Distributed privacy oriented telephone extension system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A distributed privacy oriented telephone extension system including a plurality of extension phone units coupled to a telephone line, said system comprising:
- a first privacy circuit coupled between a first phone unit and said telephone line; and
a second privacy circuit coupled between a second phone unit and said telephone line;
said first privacy circuit including activation means selectively operable by a user after said first phone unit is placed in an off-hook condition for activating said first privacy circuit, and signal generating means responsive to activation of said first privacy circuit by the user after said first phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition for generating a first signal and for transmitting the first signal over said telephone line;
said second privacy circuit including receiver means responsive to said first signal from said first privacy circuit for disconnecting said second phone unit from said telephone line;
said signal generating means in said first privacy circuit also being responsive to user activation, after said first phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition and said second phone unit is disconnected, for generating a second signal and transmitting the second signal over said telephone line;
said receiver means in said second privacy circuit being responsive to the second signal from said first privacy circuit for reconnecting said second phone unit to the telephone line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed privacy oriented telephone extension system having up to three different kinds of privacy circuits of different capacity for coupling a respective extension phone to the telephone line. Selective user configuration of the telephone extension system effects one level of privacy control and spontaneous user control during conversation to disconnect or reconnect other phones effects a second level of user control relating to the extent of privacy achieved.
49 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A distributed privacy oriented telephone extension system including a plurality of extension phone units coupled to a telephone line, said system comprising:
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a first privacy circuit coupled between a first phone unit and said telephone line; and a second privacy circuit coupled between a second phone unit and said telephone line; said first privacy circuit including activation means selectively operable by a user after said first phone unit is placed in an off-hook condition for activating said first privacy circuit, and signal generating means responsive to activation of said first privacy circuit by the user after said first phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition for generating a first signal and for transmitting the first signal over said telephone line; said second privacy circuit including receiver means responsive to said first signal from said first privacy circuit for disconnecting said second phone unit from said telephone line; said signal generating means in said first privacy circuit also being responsive to user activation, after said first phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition and said second phone unit is disconnected, for generating a second signal and transmitting the second signal over said telephone line; said receiver means in said second privacy circuit being responsive to the second signal from said first privacy circuit for reconnecting said second phone unit to the telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A distributed privacy oriented telephone extension system including a plurality of extension phone units coupled to a telephone line, said system comprising:
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a first privacy circuit coupled between a first phone unit and said telephone line; and a second privacy circuit coupled between a second phone unit and said telephone line; each of said first privacy circuit and said second privacy circuit including transmitter/receiver means for transmitting and receiving signals over the telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said first privacy circuit including activation means selectively operable by a user after said first phone unit is placed in an off-hook condition for activating said first privacy circuit, the signal generating means responsive to activation of said first privacy circuit by the user after said first phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition for generating a first signal and for transmitting the first signal over said telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said second privacy circuit being responsive to the first signal from said first privacy circuit for disconnecting said second phone unit from said telephone line; said signal generating means of said transmitter/receiver means of said first privacy circuit being responsive to user activation, after said telephone line is placed in said off-hook condition and said second phone unit is disconnected, for generating a second signal and transmitting the second signal over said telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said second privacy circuit being responsive to the second signal from said first privacy circuit for reconnecting said second phone unit to the telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said second privacy circuit including activation means selectively operable by the user after said second phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition for activating said second privacy circuit, and signal generating means responsive to activation of said second privacy circuit by the user after said second phone unit is placed in said off-hook condition for generating a first signal and for transmitting the first signal over said telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said first privacy circuit being responsive to the first signal from said second privacy circuit for disconnecting said first phone unit from said telephone line; said signal generating means of said transmitter/receiver means of said second privacy circuit being responsive to user activation, after said telephone line is placed in said off-hook condition and said first phone unit is disconnected, for generating a second signal and for transmitting the second signal over the telephone line; said transmitter/receiver means of said first privacy circuit being responsive to the second signal from said second privacy circuit for reconnecting said first phone unit to said telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification