Alarm information transmission system for coin telephone

• US 4,644,109 A
• Filed: 10/07/1985
• Issued: 02/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tamura Electric Works., Ltd. (SAXA Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tamura Electric Works., Ltd. (SAXA Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Takeda, Yoshiaki, Kai, Osamu, Kinoshita, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Schreyer, Stafford D.
• Application Number:
  US06/785,346
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 179/175.2 D, 179/175.2 A, 179/175.2 B, 179/175.2 C, 179/175.2 R, 179/6.3 R, 179/175, 179/175.3 R
• US Class Current: 379/29.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements

Abstract

In a coin telephone, a self diagnosis function and an alarm information transmission function upon formation of a loop in an off-hook mode are utilized. Upon reception of a ringing signal from a maintenance control center, self diagnosis is performed. Upon detection of a failure, a content of the failure and a control number of the coin telephone are sent to the maintenance control center. A failure check for a coin telephone which is not frequently used can be performed from the telephone center without requiring an off-hook operation.

Claims

1. A coin telephone having a self diagnosis function, comprising:

ringing detecting means, connected to station line terminals, for detecting a ringing signal;

DC loop forming means for forming a DC loop upon detection of the ringing signal;

self diagnosis means for starting a self diagnosis operation upon formation of the DC loop; and

alarm transmission means for transmitting through said station line terminals alarm information corresponding to a content of a failure and a predetermined self control number assigned to said coin telephone when the failure is detected by the self diagnosis operation.

2. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said self diagnosis means and said alarm transmission means constitute a microcomputer.

3. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein the alarm information and the self control number are stored in a memory in a predetermined order and are then transmitted through said station line terminals.

4. A telephone according to claim 3, wherein said memory comprises a dial output memory for sending a dial signal when an outgoing call is made.

5. A telephone according to claim 4, wherein contents of said dial output memory are sequentially sent through said station line terminals under the control of dial signal generating means.

6. A telephone according to claim 2, wherein said ringing detecting means has a memory for holding a ringing detection signal, and said microcomputer identifies an outgoing or incoming call in accordance with contents of said memory in said ringing detecting means.

7. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said DC loop forming means has a function for disconnecting said DC loop after said alarm transmission means sends the alarm information and the self control number through said station line terminals.

8. A telephone according to claim 1, further comprising means for inhibiting telephone communication when said DC loop is formed or the failure is detected by the self diagnosis operation.

9. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said DC loop forming means has means for forming said DC loop in an off-hook operation.

10. A telephone according to claim 1, wherein said ringing detecting means and said DC loop forming means are always applied with a bias voltage, and said self diagnosis means and said alarm transmission means are applied with the bias voltage after said DC loop is formed.