Telephone technician's terminals with auto-selection of dial pulse on DTMF signalling
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining the type of customer signalling, whether dial pulse or dual tone nulti-frequency, when randomly connecting into a subscriber line of a telephone system, comprising:
- means for seizing a selected telephone subscriber line and receiving dial tone;
means for outpulsing the first digit of a selected telephone number in dual tone multi-frequency signal;
means for selectively sensing absence and presence of said dial tone;
means responsive to absence of dial tone for outpulsing all remaining digits of the selected telephone number in dual tone multi-frequency signals to complete the call; and
means responsive to presence of dial tone for outpulsing the first and all remaining digits of the selected telephone number in dial pulse signals to complete the call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved craft technician'"'"'s field terminal of the portable, hand-held type for use in communicating in diverse modes with a central technician access network. The terminal is connected to the telephone line in conventional manner in communication with the telephone access network; however, the terminal includes a SMART DIAL program that determines the type of service of the seized subscriber line thereby to facilitate out-dialing from the terminal. Job data can then be transmitted from the central network and downloaded to the terminal for instantaneous display. Re-transmission can be requested if needed. The terminal is capable of uploading data from the terminal display in either DTMF and/or ASCII to the central network. The craft technician'"'"'s terminal contains a much greater storage capacity than any similar devices heretofore and it is capable of holding job order and response data for what amounts to greater than a full days technician work. In addition, data displayed at the terminal may readily be transmitted for printer access while still being retained in the terminal storage.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the type of customer signalling, whether dial pulse or dual tone nulti-frequency, when randomly connecting into a subscriber line of a telephone system, comprising:
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means for seizing a selected telephone subscriber line and receiving dial tone; means for outpulsing the first digit of a selected telephone number in dual tone multi-frequency signal; means for selectively sensing absence and presence of said dial tone; means responsive to absence of dial tone for outpulsing all remaining digits of the selected telephone number in dual tone multi-frequency signals to complete the call; and means responsive to presence of dial tone for outpulsing the first and all remaining digits of the selected telephone number in dial pulse signals to complete the call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A portable craftsman'"'"'s terminal for communicating with a central access network of a telephone operating system, comprising:
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means for connecting the terminal to a selected telephone subscriber line in the operating system and receiving dial tone; means for outpulsing first and sequential digits representative of a predetermined telephone number for said central access network; means responsive to said first digit outpulsing to determine if the subscriber line is a selected one of dial pulse service and dual tone multi-frequency service; means for completing outpulsing of the telephone number digits in the required mode of service to establish communication with said central access network; means for receiving downloaded ASCII coded data as transmitted from said central access network; display means for displaying said downloaded data; means for composing an alphanumeric data message as read out on said display means; and means for transmitting said data message for upload to said central access network. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for conductively engaging a telephone subscriber line and identifying the type of operating service in order to outpulse call number signals and gain access to a receiving entity, comprising:
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gaining connection to a subscriber line of a telephone operating system; detecting initial dial tone for said operating system; outpulsing the first digit of the call number in dual tone multi-frequency signal; determining that dial tone ceases after outpulsing the first digit signal and outpulsing the remaining digits of the call number in dual tone multi-frequency signal; and determining alternatively that dial tone does not cease after outpulsing said first digit of the call number in dual tone multi-frequency signal, and outpulsing the first and remaining digits of the call number in dial pulse signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification