Total service telephone answering system

• US 4,328,396 A
• Filed: 11/30/1977
• Issued: 05/04/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illinois Technology Transfer LLC
• Original Assignee: Peter F. Theis
• Inventors: Theis, Peter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canney, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US05/856,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 179/6 C, 179/6 E
• US Class Current: 379/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2201/32 Secondary emission electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/00 Selecting arrangements H04Q5/00 - H04Q11/00 take precedence

Abstract

A total service telephone answering system including answering machines, for carrying on a programmed telephone conversation with a respondent, having an interface with the telephone line, and a control for altering the course of the programmed conversation when a disconnect signal is passed by the interface. The system contemplates serving a multiplicity of incoming telephone with a number of line operator stations, with the capability of overflow calls being handled by the answering machines. The system also includes a concentrator which continuously sweeps the incoming telephone lines to select any line having an unanswered call, continuously sweeps the answering machines to identify an available machine, and then effects a connection between the selected telephone line and the available machine.

Claims

1. A telephone answering and conversing system comprising:

a matrix of gate means including at least one group of horizontally arrayed gates, and at least one group of vertically arrayed gates;

at least two incoming phone lines, each line associated with one of said groups of horizontally arrayed gates, and each line adapted to pass a start-up signal to each gate means in the group of horizontally arrayed gates with which it is associated, said start-up signal being indicative of an incoming call from a caller;

at least two answering means, each answering means associated with one of said groups of vertically arrayed gates, and each answering means adapted to pass an answering means-available signal to each gate means in the group of vertically arrayed gates with which it is associated, said answering means-available signal being indicative of the availability of an answering means for conversing with a caller;

means for passing a strobe interrogation signal to each of said gate means; and

latch means coupled to each of said gate means, for coupling a phone line to an answering means upon coincidence of said start-up signal, said answering means-available signal and said strobe interrogation signal at any one of said gate means.

2. The system defined in claim 1 further includes a plurality of delay means, disposed in advance of each of said gate means, for delaying passage of said start-up signal to said gate means for a predetermined time.

3. The system defined in claim 1 further includes a plurality of unlatching means coupled to each of said latch means;

said unlatching means producing an unlatching signal which interrupts the coupling from an incoming phone line to an answering means upon receipt of a disconnect signal from an incoming phone line indicative of the termination of said call.

4. In a telephone answering system that includes a multiplicity of incoming phone lines, each of said incoming phone lines having a start-up line coupled to an adjustable delay circuit, a first voice line, and a line seizure and drop circuit, the comination of:

a plurality of automatic answering machines for automatically answering a caller and recording the caller'"'"'s response, each of said answering machines including a start input line, a second voice line, a disconnect line, and a machine available line; and

a concentrator for controlling connection of any one of said answering machines to any one of said incoming phone lines, said concentrator including sequentially strobed matrix intersection means and latching means associated with said incoming phone lines;

said latching means being responsive through said matrix intersection means to strobed interrogation for connecting a selected associated phone line having an unanswered incoming call thereon to an available answering machine in response to said strobed interrogation;

each of said matrix intersection means including an AND gate connected to said delay circuit and to said machine available line;

said latching means responsive to said AND gate to complete a connection between said first and second voice lines and to trigger said start input line;

said matrix intersection means further including a gate responsive to said disconnect line to unlatch the latch circuit and trigger said line seizure and drop circuit.

5. In a telephone answering system that includes a multiplicity of incoming phone lines, the combination of:

a plurality of automatic answering machines for automatically answering a caller and recording the caller'"'"'s response;

a concentrator for controlling connection of any one of the answering machines to any one of the incoming phone lines, said concentrator including latching means associated with said phone lines and being responsive to strobed interrogation for connecting a selected associated phone line having an unanswered incoming call thereon to an available answering machine in response to said strobed interrogation;

at least one of said answering machines including playback means and indicating means for signaling the presence of a recorded incoming message;

an operator station with means for actuating said playback means; and

,

delay alarm means for signaling to the operator station after the indicating means has been activated for a pre-determined length of time.