Telephone line management and environmental information monitoring system

• US 20040247102A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Reindle, Mark E., Katz, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US10/778,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/50 by generating or selecting currents of predetermined frequencies or combinations of frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A telephone line management system in communication with a telephone line is provided. In one aspect, the system includes a caller ID module operatively coupled to the telephone line for receiving and displaying a name and a telephone number of a calling party associated with a received telephone call and a false special information tone (SIT) generator module operatively coupled to the telephone line for sending a false signal on a telephone line substantially similar to at least a first part of a SIT in response to an incoming telephone call. In another aspect, the system includes a caller ID module, a false SIT generator module, and a controller for determining when the name and telephone number of a calling party is displayed and when the false signal is operationally coupled to the telephone line. In other embodiments, the system may include an answering machine module or a telephone module.

Claims

1-21. -21. (Canceled)

22. An apparatus in communication with a telephone line, including:

an environmental information monitor module with a display device and a first controller in communication with the display device;

one or more sensors in operative communication with the first controller to detect one or more conditions within the environment of the apparatus and to communicate the one or more detected conditions to the first controller for display on the display device, wherein the first controller determines when the one or more environmental conditions detected by the one or more sensors are displayed on the display device; and

,

a false special information tone (SIT) generator module operatively coupled to the telephone line for sending a false signal on a telephone line substantially similar to at least a first part of a SIT in response to an incoming telephone call, the false SIT generator module including a second controller to control the false SIT generator and determine when the false signal is operationally coupled to the telephone line.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, further including:

a local pager module operatively coupled to the environmental information monitor module to provide notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the local pager module displays information associated with the detected environmental condition.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the local pager module provides notice an environmental condition has been detected by at least one of i) annunciating and ii) vibrating.

26. The apparatus according to claim 22, further including:

a modem operatively coupled to the environmental information monitor module and operatively coupled to the telephone line, wherein the environmental information monitor module provides notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors by communicating such notice via the telephone system.

27. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the environmental information monitor module is operatively coupled to the telephone line and provides notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors by communicating such notice via the telephone system.

28. An apparatus in communication with a telephone line, including:

an environmental information monitor module with a display device and a first controller in communication with the display device;

one or more sensors in operative communication with the first controller to detect one or more conditions within the environment of the apparatus and to communicate the one or more detected conditions to the first controller for display on the display device, wherein the first controller determines when the one or more environmental conditions detected by the one or more sensors are displayed on the display device; and

,

a false special information tone (SIT) generator module operatively coupled to the telephone line for sending a false signal on a telephone line substantially similar to at least a first part of a SIT in response to an incoming telephone call.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, the false SIT generator module further including:

a second controller to control the false SIT generator and determine when the false signal is operationally coupled to the telephone line.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, the environmental information monitor module further including:

a transmitter/receiver means in communication with the first controller.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a telephone ringing sensor operatively coupled to the telephone line to detect ringing on the telephone line and to communicate a telephone ringing condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes an indoor temperature sensor to communicate a current indoor temperature condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

33. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes an outdoor temperature sensor to communicate a current outdoor temperature condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

34. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a fire/smoke sensor to communicate a fire/smoke condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

35. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a carbon monoxide sensor to communicate a carbon monoxide condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

36. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a garage door open sensor to communicate a garage door open condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

37. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a garage door interrupted sensor and communicates a garage door interrupted condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

38. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the sensor includes a door bell sensor and communicates a door bell ringing condition to the environmental information monitor module for display on the display device.

40. The telephone line management and environmental information monitoring system according to claim 37, further including:

a local pager module operatively coupled to the environmental information monitor module to provide notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors.

41. The telephone line management and environmental information monitoring system according to claim 37, further including at least one of:

a modem operatively coupled to the environmental information monitor module and operatively coupled to the telephone line, wherein the environmental information monitor module provides notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors by communicating such notice via the telephone system;

a caller identification (caller ID) module operatively connected to the telephone line for receiving and displaying a name and a telephone number of a calling party associated with a telephone call received over the telephone line;

an answering machine module operatively connected to the telephone line for sending an outgoing audio message on the telephone line and for recording an incoming audio message from the calling party; and

,

a telephone module operatively connected to the telephone line for answering an incoming telephone call on the telephone line and for communicating with the calling party.

42. The telephone line management and environmental information monitoring system according to claim 37, wherein the environmental information monitor module is operatively coupled to the telephone line and provides notice an environmental condition has been detected by the one or more sensors by communicating such notice via the telephone system.

39. A telephone line management and environmental information monitoring system in communication with a telephone line, including:

an environmental information monitor module with a display device and a first controller in communication with the display device, wherein the first controller controls the environmental information monitor;

one or more sensors in operative communication with the environmental information monitor to detect one or more conditions within the environment of the apparatus, wherein the first controller receives one or more environmental conditions detected by the one or more sensors and determines when the one or more environmental conditions are displayed on the display device; and

,

a false special information tone (SIT) generator module operatively connected to the telephone line for sending a false signal on a telephone line substantially similar to at least a first part of a SIT in response to an incoming telephone call, the false SIT generator module including a second controller to control the false SIT generator and determine when the false signal is operationally coupled to the telephone line.