Terminal connection device

• US 5,253,289 A
• Filed: 07/01/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, M.
• Application Number:
  US07/723,801
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 379/372, 379/373, 379/377, 379/387, 379/179, 379/180, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/386
• US Class Current: 379/376.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/607 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 5/02 with direct connection for all subscribers, i.e. party-line systems H04Q5/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A terminal connection device changes and connects a plurality of terminals to one telephone line according to kinds of ringing signal sequences sent through the telephone line. The terminal connection device comprises switches connecting between the telephone line and the terminals, a control circuit commanding ON/OFF operation of the switches, and a photo coupler converting the ringing signal obtained through the telephone line into light signal and inputting the light signal to the control circuit. The control circuit includes a device for judging as to whether a ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line is the same as the sequence data or not.

Claims

1. A device for selectively connecting a telephone line and a plurality of terminals in accordance with ringing signal sequences sent through the telephone line, the device comprising:

determining means for determining whether a ringing signal sent through the telephone line corresponds to previously stored ringing signal sequence data; and

control means for storing the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line as ringing signal sequence data when the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line does not correspond to the previously stored ringing signal sequence data, and for assigning the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line to a terminal which does not have a ringing signal sequence assigned thereto.

2. A device for selectively connected a telephone line and a plurality of terminals in accordance with ringing signal sequences sent through the telephone line, the device comprising:

a plurality of switches connecting the telephone line and the plurality of terminals;

a photo coupler for converting a ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line into a light signal; and

a control circuit adapted to receive the light signal and to control an ON/OFF operation of the switches, the control circuit including

storage means for storing ringing signal sequence data,

determining means for determining whether the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line corresponds to previously stored ringing signal sequence data,

control means for storing the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line as ringing signal sequence data in the storage means when the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line does not correspond to the previously stored ringing signal sequence data, and for assigning the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line to a terminal which does not have a ringing signal sequence assigned thereto, and

main control means for controlling the ON/OFF operation of the switches in response to the ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line.

3. A device for selectively connecting a telephone line and a plurality of terminals in accordance with ringing signal sequences sent through the telephone line, the device comprising:

selecting means for selecting a terminal chosen by an operator;

storage means for storing a sequence of ringing signals inputted by the operator; and

assigning means for assigning the inputted sequence of the ringing signals to the terminal selected by the selecting means.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of switches connecting the telephone line and the terminals, each of the switches defining an ON/OFF operation;

a photo coupler for converting a ringing signal sequence sent through the telephone line into a light signal;

main control means for receiving the light signal and for controlling the ON/OFF operation of the switches in response to the light signal.

5. A terminal connection device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the selecting means comprises of a plurality of buttons.