Telephone set line status display
First Claim
1. In a telephone set, display apparatus for displaying the use status of a telephone line, comprising:
- a liquid crystal display (LCD) means associated with the line, said LCD means including a display area which displays a uniform light color when the LCD means is off, said LCD means including a transparent panel aligned with said display area on to which a dark color first indicia has been placed, such first indicia being clearly visible when the LCD means is off, and said LCD means displaying a second light color indicia on said display area when on, said second indicia including a dark background for said second indicia which extends into a region which is in alignment with the first indicia, so that when the LCD means is on, the second indicia is visible and the first indicia cannot be seen because it appears to be a part of the dark background of the second indicia; and
control means connecting the LCD means to a low current source within the telephone line so that the LCD means is powered by such current source, said control means being responsive to a condition of the telephone line, so that in response to first condition of the telepone line, the LCD means is on and the second indicia is displayed, and in response to a second condition of the telephone line the LCD means is off and the first indicia is displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An LCD is associated with each phone line. The LCD is powered by the system current in the phone line. When the phone (10) is in an "on-hook" condition, the LCD is energized and it displays a light image of a telephone in an on-hook condition on a solid dark background. When the phone (10) is in an off-hook condition the LCD is turned off causing its liquid crystal compound to become transparent. The LCD working displays a solid light color but an image of a handset appears on this background. This handset image is printed onto the back side of the front glass panel of the LCD in the region that appears as a dark background when the LCD is energized. When a ring is received by the line the LCD flashes back and forth between the two displays at a fast rate. When the line is "on-hold" the LCD flashes between the images at a slower rate.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a telephone set, display apparatus for displaying the use status of a telephone line, comprising:
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a liquid crystal display (LCD) means associated with the line, said LCD means including a display area which displays a uniform light color when the LCD means is off, said LCD means including a transparent panel aligned with said display area on to which a dark color first indicia has been placed, such first indicia being clearly visible when the LCD means is off, and said LCD means displaying a second light color indicia on said display area when on, said second indicia including a dark background for said second indicia which extends into a region which is in alignment with the first indicia, so that when the LCD means is on, the second indicia is visible and the first indicia cannot be seen because it appears to be a part of the dark background of the second indicia; and control means connecting the LCD means to a low current source within the telephone line so that the LCD means is powered by such current source, said control means being responsive to a condition of the telephone line, so that in response to first condition of the telepone line, the LCD means is on and the second indicia is displayed, and in response to a second condition of the telephone line the LCD means is off and the first indicia is displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification