Reprogrammable call forwarding device
First Claim
1. An automatic reprogrammable call forwarding device for a forwarding phone that is coupled by a single forwarding phone line to central exchange telephone equipment having an electronic switching system and providing three-way conference service to said forwarding phone, said device comprising:
- message transmitting and storage means operatively associated with a forwarding phone line,said message transmitting and storage means including a storage medium on which tone signal messages may be stored,said message transmitting and storage means having a transmit mode of operation during which stored messages are read out from said storage medium, a store mode of operation during which incoming tone signal messages are stored in said storage medium, and a reset mode during which said storage means is reset for either storing a message or transmitting a stored message;
ring detector means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an output signal indicating a phone call signal is being received from said central exchange telephone equipment over said forwarding phone line;
hook condition simulator means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line having a state simulating the forwarding phone line output signal representing an off-hook condition and a state simulating a hook switch flash condition;
first sensing means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an indication that said stored message has been transmitted,whereby, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone, in succession said ring detector produces an output that causes said simulating means to simulate an off-hook condition indicating to said equipment that said forwarding phone has been answered, a first hook switch flash condition is simulated causing the calling phone to be put on hold, said ring detector output actuates the transmit mode of operation of said message transmitting and storage means to transmit the stored message, and a second hook switch flash condition is simulated after said transmission whereby said equipment will automatically connect said calling phone to a third phone; and
second sensing means coupled to said forwarding phone line responsive to a selected reprogram message signal whereby in a reprogramming mode of operation, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone and transmits the reprogram message signal, the third phone number is stored and said message transmitting and storage means is reset for receiving the next call to be forwarded or another reprogram message signal.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A call forwarding device (11) for a forwarding phone (15) that is connected by a single forwarding phone line (13, 14) to central exchange telephone equipment (12). Equipment (12) has an electronic switching system and provides three-way conference service to the forwarding phone. In the call forwarding mode, in response to a call from a calling phone (17) to the forwarding phone, the device has circuits including a ring detector (31), a hook condition simulator (29) and a sensor (31) that automatically operate to simulate an off-hook condition, to simulate a first hook switch flash condition, and operates to actuate a message transmitting and storage device (25) which generates telephone dialing pulses corresponding to the number of a third phone (21), and to simulate a second hook switch flash condition, whereby the calling phone is automatically connected by the equipment (12) to a third phone. In a reprogramming mode, circuits including a sensor (33) in combination with the device (25) operate so that the device (25) may be reprogrammed with any third phone number to change the telephone number to which the call is forwarded and reset for receiving the next call or a new phone number.
105 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An automatic reprogrammable call forwarding device for a forwarding phone that is coupled by a single forwarding phone line to central exchange telephone equipment having an electronic switching system and providing three-way conference service to said forwarding phone, said device comprising:
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message transmitting and storage means operatively associated with a forwarding phone line, said message transmitting and storage means including a storage medium on which tone signal messages may be stored, said message transmitting and storage means having a transmit mode of operation during which stored messages are read out from said storage medium, a store mode of operation during which incoming tone signal messages are stored in said storage medium, and a reset mode during which said storage means is reset for either storing a message or transmitting a stored message; ring detector means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an output signal indicating a phone call signal is being received from said central exchange telephone equipment over said forwarding phone line; hook condition simulator means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line having a state simulating the forwarding phone line output signal representing an off-hook condition and a state simulating a hook switch flash condition; first sensing means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an indication that said stored message has been transmitted, whereby, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone, in succession said ring detector produces an output that causes said simulating means to simulate an off-hook condition indicating to said equipment that said forwarding phone has been answered, a first hook switch flash condition is simulated causing the calling phone to be put on hold, said ring detector output actuates the transmit mode of operation of said message transmitting and storage means to transmit the stored message, and a second hook switch flash condition is simulated after said transmission whereby said equipment will automatically connect said calling phone to a third phone; and second sensing means coupled to said forwarding phone line responsive to a selected reprogram message signal whereby in a reprogramming mode of operation, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone and transmits the reprogram message signal, the third phone number is stored and said message transmitting and storage means is reset for receiving the next call to be forwarded or another reprogram message signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An automatic reprogrammable call forwarding device for a forwarding phone that is coupled by a single forwarding phone line to central exchange telephone equipment having an electronic switching system and providing three-way conference service to said forwarding phone, said device comprising:
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a phone answering device associated with a forwarding phone line, said phone answering device including a storage tape on which tone signal messages may be stored, said phone answering device having a start mode of operation during which stored messages are read out from said storage tape, a record mode of operation during which incoming tone signal messages are stored on said tape, and stop and rewind modes during which said phone answering device is reset for either storing a message or transmitting a stored message; ring detector means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an output signal indicating a phone call signal is being received from said central exchange telephone equipment over said forwarding phone line; hook condition simulator means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line having a state simulating the forwarding phone line, an output signal representing an off-hook condition and a state simulating a hook switch flash condition; transmitted signal sensing means operatively associated with said forwarding phone line providing an indication that said stored message has been transmitted, whereby, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone, in succession said ring detector produces an output that causes said simulating means to simulate an off-hook condition indicating to said equipment that said forwarding phone has been answered, a first hook switch flash condition is simulated causing the calling phone to be put on hold, said ring detector output actuates the transmit mode of operation of said message transmitting and storage means to transmit the stored message, and a second hook switch flash condition is simulated after said transmission whereby said equipment will automatically connect said calling phone to a third phone; and incoming signal detector means coupled to said forwarding phone line responsive to a selected reprogram message signal generated at a calling phone which includes a reprogram tone signal, a third phone number to which the call is to be forwarded, and a reset tone signal, whereby in a forwarding number reprogramming mode of operation, when the calling phone calls the forwarding phone and transmits the reprogram message signal, the third phone number is stored and said message transmitting and storage means is reset for receiving the next call to be forwarded or another reprogram message signal.
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Specification