocs~puter 16 and al~o recei~es tbe clock signal via tbe CLR
~ersiNal. Ihe ad~resa decoder di~ide~ tbe Ey~te~ clock dDwn for prcviding clock to f~lters 50 and 52 vi~ leads A3', AA', A5' and Ab' fro~ tbe addres~ decoder 18. Deccder circuit lB al60 F~oqides tbe a~dres~ aignal~
for addrea~ing randor acoe~s se~ory 6B. Also, ~f de61red, ~n option speech synthe6izer chip 72 ~y be included to aid in p¢ogr~r~Lng, to proFpt lnoo~ing ~llera for tbe access c ~ or to i ~ eFent n telepbone answerlng function. Speech 6ynthe6izer chip 72 z~y be irple~ented u~ing an SP~0256 integrated circult couçled to address deoodRr clrcult 18 as ~hown and prcvides ~n output to the tone r~ng generntor DcFlifler 58.
~l~5L~j3~
lters 50 and 52 ~ay be ~splerented uslng dlsltal tworpcle filter circuit~, ~uch AS MFlOCN integrated circuit~- IbR fiignal~ input to filters 50 and 52 on leads A3', ~A', A5' ~nd A6' ~upply the referan oe clock. ~n tbe FKeEently Freferred e~odirent, the blgh band filter 50 bas breakpoints at 941 EZ. and 2500 Ez. Low band f~lter 52 has breakpomts at 69J E~. and 1209 ~z. Eigh band fllter 50 Freerably ha high ~and ~fiis be~een 1477 ~z. u~ 250û ~z~ ~ting to r~r~nally 6 dB boost above tbe level of ftlter 50 in the 1209 9z. to 1477 ~z. range tand akove the Feak filter level c the low band filter 52). qhe pre~erred f~lter p~s~band w~ve~hapes ~re depicted ~n the respect~ve block~
of filter~ 50 ~nd 52 ~n Figure 2B.
R2~erring to F$gures 2B ~nd 2C, the ~ignal rout~ng bus 54 is uEtr~ted. Ihi~ sign 1 rout~ng bUE serves as the pr~ary ~peech p~th ~nd tone p~th for rout~ng the v~riou~ voioe 8ignal8 ~nd t~ne 819n~lE to their appropriate destination~. Signal flow on routing bus 54 is bidirectlonal. Ihe ring voltage Eignal tr~vel8 on r~ng signal bus 74.
Ihe following will p~eEent a fur~her description of the first c¢ the ring slgnal ge~erating ~nd cDntrol c~rcltit~ ~nd ~econd o~ the ~udio (~oi oe ~nd tDne) generatlng ~nd cDntrol clrcuits.
Tbe Fre~ent inv~ntion pr w ldes circultry for ~r~Yating the ringer clrc~its c~ at le~t four atandard telephone devlc#~ at tbe s~re t~re. Wit~ reeerence to the DC to DC c~verter 28 ~Figure 2B), ~n c~ctl-ator 76 cDnverts the DC energy of power supply 24 into Alternating current which 18 then stepped up through ~tep up tran~forser 78. The EtepFed up AC voltage 18 then rectified ~y rectifier ~0 to provide approsirately ~- 100 volt8 DC. Ihi~ +~- 100 V~lt 8ignal 18 then ~plied to ring ~rpllfier 30 whld~ operate6 ~n a E~lhrEull fashion. The tone r~ng ~ L~3 ~
g~nera~or 56 i~ coupled to the B ku~ of ~icrocx~puter 16, operatlng as a digit~l t~ an~log 0 nYerter. When it ~ de~ired to generate ~ teleFhone ring signal, ~icro~xxrputer 16 provides t~e digital l~gic ~quivalent of a 25 Ez. triangle wavefor~ which the digital to ~nalog CDnVerter of t~ne ring generator 56 ~pFlie~ to tone ring ~plifier 58. qbe ¢utput of ~rplifier 58 1~ ~ 2~ ~z~ ~ine wave wkich drives the p~hrEull a~plifier circuit ~f r~ng ~¢plifie~ 30. A 25 ~z., no~inally 70-100 v~lts RMS ring ~oltage ~gnal i~ thus developed on ring signal h.c 74.
Signal bu~ 74 zplitfi ~nd ~upplies the ring ~ignal to line control circuits 32 and 34. The line control circuit~ are, i~ turn, cDuFled to flr~t tele~e devioe port or phDne j~ck 82 ~nd ~esDnd teleFbcne devioe port or p~ ck 84. ~e li~ 0ntro~ c~rcuits eac~ carpriE# casputer ~ntroll~d rel~ys 86. Line a~ntrol ciralit 32 ~8 r~$ve to lead AD
and line c~ntr~ circuit 34 i8 resE~siY~ to 1~ ~1. Rel~s 86 ~w$tdh under aJrputer ~ntrol to ~N~ect E~one jacks 82 and B4 ~o el~er the spee ~ and tone signal F~th of cignil routing bu8 54 or to t~e rlng ~ignal bu~ 74. In Figure 2C, both relay~ are Ehown cDnnectins the Fhone jacks with the speech and tone pRth of bu~ 54.
In order to nDti~y ~icrocorputer 16 that a telephone receiver has been lifted off hDok ~en t~e line oontr~l circuit~ Are lr. tbe ring Fcde, tbe o~f hook detection circuit 66 is pcovided. Ibe c~f ~ook detection circ~it 66 re~ponds to the current dr~wn ~y the standard telephone devio#s connected to the inventian. When a standbsd telephone devt oe i~ on hDok, with the ringer circuit connected, the effect~ve i~sedbn oe of the teleFhone devioe 18 ~o~ratlvely bigh, wi~h t!he ringer circuit drawing ~pproxlrately 10 ~A~ ~hen ~he hDnd&et of the telephone dbvi oe is lifted, thereby dlEoonnect~ng the ringer circu~t ~nd connecting the voioe circult, 3~3 ~e e~fectlve ~danoe drops s~rec~21y. With ~100 volt R~ a~lied ~olta~, tbe s~rd tPlep~one devloe ~i3ht drEsl on ~e order of 20 ~rp6, a6suring t~e E~wer s~ly were ahle to &liver 20 ~rp6. ~he ring detect~on c:~rcuit 66 fienses the c~ange in current dr~n ~ t~e harsd~et i~ lifted ~d this ~s~o~ation is prc~ided via lead D3 to ~icro~uter 16. A different s~re is provided for ~ing w~en ~e reoei~er 1B off hook during the 8~ ~ode. I~ i8 dil:~;sed below in c~nnecticn with the audio portion af~ t:he irlvention.
dio portion of t~e illventi~ lncludes the voioe routing circuitry, tor~ generating and de~ding circuitry ~d an optional ~peed syT~thesizer, ~11 ~aring si~al routing h~s 54- ~08ed at ~riou~
points ~long bu~ 54 are line disabling circ~ts, su~ ~; t~e tone di~hle ~ rouit 60, t~e internal l~ne disa ~ e ~nd a)upling circuit 62 ~ e esternal line di~hle and coupl~ng clrcuit 64. Eac~ o~ ~be~e circu~ts eFplcys ~n FST switching transistor, 5uch ~6 an ~PF4861 transistor. Each FET 1~ controlled by a bipolar transistor, 8uch a~ a 2NB9oe tranEistor, wbich i5~ in tLrn, c3ntrolled by one of the leads Oe corputer bu~ A. As indicated, clrcuits 60, fi2 and 64 ~re 0 ntrolled by lead~ A5, A6 and A7, re6Fec~ively~ qbne di6a~1~ng cira:lit 60 ~upes and &c~uple8 the tle generat~an circu~try frc~ h~ 54. q~e intern~l line di~e ~ra~it 62 couFles and dbcDuples phone jaCk8 82 ~nd 84 fro~ the slgnQl r ~ bu~.
S~r~larly~ e~ternal llne di6~1e drcuit 64 couE~Les and 13eCOU~ile8 ~sunk line iack 88 frclr h ~ 54. E~y ~electively E~WitC ~ ng circuits 60, 62 ~nd 64, the vol oe ~nd tone sign~ls on bus 54 ~3y be routed bebween the desired inputs ~nd 0UtpUt8-In or & r to & tect when the telepbone h~ndbet h~s been lifted ofbook duri~g the ~peech sode (or touch di~llng ~ode) detection circuits 44 -1~
3 ~
~ ~ 46 are Frovided. Detection drcuit 44 ~onitor~ the telephone devioe connected to jack 82, wh~le detection circuit 46 ~onitors the t~leEbone devioe connected to jack 84. Eash circ~it corprise~ ~n oF~oi~olator 90 with intem al llght eritting dlode aonnected in t~e 8peeCh patb cf slgnal routlng bus 54. 5b prokect the llght e~itting diodes ~rc~ da~age by e~oessive current, ~hunt resi~tor~ 92 are al~o pr w ided. A tr~ns$~tor~zed current 60ur oe ~8 suppl~es c~rrent to power the phone~ during the ~eeech ~ode, and th~s current i8 ~enEed ~y the light eritt~ng diodes of GFtoiEolators 90. Current eour oe ~8 pre~erably deli~ers at least 60 sA, to each pbone and can provide sufficient power to operate at least three Bt~dard t~ fii~rUlt40eOl~ly of bDok. ~y in~e~n~3 t:~e ap~ci~
of curr ~ t sDurc~ 48 even greAter nuGbers o~ Ebones can be 6upported.
~ben the teleFbone h~ndbet 1 lif~ed, with the o~rrespo ~ 9 line control circ~it 32 or 34 in tbe ~udio or Yo~ oe ~ode, current ~8 dr~wn frcr current sour oe 48 through cFtol~olator 90 to t~e telephone devi oe . Thi~ current en~rgize~ tbe optoisol~tor ~hich provide~ an indication therecf on 1P~ DO
or Dl tD ~ricrocoFFuter 16.
Ihe ~io circu~Sry cf the lnventicn i~ caFobae c~ routLng ~oth voi oe ~ignal6 and al~o tone Elgnil6, such ~s tbe tone~ ueed in prcvlding tone dialing ~rMF slgnal6). Tbe lnvention i6 oaFakle cf produclng D~MF
signil~ by eendlng the appropriate digit~l 6ignals fro~ FiC~OCCrputer 16 to the tone ring generator circuit 56. qDne rlng gener~tor 56 was dbscribed above in oonnection with the production of the 25 ~z. ring Bi9n~l w~vefor~. DIffF ~lgn~l~ are produoed ln a ~ ar f~sblon. By storing a predefined ~et of telepbone nur~ers in rando~ ac oe 88 ~erory 68, the inNentisn ifi clp~kle of pl~clng ~ teleibone call UBin9 tone or DrMF
oodes. ~hP oodes are routed along bus 54 to the trunk line ~ck 88, wblch --1~
~?~.5aa~i3~3 ~ n t~ ected to t~e out~;ide tele~one line. ~e irF~ention is al~o capable of being progr~d to ~ehave in ~ ~Jariet~ different wa~
u~ing 1~? cx~des ~od~ ~rd teleFbone a:s~cted to elther of j~cks 82 ~nd 84. q~e DI~F ~de~ are again routed on b~ 54 to filter~ 50 52, whidl reEipond to the ~F fr~ bands ~nd p~ovide digital ~ignal6 o;n line~; D6 ~d D7 of ~croc~ter 160 Micro~uter 16 i~
progr~d to ~nterpret ~ese ~ignal_ ~q ~ogrz~ng ~tructions.
In addition to generating and re~nding to ~F tor:eC~ the ~mention i~ also ~le ~ E~o&clng ~;nd responding to E~ e dial ing signal~. In order to produoe pul~e ~aling sign~lA~ ltne aontrol c~rcuit 36 i~ ~it~ed on ~nd odEf ~3er ~ter cDntrol tc~ pro~e t~e ~ropriate ~tring ~ dialing pU113e6- PUlEle d~ ignal6 are detected using dete*ion c~ra~tq A,4 d ~6. Pulse d~l~ng si~pals ~:oduoe E~lsed alrrent flcb~ rou~ e op~solator 90, ~hlch, in tllrrl~ l;igllal8 ricr ~ ter 16~ , a standard rotary dial tele ~ one ~y be u~ed to prcvide progral~ing in6tructions to ~icrocorputer 16.
The trunk line 6ide cf t~e circuit, cDupled ~o trunk llne port or ~ack 88, includes a trunk line cDntrol circuit 36 wbich F~ w ides a oorFuter cDntrolled rel~y K , oontrolled vla llne A2. Ihe l~ne control circuit 36 1B ~wi~r~Ahle between a voi oe p~th via aign~l rout~ng bu~ 54 ~nd a ringer p th tD ~icrocolpuker 16 ~la trunk llne ring detection circuit 38 and l~ne DQ. m e trunk l~ne rlng detectlon circuit 38 oFerates es~entially as a voJtzlge divider to ~Laoe t~e lr~lng r~ng voltage ~no~inally 100 volt~ RMS) at ocrputer loglc level~. In order tD per~it the c~vi oe to Flaoe an incc~ing call on hold, line hold circuit 40 is coupled to signal routing bus 54. Ihe llne hold circuit lncludes rectifier diodes 94 ~nd a trhn$istorized current sink drcult 96. riodes rectify the inoo~in~ voltage ~ that the ~nv~ntion w~ perate properly regardless of ~be tip and ring polarity of the incc~ing line.
Current ~ink 96 ac~s as ~ load to si~ulate the re~ponse of an offhook teleEbone so tbat the telepbone utility drcuits w~ll 0ensæ tbecurrent f lo~ and retain vo~ oe ooc~unication ccnnections. L$ne current drop ~nterrupt d rcuit 42 ~onltors the current gving into current slnk 96 and detect8 droFout8 a8 a 6top in current flcwo Wb~n a dropout occurs, an interrupt i~ generated, 6ignaling ~icrocc~puter 16 to e~ecute a line current drop interrupt æ rvi oe rout~ne.
n gure 3 depict the eoftware block dl3grar of the invention w~ich i~ Pful in understhnding the lnvention ~n operation. Essentially, the hlock diagr m colpci æ s a group o~ $ntercD~nected ~locks whidh ~y be lnterpreted as ocrputer progr~F rout ~ which oontrol tbe oFesatlon o~ tbe lnv ~ ion. ReEet klock 98 18 tbe entry p~int when ricroco~puter 16 is f~rst powered up- In re~et routine 98, a nurber CLf bou~ekeeplng f ~ ctions are perfor~ed. Y~r eY~rple, a spot check of t~e data skored in r~ndb~
acoess re~ory 68 18 perfo~red. Cyclic redLndancy cbecking retbcds tCRC) r~y be used in thiQ regard. If the RAM d~t~ fAil8 tbe error checking routines, the re~et prooedure inltiilizes tbe d~ta ~pa oe to predbfined dbfault conditlon~. Al~o durlng reset, tbe ~lcr~ccapuker 16 places the circult off hook and atterF~ to dl~l ~ ptedeterrlned nurber, ~uc~ a8 tbe nulber 5, using DIXF code~. If the tel-phco~ l*~llty circuit reEponds wit~
a break ln dial tone, thi8 ~ndicate6 that ~be custorer ba8 tanR BerVioe~
~nd the circuit cf the invention i~ set up to operate wltb ~rMF cqdb~. If a break in diDl tone iB not re oe ived, lt iB afiSU~ed that the cu~turer iB
c~nnected to a pul~e dialed line ~nd the circuit i8 set up to p~cvide only pulse dialing 8ignal8 through trunk l~ne ~ack B8.
~ 5 ~ 3 ~
After all re6et pcocedures h3ve been Ferfor~ed, oontlol p~oceeds to tbe ~tart up walt state 100. Wait state 100 l~ple~ents a loop ~n which Frogra~ control re~a$ns until one o~ the ~elephones is l~fted of hook or unt~1 an incoFing ca~l is received. ~hen either Oe tkefie two events occ~r~, F~ogra~ cDntrol jucp6 to the ~ain control Ero ~ e 102. In the ~ain prograr procedhre, ~crooorputer 16 deteDrines what eYent caused oontrol to ju~p fror the start up pr ~ re tD the ~n proced~re and tben call~ the appropriate procedure for responding to that event.
P~r es~ple, if prograr control entered the sa~n blOCk 102 because of an outside c~ll, control branches to anEwer block lG4. Answer klock 104 dete~r~nes which phcne or phone~ should r~ng. 5his will depend uFon the ~anner in which the DpQbr~tu6 ba~ been progranred, eit~er ~y t~e uEer or ~y the default cond~tion~ estahli~hed in re$et block 98. Ihe inventicn ~y be progr~r~ed to ring all phone~ 0 nnected to the dbvi oe or it rzy be progr~rled to ring Eelected Ehone~ only, or it ~y ke progr~r~ed to ring a first phone for ~ predeter~ined t~re ~nterval ~nd tben tranEfer the ring to ~nother pbone or phones. EsEenti lly, ~icroco~puter 16 routes the ring 8ignæl to the ~ppropr~ate Ehone or pone8 ty Ewitching line control circuit~ 32 ~nd 34 bo the r$nger ~cde ~ln ~bidh coee t~e ~ e rlng~) or to tbe speech ~ode ~in wh$dh case tbe pbone dbe~ not ring).
rn ~dd$tlon to E~reprogr~rred r$ng a~gnal rou ~ , t~e $nvention ~loo has the caE~bllity of routing the ring El9nal $n ~ccordbn oe with instructions ~ent by the calling party. 5he invent$on bas the abllity to treat oe rtain telepbones as eecurity phones, which cannot be rung by a calling party unless the calllng party enters the proper nccess code. 5b i~Flerent this feature, anEwer block 104 jurps to the rultlpurpose r$ng ~nd beep generator block 106. Elock 106 generates the Eo~tw~re trlangle --1~
~ 3~?
e~orrs ~ich t~e tone ring genera~or 56 0r~erts islto t~e 25 ~z. rlng ~gnal. Block 106 also generates the ~F a)des, and iB ~ileo caE~ble o prodlc~ng other ~d~o beeF6 and tone~ u~ed ~y the ~ ren~cn to ~nmn~ate praspts to the u~;er. ~en ~er blodc 104 ~coe6E;e~ ring ~nd i~p generator l~lock 106, a E;~ort ~di~le si~ or bee~ i~; trar~itted on the sign~l rout~ng 2-~1R 54 ~nd out to t~e tru~)c line jack. qtle ~ r~g caLler will receive t~e audi~e ~gnal or beep a~ ~ praspt to enter t~e aCoe6~;
ax3e. ~he entered ~cc~ ~de 1~ interrogated in read and cl~rpare block 108. ~i~ b~or-k dea)des the dialed acce6~ cx)de ~nd ~eck~ the a)de a~st t~e li~ correc~ c~des ~tored in ran&~r hCoeSS ~ory 68. If t~e acoesE; ax3e ~ fo~d ~n the ~rory l~;t, t~en t~e a~rre~nding eealrit~y pbone i8 ~ung. I~ e ~de ~ rx)t fo~d ~n tbe 118~ one of the designated æalrit~ ~one~ wil1 be ~9. In the preE~ently ~re~erred ffr~xadi~nt, re~ tiloclc 98 ret~ up one Et~ non-æ~rit:y e. In the event the p~oper access code ~s nc~t entered, the nonrsecurlty phone will ring. Cf cDur~e, tbe non~security Etone ~ay s$lply be ~ coc~ercially avail~k1e answering ~adh~ne. Eence, the ~enticn provid~ efective c~ creening whic~ e u~er frar b~ving ~o re~;pDnd to ~wi~nted calls, and yet ~e~ reE~pond to all c~lls incc~ing.
If ~ain hlock 102 w ~ a~tered be~ ~e the ~ et of ~ oE the telepbones bas been lifted off hook, tb~t Fhone ifi aukc~at~cally pl~oed ln a cDnditllDn for pl~cing outsiae call8. By ~cJentarily depressing and then liftlng the switc!h bGok, the phone is plaoed in the executlve ~ode 110.
Depres~ing the swltch hcok a ~econd tile returns the progra~ to the ~ain block 102. qbe executive ~ode 18 the pri~ary progr~ ng ~ode ~n whlch ~he user can ~lter the way $n which the lnvention perforrs. ~hble 1 below 5~
__~s the a~rar~ ~ le ~n the eæaItive ~de. ~e first ten ~ n q~le 1 ~e des~nated nC. ~e E~ecutive C~d &lect ~et.
Be~u~e t~ere are only ten d$g~ t3n~rd rotary di~l ~one, the ~ero digit ~s u~3ed a~ a prefix ~o select a ~eoond ~t a~ a:~ands deslgnated a~ t~e E~ tive S~1l3rent ~and Select æt.
~5~i3 ~aBLE~
1 . A~o Redial
2 ~ A~to D~al Era~ R~ Direc~o~y
3 ~ Bold ~ntrol (Toggles ~,/Off)
4 - PrlY~ aDntrol (Tog~es 4/Off)
5 . et C~ded k~r~ Ring ~l~g
6 - Cl ~ded P}ne Rirlg Elag
7 ~ ~et l~e Nurber a~ D~ault Rings
8 - An0Per R411'8 Call Wait~ng Peature
9 ~ Inter~ Call O ~ Blter ~tive'~ 8uE~ ent Henu 1.13nter 2h~rber Int~ E~a# Directory 2 - ~ter ~coe~ Code Into Directory 8 ~lete ~rber Frar Dir~ory 4 ~ Delete ~:oe6s ~de ~rar Directory 5 Eru# Al~. aa~ C~de Entries 6 Y l~rase All Directory E~trie6 8 . I~nter Pirst ~lt~rnate ~ang DiEstanoe Nurber And Code 9 . E~ter 8e~nd Alternate I~ Dl~t~noe Nurber A~d Code ;3~
E~y E#lecting a~r3nd nurber 1 in tbe E~Decutive ~d Select t, the auto redial feature i8 activated. AL~to redi 1 is i~e~ted ~y ~urping to the auto dial hlock 112. ~locJc 112 redirects the progr3r controlled to t~e ~? and pulæ de~der b~o~ 114 where a loop ~8 entered waiting for the u~er to di~l the desired nurber. Qnoe the desired n~rber hzs been entered, prograr cDntrol returns to the ~uto di l ~lock 112, whereupon the ~i~ling routine 116 i~ called. Ihe diPling routine 116 calls upon the ring and beep generating block 106 in order t~ produ oe the de~ired tl~e dblays between nuGber~. qhe auto dial cnr~and nu~ber 2 functions in essentiAlly the sare way, exoe pt that tbe de~ired nusber i~
retrieved fro~ a lookup t~hle ~n RAM inste~d of being en~ered ky the ~al 1 er.
Cbr~and nu~ber 3 in tbe E3ecut~ve osr~n~ Seiect aet place~ the call~ng party on bcld. The ~fld rou ~ e i~ l~plerented in ~old block 118 snd ~unctions by t ~ ng to deter~ine if ~11 pbones nre on book. If this condition i8 ~atisfied, ~cld block 118 ~ce88e8 the ring and beep generator to cause the calling p~rty on hold to hear a Ehort audi~le Eign31 or beep ~nd to cause all local pbo ~ to ring for ~ppro~irateiy 1/2 Eecond every 15 ~eoDnds, a~ a re~inder th~t t~ere i6 a pnrty on bcld.
AS 800n ~B one o¢ thæ telephone b~ndfiet8 i8 picked Upr tbe ~cld condition iB cancelled ~nd control ret~rns to t~e ~ln prograr 102~
Co~and nurber 4 of the E~æcutive Co~nd ~elect 8et i8 the privacy oontrol coc~and wbich, when hotivated, places Dll unused phcnes in the rlng ~ode B0 that voi oe signals w1ll not be Eent to tho~e phones. As discussed Above, tbis is dbne by eelectlvely swltcb~ng line oontrol clrc~its 32 and 34 80 that only on~ pbone 15 cap~ble of recei~ing vol oe Eignal8. Cbr5alldB 5 and 6 of the Execut~ve Cor~and Select 8et ~y be se~ ~ the u~;er to et ~nd clear fla~s wh~ rine whi~ Ehone or ~one~ will ring a~ter ~ p~edeter~ined t~ del~y. Ln t}2e presently pref~erred elrbodi~t, ~ ~ ln~ring caller selects ~ partiallar private F~ne, ~d no ar~7er ~ received within ~ pr~teDr~d nurber of r$ngs, then aontrol i8 swit*led to the r~nE)rlvate defalllt Et~one. ~ rand nu~ber 7 o~ the ~Pcutlve Co~and S~lect 6et ~5 ueed t~ ~et the nu~ber of default ringF before ~hi~ tranfier OCCUr5. Ccr~and nu~er 8 o~ the EYRcutive Cbo~and Select ~et i~ u~ed to anEwer a Etand3rd call waiting 6ignal generated ~y the telephone utllity oo~pany. Cb~and nu~ber 9 places the telephone~ in ~n ~ntercoF ~ode in which the trunk line jack 88 i5 disoonnected fro~ the Glrcuit ~d v~i oe oar~unication i~ estakli~ed between the phone ~ w ~s 82 ~nd 84.
The E~ecutiYe SupFlerent CoF~and Select ~et is used pri~*rily tD
enter or delete telephone nu~bers ~na ~cceæs ~ ~nto the randb~ ac oe sc ne~ory 68. qheEe o ~ are u~ed to enter frequently called nu~bers ~nd long distan oe aco~ss oode5 and ~rea codes lnto ne~ory for use ~ the auto dialer. In addition~ t~rou ~ t~e~e cDde , the u~er c~n ~l~o assign one or ~ore access cQdes t~ a given tele ~ ne for u~e ~ the call w reen~ng feature. Since ~Dre than one acoeas code C~n be ~s~igned ~D one ~ e~ it ~B pDsBible to b~we one ~a8ter access code w~ich w~ll ascess all telephones, ~nd one or ~ore unique ~cce B CDde8 a~socia~ed only wlth one telephone. Sin oe the~e OOdeB are ~tored in randor ~c~e~ ~e~ory, they ~ay be changed by the uEer at any tile.
In ~ddition to the oor~2nd~ 6et for~h in 5akle 1 ~bove, the ~nvention ~ay be progranred to irplerent ot~er functionfi ~6 well. For e3a~ple, the invention ~3y be ufied to an~lyze ~nd digit ly record ~n audio beeper tone, like that produced by a rerote c~ntrol devi oe found ~J~ 3~
are an~ering U`a*line5~ r~o~e oontrol dsvioe~ are included wlth the ~er~ng ~a~ine to allaw the ~ner ~ retrieve D'e5fia~
calling hare and u~ing ~e bee~r to a tivate pl~baek. q~e ~vention ~y be cx~nfigured 'co reproduoe tbe beeper tone al ~n~and, ln ~rder to ac~ vate the ~n~ering ~achine. q~e u~er need no longer o~rry t~e r~rote oontrol b~eper~ ~ln oe the ~udible beeper tone can be reproduoed at will in respon~e to a predeter~ined di~led ~c oe s~ oode. ~b ~rple~ent thifi feature, the above list of ccrl~nds i~ expanded to include a learn nxx3e in place of one c the hove fun~tlon~, for eY3~ple. ~nYen plaoed in the learn D~Pde~ the lnvention refi~xonds to audi~le tones input vla phone 1 or E~ne 2. q~ er would si~y F~aoe the irsventicn in the le&rn ~ode and t~en, ~ding tbe r~rote o~ntral beeper to the ~uthpieoe o~ Fhone 1 or Ehone 2, acti~Ja~ e be~er. q~e ir~e~tial re~;por~ to ~e a:~dible tone t~ u~lyzing it u~ing t~e h~ band filter 50 and tl~e l~w b~nd f~l~cer 52 to deternine the freq ~ ncy ~ rpor~nts of the u~dible ~ eper tone. 5~e ~requency data i~ then ~tored in r~ndo~ acce~s ~e~ory 68. ~n~en the user wishes to l~sue the particular audible beeper tDne lin order t~ ac~ivate the playback ~e~Yani~r of an anEwering ~achine, for eYAFple~ a predefined AOOea8 oDde i~ input vi~ trunk line 14. In YYX3t i ~ a, the user ifi r~ ng fror a rerote location and would s~ply di~l tbe predeter~lned aooess oDde in regponEe to a plro~pt frar the invention. Fbce~Et of the prede~ined acoess oode cau~es the invention to re~x~jtruct the audible beeFer tone u~ing the tone generating circuitry deacribed above. qhe beeFer tone is routed to the approprinte ~hone d~vl oe ~pbone l or phone 2), causing t~e answering ~achine to respond with a playback of all tele p one ~essages pre~iously recorded.
Referring ncw to Figures 4 through 6, the r23~F routlnes are ~ ~5~G3~ -__lustrated. Ihese routlnes ~re used to decode DrMF Bi9nal~ and to deter~ine the frequency content o~ an ~udio tone. qhe routine~ ~re thus used in converting uEer-entered access code~ and oor~and ~elect oDde~ fro~
~n audio fo~rat to a digital logic forrat uEeable ~y ~icsocorputer 16.
The wdio path on bus 54 is fed into the two band ~plltting filter~ 50 ~nd 52 which have pre~et break fr~uencies c di8c~ bave. ~e cira~try ~ociated with filters 50 2nd 52 oarprie~ a pair o~ zero cro6~ing detector~ whi~ pro~ide out~uts on leads D7 ~ D6 to ~icroc~puter 16.
I~icroaar~ter 16 re~ipon~3E; to the data via lead~; D7 ~nd D6. In acoordanoe with the rout~e5 illust~ated in Figures 4 t~rough 6.
Figure 4 deplcts ~ control routir~ whic~ ~B W d to properly lnterfa oe tbe actu~l DqMF ~ubroutlne (~bown in Figures 5 and 6) w~t~ the rest o~ the ~oftware. The routine of Figure 4 ~ the DTMF routine and if a v~l~d digit is returned, oont$nue~ ~n the loop. I ~ v~lid diglt i~
not returned, oDntrol exit6. If a v lid d~git 1B returned, the routin then oont~nues to call the DIMF routlne looking for a valid digit. It continues to loop until a valid digit iB not found for 40 ~lliseconds, at which tlre it returns t~ tbe calling progra~.
With referen oe to ~igure 5, the first p rt of t~e Dr~F rout~ne i~
of fi~ed leng~h for ti~ng purposes. ~18 first part accu~lates & ta fro~ the zero cro6sing detec~ors oYer a 33 ~illieecona tiIe F r~od. lhiB
ti~e perlod i8 actually 0ix individual 5.5 ~ eoond t~e periods. qbe routine continually loop6 through this ~ection, ~ocu~ulating zero cro6sing data and storlng tbe data in two 6-byte t~bles. Also during thls section, zero cro~61ng inte N~l neasurerents ~re ~de, and the routlne exits if either frequency ba~d i8 out of toleranc~. Also, there 18 ~ 2 ~llll~eo~nd Abh~un oe ti~e preoeding this Qection whi~h ~Ykes ti~e period ~eafiure~ents ~X5~
exits if the t~ ~;ured are n~t within præetenrined ~FeCificationfi.
Onoe the data ha~ been aca~ulated, it i~ ooes~ed to deteDrine ~f ~t wa~ a val~d D~F tone wh~ 3ed ~ntrol to proceed throl~gh the routine. Fir6t, ~ the ~ta ln eac~ 6~e t~h!e 1~ u~d up, and tt~en ~ rpared to a table conta~ g standard zero cros~ing data for DTMF tone~. If ~ ~atch i8 found for both high ~nd low frequency band~, then each indi~idu~l 5.5 ~illi~econd d~ta byte i6 ocrpared with ~nother t h~e that contains Et~ux3ard zero crossing data for DkMF tones of that length. If ~11 of tbose are found to ~atch, the actu21 button on the telephone dbvi oe whlch was & presaed i~ calcLlated uslng the loc~ticn of the data where tbe ~atsh cxx urred in the tAble ($.e., tbe table i6 $n ~ecending order o~ bcne~ t ~ny tiFe a 3~tch i8 not found, or ~f a t$le period error was deterrined ln t~e first fiection, t~e tire ue~d up ~y t~e routine i6 cal~ulated ~nd the error i~ reported. Figure 5 depicts the firEk eection of the routine while Figure 6 depicts tbe ~econd.
Referring now to Figures 7 through 11, tbe ~outine for gener~ting tones i8 illustrated. ~he6e routines ccrprlse a ÇirEk ~ubroutine BTIME
uoed to initialize the variable and Ywitche~ for t~e interrupt rout~ne, bnd ~180 ~ eecond 8ubroutlne ~51~E~ ~h~db disable~ interrupts ~nd ~ets t~e digi~Al to ~nalog 0 nverter to a steady state. AsEuFing thst a two frequency t~ne i6 to be generated, e.g. ~ DIMF tone, t~e routine ~rust generate two frequencie~ referred to in the flow chart as frequency 1 ~nd freguency 2. Referring to Figure 7, the EloFe of fr q uency 1 and ~r q uency 2 are first Eet and then the 9qIME subroutine i~ oalled. The BTIME subroutine ls ustrated ln Figure 8. It operates by ~sces~ing initializatlon ta~lefi ~nd then enabling the tone generation clrcuitry.
~en the tone has ~ounded for a ~ufficient length of tl~e, either a pre~elected length of t~e or until tbe sy te~ ha~ chAnged, the EIIME
routi~e i~ called to end the tone generation. Ihis routine is ~llu~trated in Figure 9t and proceed~ by di~akling ~nterruFts and dlsabllng the tone generation circultry.
Tanes ~re generated usLng ~n lnterrupk ~ervioe rou~lne wbich ~s ~ ed every 176 ~icroseoondæ a~d t~e tonR data i~ eent out via the 6-blts E2-E7 of the D to A oDnverter of tone ring generator 56. The two frequencies ~e calculated ln ~oftware as trlangular w~ves, at the frequencies qpecified by ~he ~loFes. Tbeee ase added to~ether ~nd ~ent out Yia the D to h converter o~ tone ring generator S6. Ibe output of tone ring generator 56 ~8 a triangular wDve ~hich i~ flltered by hardware lnko and ~pproxi~ately 6inusoidzl ~Dve ~depending on tbe fre~uency of the bwo tones being yenerated). qbe interrupt routine for gener~ting tones i~
ul3trated in Pigures 10 and 11.
