Monitoring and recording apparatus for connection to a telephone line

• US 4,712,230 A
• Filed: 06/02/1986
• Issued: 12/08/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James M. Rice, John E. Rice, Robert W. Rice
• Original Assignee: James M. Rice, John E. Rice, Robert W. Rice
• Inventors: Rice, John E., Rice, Robert W., Rice, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schreyer, Stafford D.
• Application Number:
  US06/869,350
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112, 379/34, 379/113, 379/111, 379/133, 379/140, 379/119, 379/135
• US Class Current: 379/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/04 Recording calls , or communications in printed, perforated or other permanent form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits

Abstract

An improved telephone monitoring and recording apparatus is described. The monitoring and recording apparatus is connected in parallel with one or more telephones for the purpose of recording in memory and printing out on paper for each call detected, information which is typically: the number dialed, the time and date the call was made, and the duration of call. Other information which is also monitored and recorded in memory is also typically; the station originating the call, the number of rings, whether the destination was `busy` and whether there was a voice communication. These and other similar information requests may be programmed in at installation using a keyboard, and printed out on the printer which is part of the apparatus. The equipment is improved in that it can be used with any telephone set up desired, without modification. It can identify both rotary pulse dialed and "Touch Tone" dialed numbers without manual selection and switching. It will maintain itself monitoring and recording (but not printing) even when power is lost for periods of time. It can not be easily defeated or interfered with, without a record being made of the interference and an alarm being given. The keyboard is removable after operation is initiated, so as to make the equipment secure from interference.

Claims

1. An improved telephone monitoring and recording apparatus for the purpose of monitoring multiple or single telephones for both outgoing and incoming calls, and recording desired identification of the call number, its time, data and duration, said telephone monitoring and recording apparatus comprising:

(a) line monitor circuit means connected to the telephone line for sensing dialing, call start and completion and telephone status;

(b) computer circuit means for processing signals from said line monitor circuit means;

(c) printer circuit means operatively connected to said computer circuit means, for providing a record of telephone calling activities; and

(d) a power supply;

said line monitor circuit means including a telephone line input connector, a surge protect circuit, an off-hook detector circuit, a dialed number detector circuit and a telephone line status circuit;

said line monitor circuit being capable of continuously monitoring outgoing and incoming telephone calls and signals created by both tone and rotary pulse dialing telephone systems, without need of manual selection or switching.

2. The off-hook detector circuit of claim 1 wherein:

said off-hook detector circuit comprises a line receiver amplifier, a call-in-progress circuit, a loop disconnect monitor circuit and a manual select switch;

said line receiver amplifier having an input of tone pair and ring-in telephone signals communicated from said input connector and said surge protect circuit, and outputting amplified signal frequencies of 305 Hz to 640 Hz to said call-in-progress circuit;

said call-in-progress circuit comprising a band-pass fiIter, a level-sense amplifier and a gate;

said band-pass filter having an input of said amplified signal frequencies and having a frequency envelope signal output coupled to the input of said level sense amplifier;

said level sense amplifier producing a square wave signal of defined amplitude at its output, and coupled to the input of said gate;

said gate when enabled, outputting a square wave signal to said telephone line status circuit and to an indicator panel for displaying telephone status;

said loop disconnect monitor circuit having a parallel input of tone pair and ring-in telephone signals connected from said input connector and said surge protect circuit;

said loop disconnect monitor detecting the opening and closing of a telephone line pair signal by the calling station to indicate a digit being dialed by a rotary pulse dialing, and also a change in signal level indicating `off-hook` status;

said loop disconnect monitor outputting enable (low) and rotary dial pulses to said dialed number detector circuit;

said manual switch being connected normally open in the line between the output of said loop disconnect monitor and an input to said gate, said switch enabling said gate when open, by a low signal, and disabling said gate by high pulse signals when manually closed.

