Telephone responder apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus connectable at a telephone subscriber'"'"'s premises to a subscriber circuit including a telephone subset, said apparatus being adapted to enable the transmission of a status report of conditions at the premises in response to the receipt of a telephone call from a remote location, said apparatus comprising:
- A. means for detecting ring signals received on the subscriber circuit during an incoming telephone call;
B. means coupled to said ring signal detecting means for counting the number of incoming ring signals received on the subscriber circuit, said counting means being responsive to the receipt of a predetermined number n of incoming ring signals, where n is greater than one, for establishing an off-hook condition on the subscriber circuit;
C. status reporting means responsive to the establishment of the off-hook condition on the subscriber circuit by said counting means for generating and transmitting a reporting signal over the subscriber circuit during the off-hook condition, said status reporting signal being recognizable by a calling party and being indicative of conditions at the premises;
D. means responsive to the transmission of the status reporting signal by said status reporting means for returning the subscriber circuit to an on-hook condition; and
E. means for enabling the performance of a control function at the premises in response to the receipt of a second telephone call from a remote location subsequent to the aforementioned first telephone call, said control function means including electrical switching means operable in response to the receipt by said counting means of a predetermined number m of incoming ring signals during the second telephone call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Responder apparatus enables a telephone subscriber to obtain a status report of the conditions at his premises by placing a telephone call thereto from a remote location. The subscriber dials his telephone number and permits his telephone subset to ring an abnormally large number of times n. The responder apparatus, which is installed at the premises, counts the rings and, upon the nth ring, creates a temporary off-hook condition on the subscriber'"'"'s line. During the off-hook period, a status reporting unit sends signals over the line to the calling subscriber which are indicative of the conditions at the premises. The signals, which are generated under the control of various sensors at the premises and which may be in the form of coded tones, may indicate that the temperature of the premises is or is not normal, that intrusion has or has not taken place, and numerous other such conditions. Upon receipt of additional telephone calls from the subscriber within specified periods of time, the responder apparatus may also be used to initiate various control functions at the premises. These control functions may include turning lights, appliances or other devices on or off, changing a thermostat setting, and numerous other such functions
18 Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus connectable at a telephone subscriber'"'"'s premises to a subscriber circuit including a telephone subset, said apparatus being adapted to enable the transmission of a status report of conditions at the premises in response to the receipt of a telephone call from a remote location, said apparatus comprising:
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A. means for detecting ring signals received on the subscriber circuit during an incoming telephone call; B. means coupled to said ring signal detecting means for counting the number of incoming ring signals received on the subscriber circuit, said counting means being responsive to the receipt of a predetermined number n of incoming ring signals, where n is greater than one, for establishing an off-hook condition on the subscriber circuit; C. status reporting means responsive to the establishment of the off-hook condition on the subscriber circuit by said counting means for generating and transmitting a reporting signal over the subscriber circuit during the off-hook condition, said status reporting signal being recognizable by a calling party and being indicative of conditions at the premises; D. means responsive to the transmission of the status reporting signal by said status reporting means for returning the subscriber circuit to an on-hook condition; and E. means for enabling the performance of a control function at the premises in response to the receipt of a second telephone call from a remote location subsequent to the aforementioned first telephone call, said control function means including electrical switching means operable in response to the receipt by said counting means of a predetermined number m of incoming ring signals during the second telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification