Remotely controlled telephone hold program system
First Claim
1. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein said held caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
- said holding circuit including hold impedance means which is shunted across said held caller'"'"'s line when said held caller'"'"'s line is placed on hold until said line is removed from hold and placed in use with a party available for communication with said held caller;
hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said hold impedance means in said holding circuit;
program select announcement means for transmitting instructions over said held line to said held caller for remotely selecting one of a plurality of programs;
switching means, responsive to said hold detection means, for causing said program select announcement means to be played over said held line to said held caller;
program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs to be played to said held caller;
select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller;
a plurality of program source means;
program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; and
hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, and responsive to said hold detection means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold;
whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller in a telephone hold program system wherein a caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller. When a line is being held by the holding circuit, a hold detector causes an announcement to be coupled to the held line for instructing the held caller for remotely selecting one of a plurality of programs. The held caller sends select signals, in the form of voice or tone data, which are decoded and used to select the desired program source to be coupled to the held line. The system includes a remote volume control wherein a command signal sent by the held caller controls the volume level of the program supplied.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein said held caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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said holding circuit including hold impedance means which is shunted across said held caller'"'"'s line when said held caller'"'"'s line is placed on hold until said line is removed from hold and placed in use with a party available for communication with said held caller; hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said hold impedance means in said holding circuit; program select announcement means for transmitting instructions over said held line to said held caller for remotely selecting one of a plurality of programs; switching means, responsive to said hold detection means, for causing said program select announcement means to be played over said held line to said held caller; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs to be played to said held caller; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; and hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, and responsive to said hold detection means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means.
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2. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller in a telephone hold program system wherein a caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said holding circuit; program select announcement means, coupled to said held line, for transmitting instructions to said held caller for remotely selecting one of a plurality of programs; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line; and electronic remote volume control means connected between said program source means and said hold program circuit means, said volume control means being controlled by means for detecting a volume control command signal sent by said held caller, whereby said volume control command signal sent by said held caller will remotely control the volume level of the program supplied to said held caller; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means.
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3. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller in a telephone hold program system wherein a caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said holding circuit; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line; and electronic remote volume control means connected between said program source means and said hold program circuit means, said volume control means being controlled by means for detecting a volume control command signal sent by said held caller, whereby said volume control command signal sent by said held caller will remotely control the volume level of the program supplied to said held caller; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means.
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4. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein said held caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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said holding circuit having means for placing said held caller'"'"'s line on hold until said line is removed from hold and placed in use with a party available for communication with said held caller; hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said holding circuit; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs to be played to said held caller; select signal decoding means, responsive to said hold detection means, for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; held program circuit means connected to said program select means, and responsive to said hold detection means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold said hold program circuit means including control gating means connected to said hold detection means for terminating said transmission of a selected program when a line is disconnected from said holding circuit; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means.
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5. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein said held caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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said holding circuit including hold impedance means which is shunted across said held caller'"'"'s line when said held caller'"'"'s line is placed on hold until said line is removed from hold and placed in use with a party available for communication with said held caller; hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said hold impedance means in said holding circuit; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs to be played to said held caller; select signal decoding means, responsive to said hold detection means, for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; and hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, and responsive to said hold detection means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein said held caller'"'"'s line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller, comprising:
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hold detection means for detecting when a line is being held by said holding circuit; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of programs to be played to said held caller; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; hold program circuit means connected to said program select means for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold; and hybrid circuit means connected between said holding circuit and said select signal decoding means and said program select means, to provide a transmission path from the said program select means to said held line and a transmission path from the said held line to said select signal decoding means, whereby the transmitted program from the said program select means will be cancelled and will not interfere with the operation of the said select signal decoding means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for providing remote program selection to a plurality of caller'"'"'s incoming lines in a telephone hold program system wherein a plurality of hold switch means are associated with telephone sets for placing incoming caller'"'"'s lines on hold comprising:
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a plurality of telephone sets having receivers; a plurality of said hold switch means being activated for breaking an existing voice connection between an incoming line of a caller and said telephone receiver for holding said incoming line busy and connecting a program source to said held incoming line; program select signalling means, at said held callers'"'"' locations, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of said programs; line multiplexer means connected to serve each of said caller'"'"'s lines and said telephone sets; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent by a held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; a plurality of program source means comprising different programs; program select means, responsive to said select signal decoding means, and connected to said plurality of program source means, for selecting one of said plurality of program sources, determined by the select signal decoding means; hold program circuit means connected to said program select means, for coupling the selected program source to said held caller'"'"'s line; and common logic means connected to said program select means and said line multiplexer means for enabling each of said held callers to remotely select and receive program material from said plurality of program source means; whereby the held caller will receive the program source material which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program sources. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system wherein a hold switch means is activated to break an existing voice connection between an incoming line of said caller and a telephone receiver and for holding said incoming line busy and connecting a program source to said held incoming line;
- comprising;
said hold switch means; a plurality of program source means providing different audio programs for said hold program; program select signalling means, at said held caller'"'"'s location, for sending select signals over said caller'"'"'s line, when said line is being held, for selecting one of a plurality of said programs to be played to said held caller; select signal decoding means for receiving and decoding said select signals sent on said held line by said held caller to select the particular program signalled by said held caller; and hold program select means for coupling the selected program to said held caller'"'"'s line during the period that the held caller is on hold; whereby the held caller will receive the particular program which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of program source means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- comprising;
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30. Method for providing remote program selection by a held caller during the hold connection in a telephone hold program system having a hold switch means which is activated to break an existing voice connection between an incoming line of said caller and a telephone receiver and for holding said incoming line busy and connecting a program source to said held incoming line;
- comprising;
answering an incoming call; connecting said incoming line on hold; sending, from the location of said held caller while said held caller is connected on hold, select signals for selecting a particular one of a plurality of programs to be played back to said held caller from a receiving location where said incoming line was connected on hold; receiving, at said location where said incoming call was answered, said select signals and decoding said select signals; providing a plurality of different programs; and sending, in response to the decoded select signals, the particular program selected from said plurality of different programs; whereby the held caller will receive the particular program which said held caller has selected remotely from said plurality of programs. - View Dependent Claims (31)
- comprising;
Specification