Switching control apparatus for a communication terminal having a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device

• US 4,939,772 A
• Filed: 04/10/1989
• Issued: 07/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Let's Corporation
• Original Assignee: Let's Corporation
• Inventors: Goto, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/335,446
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/95-98, 379/67, 379/80, 379/74, 379/70, 379/79, 379/82
• US Class Current: 379/100.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32704 Establishing a communication with one of a facsimile and another telecommunication apparatus sharing a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32708 Telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32717 a calling tone, e.g. CI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32719 a facsimile calling signal, e.g. CNG
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32723 speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32726 signals other than facsimile protocol signals, e.g. DTMF signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32728 an off-hook condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32732 within a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32752 Manual connection of one of the apparatus other than by putting a telephone off-hook
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32758 Sending a voice message other than from a telephone answering machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/902 Auto-switch for an incoming voice data, or fax telephone call, e.g. comp/fax/tel

Abstract

A terminal switching control apparatus, used for a combination of a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device, comprises a call signal recognition detector to detect an incoming signal and distinguish the detected signal between an voice signal and an non-voice terminal call signal, a device for transmitting a response message to urge the calling party to respond if no incoming voice signal is detected, an action request device for urging the called party to respond by the voice terminal device when an incoming voice signal is recognized after transmitting the response message, a control device for switching the line connection to the non-voice terminal device if neither the voice signal nor the non-voice signal is detected by the call recognition device, and a set of mode selector switches for selecting a presence mode and an absence mode according to the presence/absence status of the called party. The presence/absence mode can also be controlled automatically to conform to the presence/absence status of the called party.

Claims

1. A switching control apparatus for a communication terminal, connected to a communication circuit, having a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device, which maintains a connection with said communication circuit upon reception of a calling signal by said communication terminal, wherein said apparatus comprises:

(a) means for switching the connection with said communication circuit between said voice terminal device and said non-voice terminal device; and

(b) a call signal recognition detector which detects an incoming signal and distinguishes the incoming signal between a voice signal and a non-voice terminal call signal, said call signal recognition detector counting an ON-time of the incoming signal within a specified frequency range within a predetermined unit time period immediately after detecting the incoming signal, determining the incoming signal to be a non-voice terminal call signal if the counted ON-time is less than a specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period, and determining the incoming signal to be a voice signal if the counted ON-time is greater than said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period.

2. A switching control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said incoming signal is within the frequency range of 300 to 3400 Hz, said predetermined unit time period is 3.0 seconds, and said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period is 23.3%.

3. A switching control apparatus for a communication terminal, connected to a communication circuit, having a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device, which maintains a connection with said communication circuit upon reception of a calling signal by said communication terminal, wherein said apparatus comprises:

(a) means for for switching the connection with said communication circuit between said voice terminal device and said non-voice terminal device; and

(b) a call signal recognition detector which detects an incoming signal and distinguishes the incoming signal between a voice signal and a non-voice terminal call signal, said call signal counting an OFF-time of the incoming signal within a specified frequency range within a predetermined unit time period immediately after detecting the incoming signal, determining the incoming signal to be a non-voice terminal call signal if the counted OFF-time is greater than a specified time duration percentage of the predetermined unit time period, and determining the incoming signal to be a voice signal if the counted OFF-time is less than said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period.

4. A switching control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said incoming signal is within the frequency range of 300 to 3400 Hz, said predetermined unit time period if 3.0 seconds, and said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period is 76.7%.

5. A switching control apparatus for a communication terminal, connected to a communication circuit, having a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device, which maintains a connection with said communication circuit upon reception of a calling signal by said communication terminal, wherein said apparatus comprises:

(a) means for switching the connection with said communication circuit between said voice terminal device and said non-voice terminal device;

(b) a call signal recognition detector which detects an incoming signal and distinguishes the incoming signal between a voice signal and a non-voice terminal call signal;

(c) means for transmitting a voice response message to a calling party if no voice signal is detected by said call signal recognition detector within a predetermined time period immediately after the connection with said communication circuit is maintained;

(d) means for urging a called party to respond by said voice terminal device when a voice signal is recognized after transmitting the voice response message; and

(e) a control device which switches the connection of said communication circuit to said non-voice terminal device if neither the voice signal nor the non-voice signal is detected by said call signal recognition detector after the voice response message is transmitted;

wherein said call signal recognition detector counts an ON-time of the incoming signal within a specified frequency range within a predetermined unit time period immediately after detecting the incoming signal, and determines the incoming signal to be a non-voice terminal call signal if the counted ON-time is less than a specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period, and determines the incoming signal to be a voice signal if the counted ON-time is greater than said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period.

6. A switching control apparatus for a communication terminal, connected to a communication circuit, having a voice terminal device and a non-voice terminal device, which maintains a connection with said communication circuit upon reception of a calling signal by said communication terminal, wherein said apparatus comprises:

(a) means for switching the connection with said communication circuit between said voice terminal device and said non-voice terminal device;

(b) a call signal recognition detector which detects an incoming signal and distinguishes the incoming signal between a voice signal and a non-voice terminal call signal;

(c) means for transmitting a voice response message to a calling party if no voice signal is detected by said call signal recognition detector within a predetermined time period immediately after the connection with said communication circuit is maintained;

(d) means for urging a called party to respond by said voice terminal device when a voice signal is recognized after transmitting the voice response message; and

(e) a control device which switches the connection of said communication circuit to said non-voice terminal device if neither the voice signal nor the non-voice signal is detected by said call signal recognition detector after the voice response message is transmitted;

wherein said call signal recognition detector counts an OFF-time of the incoming signal within a specified frequency range within a predetermined unit time period immediately after detecting the incoming signal, and determines the incoming signal to be a non-voice terminal call signal if the counted OFF-time is greater than a specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period, and determines the incoming signal to be a voice signal if the counted OFF-time is less than said specified time duration percentage against the predetermined unit time period.