SYSTEM FOR SCREENING TELEPHONE CALLS

• US 3,784,721 A
• Filed: 11/22/1971
• Issued: 01/08/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack S. Kilby
• Original Assignee: Jack S. Kilby
• Inventors: Kilby, Jack S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardillo, Jr., Raymond F.
• Application Number:
  US05/200,804
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 179/6R,6AC,6C,6E,89,84C,2A
• US Class Current: 379/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/654 Telephone line monitoring circuits therefor, e.g. ring detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/665 by checking the validity of a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A system for screening telephone calls is described which intercepts an incoming ring signal to prevent disturbing the called party. The system produces an off-hook condition and responds with a recorded announcement specifying the activity in which the called party is involved and indicating that he would prefer not to be interrupted, and also gives instructions as to how the calling party may nevertheless continue the call by initiating an additional dialed signal if he wishes. When the calling party initiates the additional signal identified by the instruction, such as by dialing one or more digits, or when an additional prearranged signal is transmitted, the called party is summoned to the telephone. As an alternative to interrupting the called party, the calling party may record a message. The recorded announcement may be modified by the subscriber at any time to tailor the announcement to the occasion to enable the calling party to better use his judgment as to when to interrupt. Other telephone answering functions are also described.

Claims

1. In a system for screening telephone calls, means responsive to an incoming ring signal representing an incoming call for establishing aN off-hook condition, means for responding to the caller with a transcribed announcement signal during the off-hook condition, and means responsive to an additional signal transmitted at the option fo the caller during the off-hook condition for signaling the incoming call.

2. The system of claim 1 further characterized by means for preventing the audible ring of the telephone in response to the incoming ring signal.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the additional signal is a dialed signal.

4. The system of claim 1 further characterized by means for recording a message after the first mentioned means has responded with the recorded announcement in addition to detecting the additional signal.

5. In a system for screening telephone calls, the combination of record means for reproducing a recorded announcement, means responsive to a ring signal for establishing an off-hook condition, for coupling the record means to a telephone line, and for initiating the recorded announcement, means for signaling an incoming call in response to an additional dialed signal from the calling party during the off-hook condition after the recorded announcement has been played, and means for connecting the telephone set to the telephone line in response to the called party answering the telephone in response to the signaled incoming call.

6. The combination of claim 5 further characterized by means for recording a message from the calling party during at least a portion of the time period the off-hook condition is established.

7. In a system for screening telephone calls, the combination of:

announcement recording means for storing an announcement, audio amplifier means for recording on and reproducing from the announcement recording means, transformer means for coupling the device to a telephone line, ring signal detector means for detecting an incoming ring signal and connecting the transformer means to a telephone line in response to an incoming ring signal to produce an off-hook condition;

dial detector means for detecting a signal transmitted by the calling party and initiating a signal to summons the called party, circuit means for transmitting the announcement recorded on the announcement recording means to the telephone line in response to a ring signal being detected by the ring signal detector means, and for coupling the telephone line to the input of the amplifier means and the dial detector to the output of the amplifier means in response to termination of an announcement, and means responsive to the called party answering the telephone for connecting the telephone to the telephone line.

8. The combination of claim 7 further characterized by message recording means, and wherein the circuit means also connects the output of the amplifier means to the message recording means in response to termination of the announcement.

9. In a system for screening telephone calls, means for detecting and terminating an incoming ring signal by establishing an off-hook condition, means responsive to an additional signal transmitted at the option of the calling party during the off-hook condition for indicating an incoming call, means for transmitting a signal to the calling party in response to detection and termination of the ring signal by establishing the off-hook condition, and means for recording a message from the calling party during the off-hook condition and before the additional signal is transmitted.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first mentioned means prevents a telephone set from ringing in response to the incoming ring signal.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the signal transmitted to the calling party comprises means for transmitting a recorded verbal announcement.

12. In a telephone system, the combination of:

means for interconnecting a calling subscriber station and a called subscriber station in response to a request from a callinG party and for transmitting a ring signal to the called subscriber station, the called subscriber station comprising means for automatically answering the ring signal by establishing an off-hook condition and responding with a recorded announcement and conditioning the called subscriber station to receive an additional signal dialed form the calling subscriber station without terminating the original call, and means for detecting an additional dialed signal transmitted from the calling subscriber station without terminating the original call and indicating an incoming call at the called subscriber station.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the called subscriber station includes:

means for preventing an audible signal in response to the ring signal.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein the called subscriber station is further characterized by means for recording a message while the means for detecting the additional signal is active.

15. The telephone system comprising:

a plurality of subscriber stations, means operative at the option of a subscriber for responding to a calling subscriber station with an off-hook condition and a recorded announcement indicative of a desire not to be disturbed by a call, and means operative at the option of the calling subscriber to nevertheless continue the call during the off-hook condition without terminating the original call by dialing a second signal from the calling subscriber station.