Personalized telephone for automatic access to operator services

• US 4,947,422 A
• Filed: 10/26/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telecommunications Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Telecommunications Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Benjamin A., Burnett, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US07/427,972
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 379/355, 379/354, 379/356, 379/357, 379/358, 379/359, 379/200, 379/127, 379/188, 379/199, 379/130, 379/131, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements

Abstract

A telephone set for automatically accessing operator service facilities in response to a user initiating a long distance type of telephone call. The access of the operator services is automatic and transparent to the user. After the user dials the "1" or similar long distance designation, the area code and a seven-digit telephone number of the called party, the telephone set stores such information, and in response thereto outpulses a predefined telephone number of the operator services. The telephone set responds to a precision dial tone transmitted as an acknowledgment by the operator services, and outpulses first an internally stored telephone set identificaiton number, followed by the area code and seven-digit number input by the calling party. Such outpulsed information appears on a video terminal of the operator services, whereupon the calling party and an operator can discuss billing of the telephone call, as well as completion thereof to the called party.

Claims

1. A telephone set, comprising:

an interface for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

a detector for detecting predetermined dialled information which universally defines a toll call;

a receiver for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

a processor responsive to said detection of said predetermined dialled information for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination; and

said processor causing an outpulsing of said stored digits of said primary destination over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits.

2. The telephone set of claim 1, further including means in said telephone set for storing an identification code of said telephone set and for outpulsing said code to said alternate destination.

3. The telephone set of claim 2, further including means for detecting an acknowledgment of a request for service of said alternate destination.

4. The telephone set of claim 3, further including means for executing a sequence of ordered operations comprising outpulsing digits for accessing said alternate destination, then outpulsing said identification code, then detecting said acknowledgement of said request, then outpulsing said digits corresponding to said primary destination.

5. The telephone set of claim 3, wherein said acknowledgement detecting means includes means for detecting a dial tone.

6. The telephone set of claim 1, further including means for powering processor circuits of said telephone set with power supplied over said telephone line.

7. The telephone set of claim 6, wherein said telephone set includes a speech network control circuit powered with said telephone line power, and a call processing circuit connected to receive power in series with said speech network control circuit.

8. The telephone set of claim 7, wherein said call processing circuit comprises a microprocessor.

9. The telephone set of claim 1, further including means for storing information in said telephone set, and means external to said telephone set for programming said storing means with information.

10. The telephone set of claim 9, further including means for programming said storage means via said telephone line.

11. The telephone set of claim 9, further including a jack attached to said telephone set for connecting thereto said external programming means.

12. The telephone set of claim 1, further including means responsive to predefined dialled digits for preventing the outpulsing of the same over said telephone line.

13. The telephone set of claim 1, further including means for monitoring said telephone line during off-hook conditions of a handset associated with said telephone set for detecting an attempted chain call and for preventing outpulsing of digits to thereby prevent said chain cell.

14. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein said processor includes a memory which stores a digit sequence comprising a telephone member of an operator service defining said alternate destination.

15. The telephone set of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the alternate destination is carried out transparent to the user thereof by the operation of the processor in response to the input of predetermined dialled information defining a long distance telephone call.

16. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a processor in said telephone set for processing incoming telephone calls to said telephone set and outgoing calls from said telephone set, said processor including means for storing information for use in processing telephone calls; and

said processor being responsive to remote programming signals generated external to said telephone set for programming said storage means.

17. The telephone set of claim 16, wherein said processor includes a plurality of registers programmable by a remote programming apparatus, and further including means responsive to the contents of ones of said registers for processing outgoing telephone calls from said telephone in accordance with the contents of said registers.

18. The telephone set of claim 16, further including a jack attached to said telephone set for providing external programming signals thereto.

19. The telephone set of claim 16, further including means for detecting dial tone received over said telephone line, means for detecting pulsed dial tone signals from a remote programming apparatus and means for decoding said pulsed dial tone signals into predefined digits to be stored in said storage means.

20. A telephone set for use in completing toll telephone calls, comprising:

an interface for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input by a user of said telephone set for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a program controlled processor in said telephone set for controlling incoming and outgoing telephone calls, said processor including a storage register for storing a unique code identifying said telephone set, a storage register for storing digits dialled by the user for communicating with a primary destination, a register for storing digit information of a secondary destination for accessing an operator service;

means responsive to an input by the user of digit information corresponding to a toll call to a primary destination for temporarily storing said digits in said user dialled digit storage register, and for outpulsing said digits followed by said identity code; and

means for detecting a tone issued from said secondary destination and for outpulsing the user dialled digits.

21. The telephone set of claim 20, further including means for remotely programming said unique identity code register.

22. The telephone set of claim 21, further including means for programming said unique identity code register using said telephone line.

23. A telephone set, comprising:

an interface for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a speech network control circuit for processing ringing signals and DTMF signals, and transmit and receive audio signals, said speech network control circuit being connected to said telephone line and to said handset;

a program-controlled processor for processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls; and

means for connecting DC power from said telephone line to a power input of said speech network control circuit and for connecting a power output of said speech network control circuit to said processor so that said processor receives telephone line current power in series with said speech network control circuit.

24. The telephone set of claim 23, further including low-pass filter connected to said power connection of said speech network control circuit and said processor.

25. The telephone set of claim 23, wherein said program-controlled processor comprises low current MOS circuits.

26. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

processor-controlled circuits connected to said telephone line and to said handset for permitting incoming and outgoing telephone calls;

means for detecting a first occurrence of a dial tone transmitted on said telephone line for signalling the initiation of a telephone call;

means for monitoring said telephone line during a telephone conversation for a second occurrence of a dial tone signal on said telephone line; and

means responsive to the detection of a second occurrence of a dial tone for preventing the outpulsing of digit information from said telephone set to thereby prevent chain calling.

27. The telephone set of claim 26, further including means for permitting audio signals incoming on said telephone line to be coupled to a receiver of said handset.

28. The telephone set of claim 26, further including means for scanning said telephone line for detecting tones in the range of 350-440 Hz.

29. The telephone set of claim 26, further including means responsive to an off-hook condition of said handset for resetting a processor.

30. The telephone set of claim 29, further including a rotary dial pulser, and means for preventing the resetting of said processor controlled circuits during rotary dial pulsing.

31. The telephone set of claim 26, further including a snubber for preventing audio signals from being output from said telephone set over said telephone line.

32. The telephone set of claim 31, wherein said snubber comprises a capacitor switchable between an audio conductor connected to the telephone line, and a circuit ground.

33. A method of placing a toll-type telephone call, comprising the steps of:

storing within a telephone set a directory number associated with an operator services facility;

storing within the telephone set an identification number of the telephone set from which the call is being placed;

storing a number dialled using said telephone set; and

automatically outpulsing by said telephone set said operator services directory number, then said identification number and then said dialled number.

34. The method of claim 33, further including detecting an acknowledgement of a request for service from the operator services facility before outpulsing said identification number.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said outpulsing is automatic, without control of a user of the telephone set.

36. The method of claim 33, further including placing said call from a non-coin type of telephone set.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said telephone set is powered from a telephone line to which it is connected, and further including storing said operator services directory number and said identity in a nonvolatile memory so that when the telephone set is removed from the telephone line, the telephone set can later be reconnected to a telephone line and toll-type calls can be resumed without reprogramming said telephone set.

38. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means for detecting predetermined dialled information defining a toll call;

means for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

means responsive to said detection of said predetermined dialled information for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination;

means for outpulsing said stored primary destination digits over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits;

means for storing information in said telephone set; and

means external to said telephone set for programming said storing means with information.

39. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means for detecting predetermined dialled information defining a toll call;

means for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

means responsive to said detection of said predetermined dialled information for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination;

means for outpulsing said stored primary destination digits over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits; and

means for monitoring said telephone line during off-hook conditions of a handset associated with said telephone set for detecting an attempted chain call and for preventing outpulsing of digits to thereby prevent said chain cell.

40. The telephone set of claim 39, wherein said monitor means includes means for sensing a second occurrence of a dial tone on said telephone line after an initial off-hook condition of said handset.

41. The telephone set of claim 39, further including a program controlled processor, and means for resetting said processor in response to off-hook conditions of said handset to prevent chain calling.

42. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

means for processing incoming telephone calls to said telephone set and outgoing calls from said telephone set, said processing means including means for storing digit information for use in processing telephone calls;

a jack attached to said telephone set for providing external programming signals thereto; and

means responsive to a remote programming apparatus external to said telephone set for programming said storage means.

43. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said line;

means for processing incoming telephone calls to said telephone set and outgoing calls from said telephone set, said processing means including means for storing digit information for use in processing telephone calls;

means responsive to remote programming apparatus external to said telephone set for programming said storage means; and

means for detecting dial tone received over said line, and means for detecting pulsed dial tone signals from said remote programming apparatus for detecting predefined digits to be stored in said storage means.

44. The telephone set of claim 43, wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of programmable registers, and further including means for verifying the contents of said programmable registers, said verifying means including means for reading ones of said registers and transmitting DTMF signals representative of said contents to said remote programming apparatus.

45. A telephone set for use in completing toll telephone calls, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said line;

means responsive to a manual input by a user of said telephone set for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a program controlled processor in said telephone set for controlling incoming and outgoing telephone calls, said processor including a storage register for storing a unique code identifying said telephone set, a storage register for storing digits dialled by the user for communicating with a primary destination, a register for storing digit information of a secondary destination for accessing an operator service;

means responsive to an input by the user of digit information corresponding to a toll call to a primary destination for temporarily storing said digits in said user dialled digit storage register, and for outpulsing said digits followed by said identity code;

means for detecting a tone issued from said secondary destination for outpulsing the user dialled digits;

means for remotely programming said unique identity code register; and

means for programming said unique identity code register using said telephone line.

46. The telephone set of claim 45, further including means for mutating a number for use in establishing communications between the telephone set and the remote programming means.

47. A method for placing a toll-type telephone call, comprising the steps of:

storing within a telephone set a directory number associated with an operator services facility;

storing within the telephone set an identity of the telephone set from which the call is being placed;

storing a number dialled using said telephone set; and

automatically outpulsing said operator services directory number, then said identification number and then said dialled number without control thereof by a user of the telephone set.

48. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a speech network control circuit for processing ringing signals and DTMF signals, and transmit and receive audio signals, said control circuit being connected to said telephone line and to said handset;

a program-controlled processor for processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls;

means for connecting DC power from said telephone line to a power input of said speech network control circuit and for connecting a power output of said speech circuit to said processor so that said processor receives telephone line current power in series with said speech network control circuit; and

a low-pass filter connected to said power connection of said speech network control circuit and said processor.

49. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio sounds and for converting audio sounds to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means responsive to a manual input of digits for outpulsing digit information over said telephone line;

a speech network control circuit for processing ringing signals and DTMF signals, and transmit and receive audio signals, said control circuit being connected to said telephone line and to said handset;

a program-controlled processor for processing incoming and outgoing telephone calls, said processor being a low current MOS circuit; and

means for connecting DC power from said telephone line to a power input of said speech network control circuit and for connecting a power output of said speech circuit to said processor so that said processor receives telephone line current power in series with said speech network control circuit.

50. A telephone set, comprising:

an interface for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

a detector for detecting a predetermined sequence of digits which universally define a toll call;

a receiver for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

a processor responsive to said detection of said predetermined digit sequence for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination; and

said processor causing an outpulsing of said stored digit sequence of said primary destination over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits.

51. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means for detecting a predetermined sequence of digits defining a toll call;

means for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

means responsive to said detection of said predetermined digit sequence for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination;

means for outpulsing said stored digit sequence over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits;

means for storing information in said telephone set; and

means external to said telephone set for programming said storing means with information.

52. A telephone set, comprising:

means for connecting said telephone set to a telephone line;

a handset for converting electrical signals to audio signals and for converting audio signals to electrical signals for transmission over said telephone line;

means for detecting a predetermined sequence of digits defining a toll call;

means for receiving dialled digits representative of a destination defined as a primary destination, and for storing said primary destination digits;

means responsive to said detection of said predetermined digit sequence for outpulsing over said telephone line a digit sequence representative of an alternate destination;

means for outpulsing said stored digit sequence over said telephone line for placing a user of said telephone set in communication with a called party associated with said stored digits; and

means for monitoring said telephone line during off-hook conditions of a handset associated with said telephone set for detecting an attempted chain call and for preventing outpulsing of digits to thereby prevent said chain call.