Wkile tbe lnventlon ha~ been descr~hed ln lts F~eferred ecbod~cent, it iS tD be under~tood tbat the ~nvention i6 clpable of ~odification without departing fros the tsue Ecope ~nd ~pirit o~ the lnvention in its bro~der aBpeCt8.
E~y E#lecting a~r3nd nurber 1 in tbe E~Decutive ~d Select t, the auto redial feature i8 activated. AL~to redi 1 is i~e~ted ~y ~urping to the auto dial hlock 112. ~locJc 112 redirects the progr3r controlled to t~e ~? and pulæ de~der b~o~ 114 where a loop ~8 entered waiting for the u~er to di~l the desired nurber. Qnoe the desired n~rber hzs been entered, prograr cDntrol returns to the ~uto di l ~lock 112, whereupon the ~i~ling routine 116 i~ called. Ihe diPling routine 116 calls upon the ring and beep generating block 106 in order t~ produ oe the de~ired tl~e dblays between nuGber~. qhe auto dial cnr~and nu~ber 2 functions in essentiAlly the sare way, exoe pt that tbe de~ired nusber i~
retrieved fro~ a lookup t~hle ~n RAM inste~d of being en~ered ky the ~al 1 er.
Cbr~and nu~ber 3 in tbe E3ecut~ve osr~n~ Seiect aet place~ the call~ng party on bcld. The ~fld rou ~ e i~ l~plerented in ~old block 118 snd ~unctions by t ~ ng to deter~ine if ~11 pbones nre on book. If this condition i8 ~atisfied, ~cld block 118 ~ce88e8 the ring and beep generator to cause the calling p~rty on hold to hear a Ehort audi~le Eign31 or beep ~nd to cause all local pbo ~ to ring for ~ppro~irateiy 1/2 Eecond every 15 ~eoDnds, a~ a re~inder th~t t~ere i6 a pnrty on bcld.
AS 800n ~B one o¢ thæ telephone b~ndfiet8 i8 picked Upr tbe ~cld condition iB cancelled ~nd control ret~rns to t~e ~ln prograr 102~
Co~and nurber 4 of the E~æcutive Co~nd ~elect 8et i8 the privacy oontrol coc~and wbich, when hotivated, places Dll unused phcnes in the rlng ~ode B0 that voi oe signals w1ll not be Eent to tho~e phones. As discussed Above, tbis is dbne by eelectlvely swltcb~ng line oontrol clrc~its 32 and 34 80 that only on~ pbone 15 cap~ble of recei~ing vol oe Eignal8. Cbr5alldB 5 and 6 of the Execut~ve Cor~and Select 8et ~y be se~ ~ the u~;er to et ~nd clear fla~s wh~ rine whi~ Ehone or ~one~ will ring a~ter ~ p~edeter~ined t~ del~y. Ln t}2e presently pref~erred elrbodi~t, ~ ~ ln~ring caller selects ~ partiallar private F~ne, ~d no ar~7er ~ received within ~ pr~teDr~d nurber of r$ngs, then aontrol i8 swit*led to the r~nE)rlvate defalllt Et~one. ~ rand nu~ber 7 o~ the ~Pcutlve Co~and S~lect 6et ~5 ueed t~ ~et the nu~ber of default ringF before ~hi~ tranfier OCCUr5. Ccr~and nu~er 8 o~ the EYRcutive Cbo~and Select ~et i~ u~ed to anEwer a Etand3rd call waiting 6ignal generated ~y the telephone utllity oo~pany. Cb~and nu~ber 9 places the telephone~ in ~n ~ntercoF ~ode in which the trunk line jack 88 i5 disoonnected fro~ the Glrcuit ~d v~i oe oar~unication i~ estakli~ed between the phone ~ w ~s 82 ~nd 84.
The E~ecutiYe SupFlerent CoF~and Select ~et is used pri~*rily tD
enter or delete telephone nu~bers ~na ~cceæs ~ ~nto the randb~ ac oe sc ne~ory 68. qheEe o ~ are u~ed to enter frequently called nu~bers ~nd long distan oe aco~ss oode5 and ~rea codes lnto ne~ory for use ~ the auto dialer. In addition~ t~rou ~ t~e~e cDde , the u~er c~n ~l~o assign one or ~ore access cQdes t~ a given tele ~ ne for u~e ~ the call w reen~ng feature. Since ~Dre than one acoeas code C~n be ~s~igned ~D one ~ e~ it ~B pDsBible to b~we one ~a8ter access code w~ich w~ll ascess all telephones, ~nd one or ~ore unique ~cce B CDde8 a~socia~ed only wlth one telephone. Sin oe the~e OOdeB are ~tored in randor ~c~e~ ~e~ory, they ~ay be changed by the uEer at any tile.
In ~ddition to the oor~2nd~ 6et for~h in 5akle 1 ~bove, the ~nvention ~ay be progranred to irplerent ot~er functionfi ~6 well. For e3a~ple, the invention ~3y be ufied to an~lyze ~nd digit ly record ~n audio beeper tone, like that produced by a rerote c~ntrol devi oe found ~J~ 3~
are an~ering U`a*line5~ r~o~e oontrol dsvioe~ are included wlth the ~er~ng ~a~ine to allaw the ~ner ~ retrieve D'e5fia~
calling hare and u~ing ~e bee~r to a tivate pl~baek. q~e ~vention ~y be cx~nfigured 'co reproduoe tbe beeper tone al ~n~and, ln ~rder to ac~ vate the ~n~ering ~achine. q~e u~er need no longer o~rry t~e r~rote oontrol b~eper~ ~ln oe the ~udible beeper tone can be reproduoed at will in respon~e to a predeter~ined di~led ~c oe s~ oode. ~b ~rple~ent thifi feature, the above list of ccrl~nds i~ expanded to include a learn nxx3e in place of one c the hove fun~tlon~, for eY3~ple. ~nYen plaoed in the learn D~Pde~ the lnvention refi~xonds to audi~le tones input vla phone 1 or E~ne 2. q~ er would si~y F~aoe the irsventicn in the le&rn ~ode and t~en, ~ding tbe r~rote o~ntral beeper to the ~uthpieoe o~ Fhone 1 or Ehone 2, acti~Ja~ e be~er. q~e ir~e~tial re~;por~ to ~e a:~dible tone t~ u~lyzing it u~ing t~e h~ band filter 50 and tl~e l~w b~nd f~l~cer 52 to deternine the freq ~ ncy ~ rpor~nts of the u~dible ~ eper tone. 5~e ~requency data i~ then ~tored in r~ndo~ acce~s ~e~ory 68. ~n~en the user wishes to l~sue the particular audible beeper tDne lin order t~ ac~ivate the playback ~e~Yani~r of an anEwering ~achine, for eYAFple~ a predefined AOOea8 oDde i~ input vi~ trunk line 14. In YYX3t i ~ a, the user ifi r~ ng fror a rerote location and would s~ply di~l tbe predeter~lned aooess oDde in regponEe to a plro~pt frar the invention. Fbce~Et of the prede~ined acoess oode cau~es the invention to re~x~jtruct the audible beeFer tone u~ing the tone generating circuitry deacribed above. qhe beeFer tone is routed to the approprinte ~hone d~vl oe ~pbone l or phone 2), causing t~e answering ~achine to respond with a playback of all tele p one ~essages pre~iously recorded.
