Break-in method in a key system

• US 4,984,263 A
• Filed: 06/29/1989
• Issued: 01/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Eun, Jin-Pyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Schreyer, Stafford D.
• Application Number:
  US07/373,950
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 379/158, 379/160, 379/165, 379/203, 379/206
• US Class Current: 379/158
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/60 Semi-automatic systems, i.e. in which the numerical selection of the outgoing line is under the control of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/005 with subscriber controlled access to an exchange line

Abstract

A break-in method and a circuit in a key system for switching a key system to a conference-call state by use of a conference-call circuit is disclosed in the invention. In the break-in method, when an attendant perceives a telephone subscriber on the line, the attendant breaks in forcefully upon the subscriber'"'"'s call currently on the line, changing the present call to a conference call. Thereafter, if the attendant hangs on the phone, the subscriber having waited for being switched breaks into the conference-call replacing the attendant. To achieve the improved method the inventive subject includes: a microprocessor MPU for controlling the key system; a subscriber circuit SBC for interfacing a state of an extension-line subscriber ST1 to STn with a main system 100; an office line circuit OLC for interfacing office-line codes Co1, Co2 with the main system 100; a switching circuit S/W for providing and switching a line controlling under control microprocessor MPU; a conference-call circuit CFC for providing telephone subscribers with the conference-call operation by means of controlling microprocessor MPU; and a memory MRY for reading and writing data by controlling under control microprocessor MPU.

Claims

1. A break-in device for use in a key-phone system, comprising:

microprocessor means for controlling a key system;

subscriber circuit means for interfacing a state of an extension-line subscriber with a main system;

office line circuit means for interfacing office-lines with the main system;

switching means for, under control of said microprocessor, providing and switching extension-line subscribers;

conference-call circuit means for providing telephone subscribers with conference-call operation by providing a plurality of conference-call circuits under control of said microprocessor; and

memory means for reading and writing data under control of said microprocessor, and storing current call states of each of said extension-line subscribers;

whereby said microprocessor, in response to a break-in key input;

confirms after reception of said break-in key input, whether a current call by a first party is in a normal-call state when a call is made from an attendant telephone to the first party while a telephone line used by the first party is in a busy state;

executes an error service when the current call is not in a normal-call state;

determines from said memory means whether one of said conference call circuits is not in current use;

controls said conference call circuit means and said switching means to designate one of said conference-call circuits as an allocated circuit for a first one of said extension-line subscribers when said current call is in a normal-call state;

intervenes into a break-in state by breaking into a call between the first party and a second party with a conference-call connecting said first one of said extension-line subscribers with said first party and said second party through the allocated circuit;

checks when the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state, whether a reserved subscriber is present, breaks into the present conference-call state when the reserved subscriber is present, and returns both the attendant telephone and reserved subscriber to a normal-call state when the reserved subscriber is present; and

checks for break-in key input when the attendant telephone is not in a hang-on state, and upon reception of break-in key input, returns the other party'"'"'s call to the previous normal-call state, and if there is no break-in key, and checks continuously the attendant hang-on state during an absence of break-in key input.

2. A break-in method for use in a key-phone system having an attendant telephone system, said method comprising:

a normal-call checking process for confirming whether a current call is a normal-call while hearing a busy tone, when a call is made from an attendant telephone to an extension-line telephone while the extension-line telephone is in a busy state, or the current call from the attendant telephone needs switching;

a conference-call allocation process for executing an error service when the result of said checking process is not in a normal-call state, and allocating a conference-call circuit when said result is in a normal-call state, after checking whether there is a conference-call circuit available;

a break-in intervention process for intervening into a break-in state by breaking into another party'"'"'s call with a conference-call through the allocated conference-call circuit in said allocation process;

an attendant hang-on detection process for checking if the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state in said break-in intervention process;

a first process for checking if a reserved subscriber is present, when the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state according to said hang-on detection process, breaking into the present conference-call state when the reserved subscriber is present, and returning both the attendant telephone and subscriber to a previous normal-call state when the reserved subscriber is present; and

a second process for checking the break-in key input when the attendant telephone is not in a hang-on state in said attendant hang-on detection process, and if there is a break-in key input, returning the call with the other party to the previous normal-call state, if there is no break-in key input, checking continuously the attendant hang-on state.

3. A key-phone break-in device, comprising:

interfacing means for providing office-line codes of office lines and states of extension-lines to a main telephone system;

means for switching said extension lines;

circuit means for providing a plurality of conference-call circuits for the extension-lines; and

means for controlling said interfacing means, switching means and circuit means in response to said office-line codes and states of the extension-lines, to enable said conference-call operation by, in response to a reception of break-in key input;

confirming after reception of said break-in key input, whether a current call by a first party is in a normal-call state when a call is made from an attendant telephone to the first party while a telephone line used by the first party is in a busy state;

executing an error service when the current call is not in a normal-call state;

determining whether one of said conference call circuits is not in current use;

controlling said switching means and circuit means to designate one of said conference-call circuits as an allocated circuit for a first one of said extension-lines when said current call is in a normal-call state; and

intervening into a call between the first party and a second party with a conference-call connecting said first one of said extension-lines with said first party and said second party through the allocated circuit.

4. A break-in method for use in a key phone system having an attendant telephone system, said method comprising:

confirming whether a current call is in a normal-call state when a call is made from an attendant telephone to an extension-line telephone while the extension-line telephone is in a busy state, or the current call from the attendant telephone needs switching;

executing an error service when the current call is not in a normal-call state, and allocating a conference-call circuit when said current call is in a normal-call state, after checking whether there is a conference-call circuit available;

intervening into a break-in state by breaking into another party'"'"'s call with a conference-call through the allocated conference-call circuit and checking if the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state;

checking if a reserved subscriber is present when the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state, breaking into the present conference-call state when the reserved subscriber is present, and returning both the attendant telephone and subscriber to a previous normal-call state when the reserved subscriber is present; and

checking the break-in key input when the attendant telephone is not in a hang-on state, and, if there is a break-in key input, returning the call with the other party to the previous normal-call state, if there is no break-in key input, checking continuously the attendant hang-on state.

5. A break-in method of use in a key-phone system having an attendant telephone system, said method comprising:

confirming whether a current call is in a normal-call state when a call is made from an attendant telephone to an extension-line telephone while the extension-line telephone is in a busy state, or the current call from the attendant telephone needs switching;

executing an error service when the current call is not in a normal call state, and allocating a conference-call circuit when said current call is in a normal-call state, after checking whether there is a conference-call circuit available;

intervening into a break-in state by breaking into another party'"'"'s call with a conference-call through the allocated conference-call circuit and checking if the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state;

checking if a reserved subscriber is present when the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state, breaking into the present conference-call state when a reserved subscriber is present, and returning both the attendant telephone and subscriber to a previous normal-call state when the reserved subscriber is present; and

a second process for checking the break-in key input when the attendant telephone is not in a hang-on state, and if there is a break-in key input, returning the call with the other party to the previous normal call state, if there is no break-in key input, checking continuously the attendant hang-on state.

6. A break-in method for use in a key-phone system having an attendant telephone system, said method comprising:

confirming whether a current call is in a normal-call state when a call is made from an attendant telephone to an extension-line telephone while the extension-line telephone is in a busy state, or the current call from the attendant telephone needs switching;

executing an error service when the current call is not in a normal call state, and allocating a conference-call circuit when said current call is in a normal-call state, after checking whether there is a conference-call circuit available;

intervening into a break-in state by breaking into another party'"'"'s call with a conference-call through the allocated conference-call circuit and checking if the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state;

checking if a reserved subscriber is present when the attendant telephone is in a hang-on state, breaking into the present conference-call state when the reserved subscriber is present, and returning both the attendant telephone and subscriber to a previous normal-call state when the reserved subscriber is present; and

checking the break-in key input when the attendant telephone is not in a hang-on state, and, if there is a break-in key input, returning the call with the other party to the previous normal call state.