System for internet telephony devices to announce incoming calls

• US 20010033647A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Original Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Inventors: Veschi, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/372
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A system detects an incoming telephone call and routes the ring signal to a loudspeaker so that it can be heard at a distance from the telephony device. Once the incoming call has been acknowledged the incoming signal is routed to the headset. New incoming calls are identified by verifying the presence of unique characteristics that are found only in incoming calls. In a conventional telephone the unique characteristic can be a combination of frequencies which are part of the ring signal. The frequencies can be verified by using a bandpass filter which allows only frequencies centered around the ring frequency to pass. Therefore, if a signal of correct frequency is present it will pass through the bandpass filter and activate a switch that routes the signal to the loudspeaker.

Claims

1. A circuit for detecting and routing a telephone ringing signal, comprising:

an input terminal for receiving a telephone ringing signal;

a frequency filter for selecting signals of a specific frequency from said ringing signal; and

a switch, responsive to said selected signals, for routing said telephone ringing signal.

2. The circuit of

claim 1

comprising two bandpass filters.

3. The circuit of

claim 1

comprising two switches.

4. The circuit of

claim 1

wherein said switch is an analog switch.

5. The circuit of

claim 1

further comprising a capacitor for removing noise of said specific frequency.

6. The circuit of

claim 1

further comprising a speaker.

7. A method of detecting and routing an incoming ringing signal for a telephone, comprising the steps of:

splitting off a portion of the incoming ringing signal;

checking if a desired characteristic is present in the portion of the incoming ringing signal; and

routing the incoming ringing signal based on whether the characteristic is present.

8. The method of

claim 7

wherein said characteristic is frequency.

9. The method of

claim 7

wherein said characteristic is wavelength.

10. The method of

claim 7

wherein said characteristic is a wave packet generated by a computer server.

11. The method of

claim 7

wherein said step of checking checks for the presence of a plurality of characteristics.

12. A system for detecting and routing an incoming signal, comprising:

a frequency filter for selecting signals of a specific frequency from said incoming signal;

a capacitor for removing brief intervals of said selected signals;

a switch responsive to said selected signals for routing said incoming signal; and

a speaker.

13. The system of

claim 12

comprising two frequency filters.

14. The system of

claim 12

comprising two switches.

15. The system of

claim 12

wherein said switch is an analog switch.

16. A system for detecting and routing an incoming signal, comprising:

an input/ouput device for receiving and transmtting the incoming signal;

a CPU for processing the incoming signal;

logic for analyzing the processed signal;

an amplifer for amplifying a ringing signal; and

a speaker for outputting said amplified signal.

17. The system of

claim 16

wherein said input/output device is a soundcard.

18. The system of

claim 16

wherein said CPU is part of a personal computer.

19. The system of

claim 16

wherein said logic is in software.

20. The system of

claim 16

wherein said input/output device is an analog to digital converter.