Paystation monitor circuit to prevent fraudulent use

• US 4,896,348 A
• Filed: 07/01/1988
• Issued: 01/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quadrum SA de CV
• Original Assignee: Palco Telecom Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Attle D., Grantland, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/214,476
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 379/145, 379/146, 379/147, 379/143, 379/155, 379/154, 379/132
• US Class Current: 379/145
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements

Abstract

A paystation circuit that monitors coin battery signals, hookswitch detect signals and initial rate conditions to provide proper reset signals to the totalizer circuit enabling and/or disabling the dial keypad in order to prevent fraudulent paystation usage.

Claims

1. An off-hook reset circuit for use in a telephone paystation, said paystation including, a calling device, connections to a telephone central office, a rate relay, a totalizer circuit, a hookswich circuit and a central office battery circuit;

said reset circuit comprising;

a latch circuit;

a first gate circuit connected between said hookswitch circuit and said latch circuit operated to reset said latch circuit in response to a signal from said hookswitch circuit;

an oscillator circuit connected to said latch, enabled to generate a train of reset pulses in response to said latch being reset;

second gating means connected between said oscillator and said rate relay operated to gate a reset pulse to said rate relay;

whereby said totalizer circuit is reset and said calling device is disabled.

2. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

there is further included a circuit connection between said second gateand said latch operated to conduct a reset pulse to set said latch;

and said oscillator disabled in response to said latch being set.

3. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

there is further included signal inversion means connected between said oscillator and said second gate circuit.

4. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

there is further included signal inversion means connected between said second gate circuit and said rate relay.

5. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

there is further included a third gate circuit connected between said central office battery circuit and said rate relay; and

a circuit connection frorm said totalizer circuit to said third gate circuit, said third gate circuit operated in response to a signal from said central office battery circuit to couple a signal to said rate relay.

6. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

there is further included a fourth gate circuit connected between said third gate circuit and said first gate circuit operated in response to removal of said signal from said coin battery circuit to reset said latch and enable said oscillator.

7. An off-hook reset circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

there is further included signal inversion means connected between said fourth gate circuit and said first gate circuit.