3. The dialed number circuit of claim 1 wherein:

said dialed number circuit comprises a rotary dial pulse control circuit, an output register, a differential amplifier, a high pass filter, a high tone filter, a low tone filter and a DTMP decoder;

said dialed number circuit accepting telephone rotary pulse signals and tone pair signals as inputs and outputting an identification of the dialed number in addition to status signals;

said rotary dial pulse control circuit having an input receiving rotary dial pulse signals from said loop disconnect monitor, said rotary dial pulse control circuit having three output signals which are (a) binary data representing the input rotary dial pulses, (b) an off-hook status signal low, and (c) a rotary dial strobe signal;

said binary data signal being communicated to an input of said output register for decoding, said output register having a `decoded number dialed` signal output in the form of binary data, said output register also outputting a `valid number` strobe signal, which may be used to cause a microprocessor to store in memory said binary data representing said `decoded number dialed` digits;

said differential amplifier having an input receiving tone pair signals when present and `ring-in` signals when present, said differential amplifier amplifying the input signals and coupling them to the input of said high pass filter;

said high pass filter acting to filter frequencies around 600 Hz and attenuating the higher audio frequencies associated with voice;

said high tone filter and said low tone filter receiving the output of said high pass filter, and acting to separate the `highs` and `lows` of said filtered signal, and communicating said `high` and `low` pulses to said DTMF decoder;

said DTMF decoder determining the type of signal received and communicating binary data representing said tone pair signals or `ring-in` signals, to said output register, said DTMF decoder at the same time outputting a DTMF dial strobe signal to initiate recognition of a DTMF signal;

said output register accepting said binary data from said DTMF decoder and outputting a `decoded number dialed` signal in binary data form and a `valid number` strobe signal for transmission to a microprocessor, causing the microprocessor to store in memory said `decoded number dialed` digits.

4. The telephone line status circuit of claim 1 wherein:

said telephone line status circuit contains internal differentiating circuits to process the signals from said off-hook detector and generates enable signals to illuminate status indicators on an indicator panel;

said telephone line status circuit communicating the status signals to a microprocessor.

5. An improved telephone monitoring and recording apparatus for the purpose of monitoring multiple or single telephones for both outgoing and incoming calls, and recording desired identification of the call number, its time, date and duration;

said telephone monitoring and recording apparatus comprising;

(a) line monitor circuit means connected to the telephone line for sensing dialing, call start and completion and telephone status;

(b) computer circuit means for prpocessing signals from said line monitor circuit means;

(c) printer circuit means operatively connected to said computer circuit means, for providing a record of telephone calling activities; and

(d) a power supply;

said printer circuit means comprsing a printer interface control circuit, a printer, a printer active circuit and a printer status circuit;

said printer interface control being connected by an I/O control buffer to said computer circuit means and controlling the operation of the printer;

said printer active circuit, when in receipt of a stop signal from the printer, outputting a reset signal commanding the printer to shut down;

said printer status circuit operatively connected to the printer, sensing the status of printer operating modes and communicating printer status signals to said computer circuit means via a data bus;

said printer interface control circuit comprising four identical print magnet channels and a motor control circuit;

each one of said four identifical print magnet channels comprising a latch, a first resistor, a first capacitor, a first transistor, a poriton of a quad transistor pack, a second resistor, and a diode;

said print magnet channel operating to provide drive to a print magnet in a printer;

said latch having an input pulse singal originating from said I/O control buffer and outputting a negative going pulse coupled through said first capacitor and thence to the base of said first transistor;

said first resistor coupled to the base of said first transistor for the purpose of providing bias;

the emitter of said first transistor connected to an input of said quad transistor pack, providing a drive signal to one of the transistors in said quad transistor;

a second resistor acting as a load for said first transistor;

said quad transistor pack providing signal inversion and power to drive a print magnet in a printer;

said diode connected to the output of said quad transistor to provide protection from overshoot when said print magnet is turned off;

said motor control circuit comprising a buffer, a second, third and fourth transistor, a full wave rectifier bridge and supporting circuit components, and operatively connected in such a manner as to prov,ide power and control to the printer motor;

upon receipt of a motor start, signal, said buffer provides an enable signal coupled to the base of said second transistor, sasid second transistor turning on and providing a low signal on a printer motor start line operating said motor;

upon receipt of a `motor stop` signal, said buffer provides an enable (low) signal coupled to the base of said third transistor turning it on, at the same time removing the enable signal to said second transistor, turning it off, resulting in removing power from said printer motor and turning it off, said full wave rectifier bridge being coupled to a generator signal related to a printer position and converting the sine wave input to a pulsed direct current signal;

said pulsed direct current signal being coupled to the base of said fourth transistor and squared and inverted by said fourth transistor, creating a pulse train;

said pulse train signal being passed to a buffer and acting as a pulse magnet timing interval;

said pulse magnet timing interval capable of being used by a microprocessor to generate print magnet `hammer timing`;

signals as required for operation of a printer.