Telephone answering system with paging function

• US 4,821,308 A
• Filed: 03/18/1986
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/841,097
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 E, 179/2 EA, 179/2 B, 179/18 BE, 179/18 BF, 179/84 UF, 179/2 G, 179/603, 370/61, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 379/57, 379/51
• US Class Current: 340/7.28
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/658 Means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022

Abstract

A telephone answering system with paging function is adapted to transmit a prerecorded outgoing message to a calling party through a closed loop of telephone lines established upon reception or a telephone calling signal, and record an incoming message from the calling party after the outgoing message is transmitted. The system operates to receive a signal representative of the caller'"'"'s telephone number sent from the calling party through the telephone lines to store the same signal in a memory, and then automatically and temporarily release the closed loop, and thereafter reestablish the closed loop for calling a preset telephone number of a paging center. Further, the system transmits the stored signal representing the caller'"'"'s telephone number to the paging center through the telephone lines upon reception of an answer from the center.

Claims

1. For a telephone answering device having:

(a) means for establishing a closed loop of telephone lines, upon reception of an incoming telephone call;

(b) means for transmitting a prerecorded outgoing message to a caller; and

(c) means for recording a caller'"'"'s voice message whereby the subscriber can obtain the caller'"'"'s recorded voice message;

a means for providing at the telephone answering device a paging function, comprising;

means for receiving a signal representative of a caller'"'"'s telephone number sent by the caller, before or after the message, and storing said signal;

means for automatically, temporarily releasing the closed loop after said signal is received and stored, and for reestablishing the closed loop of the telephone line;

means for dialing a paging center after reestablishment of the closed loop of the telephone lines; and

means for transmitting said stored signal representative of the caller'"'"'s telephone number, to the paging center via telephone lines, when the paging center answers and requests the telephone answering system to send said stored signal and;

a portable receiver unit, adapted to be called by the paging center, with a display window for displaying a telephone number corresponding to said signal sent from the caller to the telephone answering device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said device includes remote control means for controlling the device via the telephone lines, thereby enabling a subscriber called by the paging center to call the telephone answering device by using the remote control to hear the caller'"'"'s message and telephone number recorded on the telephone answering device.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said recording means includes a recording medium, said recording and storing means including a storage medium, said recording medium and said storage medium being of the same type of medium.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said recording means includes a recording medium, said recording and storage means including a storage medium, said recording medium and said storage medium being of different types of medium.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said signal representative of the caller'"'"'s telephone number and transmitted upon request of the paging center consists of a series of characters comprising a predetermined combination of numerals and symbols.

5. A paging system, comprising:

a paging center;

a telephone answering device;

said telephone answering device including;

(a) means for transmitting a prerecorded outgoing message to a caller, via a closed loop of telephone lines, upon reception of an incoming telephone call, and for recording a caller'"'"'s voice message whereby the subscriber can obtain the caller'"'"'s recorded voice message;

(b) means for receiving, via the telephone lines, a signal representative of a caller'"'"'s telephone number sent after the answering message is transmitted, and for storing said signal;

(c) means for automatically, temporarily releasing the closed loop of the telephone lines, and for reestablishing the closed loop of the telephone lines after said signal is received and stored;

(d) means for calling the paging center, after said closed loop of the telephone lines is reestablished; and

(e) means for transmitting said stored signal to the paging center via the telephone lines, when the paging center answers and produces an acknowledge tone;

a portable receiver unit, adapted to be called by the paging center, with a display window for displaying a telephone number corresponding to said signal sent from the caller to the telephone answering device;

whereby the subscriber through the portable receiver unit is notified of the caller'"'"'s telephone number via the portable receiver unit and can directly call and talk to the caller from outside the subscriber'"'"'s office.