Referring ncw to Figures 4 through 6, the r23~F routlnes are ~ ~5~G3~ -__lustrated. Ihese routlnes ~re used to decode DrMF Bi9nal~ and to deter~ine the frequency content o~ an ~udio tone. qhe routine~ ~re thus used in converting uEer-entered access code~ and oor~and ~elect oDde~ fro~
~n audio fo~rat to a digital logic forrat uEeable ~y ~icsocorputer 16.
The wdio path on bus 54 is fed into the two band ~plltting filter~ 50 ~nd 52 which have pre~et break fr~uencies c di8c~ bave. ~e cira~try ~ociated with filters 50 2nd 52 oarprie~ a pair o~ zero cro6~ing detector~ whi~ pro~ide out~uts on leads D7 ~ D6 to ~icroc~puter 16.
I~icroaar~ter 16 re~ipon~3E; to the data via lead~; D7 ~nd D6. In acoordanoe with the rout~e5 illust~ated in Figures 4 t~rough 6.
Figure 4 deplcts ~ control routir~ whic~ ~B W d to properly lnterfa oe tbe actu~l DqMF ~ubroutlne (~bown in Figures 5 and 6) w~t~ the rest o~ the ~oftware. The routine of Figure 4 ~ the DTMF routine and if a v~l~d digit is returned, oont$nue~ ~n the loop. I ~ v~lid diglt i~
not returned, oDntrol exit6. If a v lid d~git 1B returned, the routin then oont~nues to call the DIMF routlne looking for a valid digit. It continues to loop until a valid digit iB not found for 40 ~lliseconds, at which tlre it returns t~ tbe calling progra~.
With referen oe to ~igure 5, the first p rt of t~e Dr~F rout~ne i~
of fi~ed leng~h for ti~ng purposes. ~18 first part accu~lates & ta fro~ the zero cro6sing detec~ors oYer a 33 ~illieecona tiIe F r~od. lhiB
ti~e perlod i8 actually 0ix individual 5.5 ~ eoond t~e periods. qbe routine continually loop6 through this ~ection, ~ocu~ulating zero cro6sing data and storlng tbe data in two 6-byte t~bles. Also during thls section, zero cro~61ng inte N~l neasurerents ~re ~de, and the routlne exits if either frequency ba~d i8 out of toleranc~. Also, there 18 ~ 2 ~llll~eo~nd Abh~un oe ti~e preoeding this Qection whi~h ~Ykes ti~e period ~eafiure~ents ~X5~
exits if the t~ ~;ured are n~t within præetenrined ~FeCificationfi.
Onoe the data ha~ been aca~ulated, it i~ ooes~ed to deteDrine ~f ~t wa~ a val~d D~F tone wh~ 3ed ~ntrol to proceed throl~gh the routine. Fir6t, ~ the ~ta ln eac~ 6~e t~h!e 1~ u~d up, and tt~en ~ rpared to a table conta~ g standard zero cros~ing data for DTMF tone~. If ~ ~atch i8 found for both high ~nd low frequency band~, then each indi~idu~l 5.5 ~illi~econd d~ta byte i6 ocrpared with ~nother t h~e that contains Et~ux3ard zero crossing data for DkMF tones of that length. If ~11 of tbose are found to ~atch, the actu21 button on the telephone dbvi oe whlch was & presaed i~ calcLlated uslng the loc~ticn of the data where tbe ~atsh cxx urred in the tAble ($.e., tbe table i6 $n ~ecending order o~ bcne~ t ~ny tiFe a 3~tch i8 not found, or ~f a t$le period error was deterrined ln t~e first fiection, t~e tire ue~d up ~y t~e routine i6 cal~ulated ~nd the error i~ reported. Figure 5 depicts the firEk eection of the routine while Figure 6 depicts tbe ~econd.
Referring now to Figures 7 through 11, tbe ~outine for gener~ting tones i8 illustrated. ~he6e routines ccrprlse a ÇirEk ~ubroutine BTIME
uoed to initialize the variable and Ywitche~ for t~e interrupt rout~ne, bnd ~180 ~ eecond 8ubroutlne ~51~E~ ~h~db disable~ interrupts ~nd ~ets t~e digi~Al to ~nalog 0 nverter to a steady state. AsEuFing thst a two frequency t~ne i6 to be generated, e.g. ~ DIMF tone, t~e routine ~rust generate two frequencie~ referred to in the flow chart as frequency 1 ~nd freguency 2. Referring to Figure 7, the EloFe of fr q uency 1 and ~r q uency 2 are first Eet and then the 9qIME subroutine i~ oalled. The BTIME subroutine ls ustrated ln Figure 8. It operates by ~sces~ing initializatlon ta~lefi ~nd then enabling the tone generation clrcuitry.
~en the tone has ~ounded for a ~ufficient length of tl~e, either a pre~elected length of t~e or until tbe sy te~ ha~ chAnged, the EIIME
routi~e i~ called to end the tone generation. Ihis routine is ~llu~trated in Figure 9t and proceed~ by di~akling ~nterruFts and dlsabllng the tone generation circultry.
Tanes ~re generated usLng ~n lnterrupk ~ervioe rou~lne wbich ~s ~ ed every 176 ~icroseoondæ a~d t~e tonR data i~ eent out via the 6-blts E2-E7 of the D to A oDnverter of tone ring generator 56. The two frequencies ~e calculated ln ~oftware as trlangular w~ves, at the frequencies qpecified by ~he ~loFes. Tbeee ase added to~ether ~nd ~ent out Yia the D to h converter o~ tone ring generator S6. Ibe output of tone ring generator 56 ~8 a triangular wDve ~hich i~ flltered by hardware lnko and ~pproxi~ately 6inusoidzl ~Dve ~depending on tbe fre~uency of the bwo tones being yenerated). qbe interrupt routine for gener~ting tones i~
ul3trated in Pigures 10 and 11.
Wkile tbe lnventlon ha~ been descr~hed ln lts F~eferred ecbod~cent, it iS tD be under~tood tbat the ~nvention i6 clpable of ~odification without departing fros the tsue Ecope ~nd ~pirit o~ the lnvention in its bro~der aBpeCt8.
Claims (33)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A programmable telephone interface apparatus for coupling a plurality of telephone devices to a telephone utility network, comprising:
programmable switching means, having a plurality of ports, each port being adapted to support bidirectional telephonic communication, including at least one trunk line port adapted for connection to said telephone utility network and at least two device ports each adapted for connection to a telephone device;
said switching means providing a stored configura-tion of access codes representing predefined connections between selected ones of said ports; and input means responsive to signals entered through a telephone device communicating through one of said ports for changing said stored configuration;
wherein said switching means is responsive to access code signals originating from said telephone utility network for selectively connecting said trunk line port to a selected one of said device ports.
programmable switching means, having a plurality of ports, each port being adapted to support bidirectional telephonic communication, including at least one trunk line port adapted for connection to said telephone utility network and at least two device ports each adapted for connection to a telephone device;
said switching means providing a stored configura-tion of access codes representing predefined connections between selected ones of said ports; and input means responsive to signals entered through a telephone device communicating through one of said ports for changing said stored configuration;
wherein said switching means is responsive to access code signals originating from said telephone utility network for selectively connecting said trunk line port to a selected one of said device ports.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising initializing means for establishing an initial configuration of predefined connections.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said input means alters said initial configuration in response to said signals entered through said telephone device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for storing said configuration of predefined connections.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising timing means and wherein said switching means is responsive to said timing means to change said connections between said ports in accordance with said stored configuration.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data input means comprises means for decoding DTMF tone signals.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data input means comprises means for decoding pulse dialing tone signals.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising ring voltage generation means responsive to said programming means for producing a ring signal for energizing the ring circuit of a telephone unit.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input means is responsive to access codes entered through said one port adapted for connection to said telephone utility network.
10. A telephone call screening apparatus for coupling to a plurality of telephone devices and to a telephone utility network, comprising:
a means for storing a list comprising a plurality of access codes;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through said trunk line port and for comparing said received access code with said list; and switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between said trunk line port and a selected ones of said device ports in accordance with the results of said comparison.
a means for storing a list comprising a plurality of access codes;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through said trunk line port and for comparing said received access code with said list; and switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between said trunk line port and a selected ones of said device ports in accordance with the results of said comparison.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising tone generation means for transmitting a signal through at least one of said ports for prompting the entry of said access code.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said list of access codes includes at least a first access code associated with said first telephone device port and said switching means establishes communication between said first telephone device port and another of said ports when said first access code is entered through one of said ports.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said list of access codes includes a second access code associated with said first telephone device port.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising programming means responsive to said ports for changing said access codes in said list.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said switching means establishes communication between said first telephone device port and said trunk line port when said first access code is entered through one of said ports.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said one of said ports is said trunk line port.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said switching means establishes communication between said first telephone device port and said second telephone device port when said first access code is entered through one of said ports.
18. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for generating a telephone ringer signal and for selectively directing said ringer signal to said first and second telephone device ports.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said generating means comprises:
a DC to DC converter means;
a waveform generating means; and an amplifier means coupled to said converter means and coupled to said waveform generating means for producing an alternating current ringer signal for directly energizing the ringer circuits of said telephone devices.
a DC to DC converter means;
a waveform generating means; and an amplifier means coupled to said converter means and coupled to said waveform generating means for producing an alternating current ringer signal for directly energizing the ringer circuits of said telephone devices.
20. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising call holding means for selectively disconnecting said trunk line port and means for simultaneously connecting a load to said trunk line port for maintaining a telephonic connection while placing a calling party on hold.
21. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for generating telephone dialing signals.
22. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for generating DTMF telephone dialing signals.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said DTMF
generating means comprises microprocessor means for providing digital tone signals and digital to analog conversion means for converting said digital tone signals to analog signals.
generating means comprises microprocessor means for providing digital tone signals and digital to analog conversion means for converting said digital tone signals to analog signals.
24. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for generating pulsed telephone dialing signals.
25. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for testing the DTMF dialing compatibility of said telephone network and means for selectively generating either DTMF telephone dialing signals or pulsed telephone dialing signals in response to said compatibility testing means.
26. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising automatic dialing means for generating a predetermined sequence of dialing signals for output through said trunk line port.
27. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising lockout means for selectively disabling one of said telephone device ports.
28. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means coupled to said trunk line port for detecting speech path switching dropout and means responsive to said dropout detection means for switching at least one of said telephone device ports between a voice supporting mode and a ringer supporting mode.
29. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising DTMF decoding means including a first filter having a bandpass zone from about 697 Hz. to about 941 Hz. and including a second filter having a bandpass zone from about 1209 Hz. to about 2500 Hz., said second filter having substantial signal emphasis above about 1477 Hz.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said signal emphasis is about 6 dB relative to the passband of said second filter between about 1209 Hz. and about 1477 Hz.
31. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means for determining the frequency of a signal input through one of said ports, means for saving data indicative of said frequency so determined, and means for generating a tone signal based on said data in response to a predetermined access code.
32. A telephone call screening apparatus for coupling to a plurality of telephone devices and to a telephone utility network, comprising:
a means for storing a list comprising at least one access code;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through one of said ports and for comparing said receiving access code with said list;
switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between selected ones of said ports in accordance with the results of said comparison; and means for testing the DTMF dialing compatibility of said telephone network and means for selectively generating either DTMF telephone dialing signals or pulsed telephone dialing signals in response to said compatibility testing means.
a means for storing a list comprising at least one access code;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through one of said ports and for comparing said receiving access code with said list;
switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between selected ones of said ports in accordance with the results of said comparison; and means for testing the DTMF dialing compatibility of said telephone network and means for selectively generating either DTMF telephone dialing signals or pulsed telephone dialing signals in response to said compatibility testing means.
33. A telephone call screening apparatus for coupling to a plurality of telephone devices and to a telephone utility network, comprising:
a means for storing a list comprising at least one access code;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through one of said ports and for comparing said received access code with said list;
switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between selected ones of said ports in accordance with the results of said comparison; and means coupled to said trunk line port for detecting speech path switching dropout and means responsive to said dropout detection means for switching at least one of said telephone device ports between a voice supporting mode and ringer supporting mode.
a means for storing a list comprising at least one access code;
a trunk line port for coupling to said telephone utility network;
first and second telephone device ports for coupling to said plurality of telephone devices;
means for receiving an access code through one of said ports and for comparing said received access code with said list;
switching means responsive to said access code receiving and comparing means for establishing signal communication between selected ones of said ports in accordance with the results of said comparison; and means coupled to said trunk line port for detecting speech path switching dropout and means responsive to said dropout detection means for switching at least one of said telephone device ports between a voice supporting mode and ringer supporting mode.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/778,540 US4674115A (en) | 1985-09-20 | 1985-09-20 | Programmable telephone switcher |
| US778,540 | 1985-09-20 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1254639A true CA1254639A (en) | 1989-05-23 |
Family
ID=25113704
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000518072A Expired CA1254639A (en) | 1985-09-20 | 1986-09-12 | Programmable telephone switcher |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4674115A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1254639A (en) |
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US4674115A (en) | 1987-06-16 |
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