Automatic telephone answering device with paging function

• US 4,737,979 A
• Filed: 01/21/1986
• Issued: 04/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardillo, Raymond F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/820,352
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 379/68-70, 379/74, 379/77, 379/79-82, 379/102, 379/211
• US Class Current: 379/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment

Abstract

A record/play unit and a tape controller in an automatic telephone answering device with a paging function that sets an incoming message tape in a record mode in response to a beep tone generated upon completion of the sending of a first, normal, outgoing message and a second outgoing message for providing a paging procedure to a caller when an incoming message is not recorded by the caller after the beep tone is generated. The controller thereafter drives an engaging section in response to a special code sent by the calling party. The engaging section temporarily disengages the device from the telepone lines and then engages the device with the telephone lines again. Subsequently, a DTMF oscillator is operated to dial a prestored telephone number.

Claims

1. An automatic telephone answering device connectable to a telephone line for delivering at least one outgoing message upon receiving an incoming call on said line and for allowing the caller to record a message with a paging function which the caller may activate by remote control, comprising:

first sending means for sending to a calling party a first prerecorded outgoing message representing a normal outgoing message upon receipt of said incoming call and second sending means for sending to the calling party a second prerecorded outgoing message separated from said first outgoing message by a recorded beep tone where said second outgoing message provides paging instructions to enable a calling party to urgently contact an owner of said automatic telephone answering device;

first setting means for setting an incoming message tape in a record mode to record an incoming message from the calling party in response to a beep tone generation means upon completion of the sending of the first outgoing message;

detecting means for detecting when the calling party does not provide an incoming message;

said second sending means responsive to said detecting means for sending the second outgoing message when the calling party does not provide an incoming message after the beep tone is generated;

second setting means for setting said incoming message tape in a record mode to receive a short incoming message from the calling party after receiving a special code signal sent by the calling party during or upon completion of the second outgoing message;

responsive means for detecting said special code signal sent by the calling party during or upon completion of the sending of the second outgoing message;

means for storing a prestored telephone number; and

operating means controlled by said responsive means for temporarily disengaging said automatic telephone answering device from the telephone line in response to said code signal, for thereafter re-engaging said telephone answering device to the telephone line, and for dialing said prestored telephone number.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first sending means is responsive to said detecting means for stopping the incoming message tape when the calling party does not provide the incoming message after the beep tone is sent, and wherein said second sending means is operable in response to said detecting means for driving the outgoing message tape to send the second outgoing message.

3. an automatic telephone answering device as recited in claim 1, when said operating means and said means for storing said prestored telephone number are included in a paging means.

4. An automatic telephone answering device with a paging function as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for certifying dialing of said prestored telephone number by recording dialing of the prestored telephone number on said incoming message tape.

5. An automatic telephone answering device connectable to a telephone line for delivering at least one outgoing message upon receiving an incoming call on said line and for allowing a calling party to record a message with a paging function which the calling party may activate by remote control, comprising:

first sending means for sending to the calling party a prerecorded outgoing message representing a normal outgoing message and for providing paging instructions to enable the calling party to urgently contact an owner of said automatic telephone answering device upon reception of an incoming call from the calling party;

second sending means for sending a beep tone to the calling party upon completion of the sending of the outgoing message, for recording an incoming message on an incoming message medium, and setting the telephone answering device in a standby mode;

means for storing a telephone number corresponding to a destination to be paged;

paging means for disengaging the telephone answering device from telephone lines when the calling party sends a code signal in accordance with the instruction of the outgoing message before the telephone answering device is set in the standby mode, and then forming an engaging circuit for the telephone lines to call a destination to be paged; and

means for setting the telephone answering device in the standby mode after paging so as to allow the telephone answering device to receive a next incoming call.

6. A method for automatic answering of a telephone call received over a telephone line, including delivering of at least one outgoing message to a calling party after which the calling party may record a message and for paging a user utilizing a telephone answering device which calls a prestored telephone number, comprising the steps of:

after detecting an incoming call from said telephone line, sending to the calling party a first prerecorded outgoing message representing a normal outgoing message, and sending to the calling party a second prerecorded outgoing message separated from said first outgoing message by a recorded beep tone for providing paging instructions to a calling party who wishes to urgently contact an owner of said automatic telephone answering device;

setting an incoming message medium in a record mode in response to the beep tone generated upon completion of the sending of the first outgoing message;

detecting when the calling party does not provide an incoming message;

sending the second outgoing message after the beep tone is detected when the calling party does not provide an incoming message;

in response to a special code signal sent by the calling party setting an incoming message in a record mode to record a short incoming message from the calling party; and

temporarily disengaging the automatic telephone answering device from the telephone line after said short message is recorded and thereafter reengaging said telephone answering device to the telephone line, and dialing said prestored telephone number.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the steps of stopping the incoming message tape when the calling party does not provide the incoming message after the beep tone is sent, and driving the outgoing message tape to send the second outgoing message.

8. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the steps of driving the incoming message tape in the record mode when the calling party does not provide the incoming message even when the second prerecorded outgoing message is being played back of the outgoing message tape is being driven.

9. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the steps of determining passage of a predetermined time period, and recording the incoming message on the incoming message tape during said predetermined time period after the calling party sends the special code signal.

10. A method for automatic answering of a telephone call received over a telephone line including delivery at least one outgoing message to a calling party after which the caller may record a message and for paging a user using a telephone answering device which calls a destination to be paged upon the reception of a code signal sent by the calling party, comprising the steps of:

sending to a calling party an outgoing message prerecorded on an outgoing message medium representing a normal outgoing message and for providing paging instructions to enable the calling party to urgently contact an owner of said automatic telephone answering device upon reception of an incoming call from the calling party;

sending a beep tone to the calling party upon completion of the sending of the outgoing message, for recording a short incoming message from the calling party on an incoming message medium;

disengaging the telephone answering device from the telephone line when the callng party sends a code signal in accordance with the instructions of the outgoing message before the telephone answering device is set in a standby mode and then forming an engaging circuit with said telephone line to call said destination to be paged; and

setting the telephone answering device in the standby mode after paging so as to allow the telephone answering device to receive a next incoming call.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 comprising the further step of certifying dialing of said prestored telephone number by recording dialing of the prestored telephone number on said incoming message medium.