Cordless telephone system and method of connecting the same with interrupting caller

• US 20070149188A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hideaki, Miyashita, Mihoko
• Application Number:
  US11/643,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A cordless telephone system includes a base unit having a first handset, a second handset, an interruption replying unit, and a switching unit. A first multiple-party call is implemented between a first caller on the first handset, a second caller on the second handset, and an external caller on the outside line. A second multiple-party call is implemented between the first caller, the second caller, and an interrupting caller on the outside line. An interruption replying unit outputs a first replying signal and a second replying signal in response to a first caller'"'"'s instruction and a second caller'"'"'s instruction produced when the interrupting caller calls the base unit during the first multiple party call. A switching unit disconnects the second handset from the outside line if the first replying signal is outputted earlier than the second replying signal, and disconnect the first handset from the outside line if the second replying signal is outputted earlier than the first replying signal.

Claims

1. A cordless telephone system comprising:

a base unit having a first handset, the base unit being connectable to an outside line;

a second handset connectable to the outside line via the base unit, a first multiple-party call being implemented between a first caller on the first handset, a second caller on the second handset, and an external caller on the outside line, a second multiple-party call being implemented between the first caller, the second caller, and an interrupting caller on the outside line;

an interruption informing unit configured to output an informing signal to both the first caller and the second caller when the base unit receives an interrupting signal is from the outside line, the interrupting signal indicating that the interrupting caller calls the base unit during the first multiple-party call;

an interruption replying unit configured to output a first replying signal in response to a first caller'"'"'s instruction produced in response to the informing signal, and output a second replying signal in response to a second caller'"'"'s instruction produced in response to the informing signal; and

a switching unit configured to disconnect the second handset from the outside line, resulting in implementation of a first two-way call between the first caller and the interrupting caller if the first replying signal is outputted earlier than the second replying signal, and disconnect the first handset from the outside line, resulting in implementation of a second two-way call between the second caller and the interrupting caller if the second replying signal is outputted earlier than the first replying signal.

2. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, further comprising a disconnecting state informing unit that informs the first caller and the second caller of disconnection of one of the first and second handsets from the outside line.

3. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the second handset is configured to accept a command and capable of achieving an operation corresponding to the command other than calling the outside line during the first two-way call, and the first handset is configured to accept a command and capable of achieving an operation corresponding to the command applied to the first handset other than calling the outside line during the second two-way call.

4. The cordless telephone system according to claim 3, further comprising a third handset connectable to the outside line via the base unit, wherein the operations achieved by the first and second handsets include an internal call between the first handset and the third handset or between the second handset and the third handset.

5. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a call participating unit configured to allow the second caller to participate in the first two-way call and to allow the first caller to participate in the second two-way call, wherein the switching unit connects the second handset with the outside line when the second caller is allowed to participate in the first two-way call, resulting in implementation of the second multiple-party call, and connects the first handset with the outside line when the first caller is allowed to participate in the second two-way call, resulting in implementation of the first multiple-party call.

6. The cordless telephone system according to claim 5, wherein the call participating unit comprises a first call participating unit configured to allow the second caller to participate in the first two-way call and a second call participating unit configured to allow the second caller to participate in the first two-way call, the first call participating unit being provided in the second handset, the second call participating unit being provided in the first handset.

7. The cordless telephone system according to claim 5, further comprising a two-way call end notifying unit configured to notify the second caller that the first two-way call will end and to notify the first caller that the second two-way call will end.

8. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, further comprising a quit controlling unit configured to output a first quitting signal for quitting the first two-way call and a second quitting signal for quitting the second two-way call, wherein the switching unit disconnects the first handset from the outside line in response to the first quitting signal, and disconnects the second handset from the outside line in response to the second quitting signal.

9. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, further comprising displaying unit configured to display information about interrupting caller.

10. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, further comprising a third handset connectable to the outside line via the base unit.

11. The cordless telephone system according to claim 10, wherein the first multiple-party call is implemented between the first caller, a third caller on the third handset, and the external caller, and the second multiple-party call is implemented between the first caller, the third caller, and the interrupting caller.

12. The cordless telephone system according to claim 1, wherein the second handset communicates with the first handset wirelessly.

13. The cordless telephone system according to claim 11, wherein the third handset communicates with the first handset wirelessly.

14. A method of connecting a cordless telephone system with an interrupting caller on an outside line during a multiple-party call, the cordless telephone system including a base unit having a first handset and connectable to the outside line, and a second handset connectable to the outside line via the base unit, a first multiple-party call being implemented between a first caller on the base unit and a second caller on the second hand set and an external caller on the outside line, a second multiple-party call being implemented between the first caller and the second caller and the interrupting caller, the method comprising:

outputting an informing signal to both the first caller and the second caller when the base unit receives an interrupting signal from the outside line, the interrupting signal indicating that the interrupting caller calls the base unit during the first multiple-party call;

outputting a first replying signal in response to a first caller'"'"'s instruction produced in response to the informing signal, and output a second replying signal in response to a second caller'"'"'s instruction produced in response to the informing signal; and

disconnecting the second handset from the outside line, resulting in implementation of a first two-way call between the first caller and the interrupting caller if the first replying signal is outputted earlier than the second replying signal, and disconnecting the first handset from the outside line, resulting in implementation of a second two-way call between the second handset and the interrupting caller if the second replying signal is outputted earlier than the first replying signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising informing the first caller and the second caller of disconnection of one of the first and second handsets from the outside line.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

allowing the second caller to participate in the first two-way call and allowing the first caller to participate in the second two-way call; and

connecting the second handset with the outside line when the second caller is allowed to participate in the first two-way call, resulting in implementation of the second multiple-party call, and connecting the first handset with the outside line when the first caller is allowed to participate in the second two-way call, resulting in implementation of the first multiple-party call.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising notifying the second caller that the first two-way call will end and notifying the first caller that the second two-way call will end.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

outputting a first quitting signal for quitting the first two-way call and a second quitting signal for quitting the second two-way call; and

disconnecting the first handset from the outside line in response to the first quitting signal, and disconnecting the second handset from the outside line in response to the second quitting signal.