Headset bridge for operating multiple communication devices

• US 5,337,343 A
• Filed: 05/10/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Telephone Company of Ohio (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stickney, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Jason
• Application Number:
  US07/877,526
• Time in Patent Office: 821 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/37, 379/49, 379/319, 379/308, 379/320, 379/321, 379/438, 379/441, 379/442, 379/430, 379/487, 379/399, 379/422, 379/423, 439/638, 439/676
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0289 Telephone sets for operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/215 by non-intrusive coupling means, e.g. acoustic couplers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/60 including speech amplifiers

Abstract

The present invention provides a telephonic headset bridging apparatus having relay based circuitry for automatically or manually switching a single telephonic headset to operate and monitor a plurality of communication apparatuses. The bridging apparatus includes isolated circuits so that the various communication devices which are to be operated, using the headset bridging apparatus, are not able to communicate with each other. The invention is particularly designed for use in a police station to use a single telephonic headset to monitor a plurality of communication apparatuses that includes an integrated Public Safety Answering Equipment (PSAP), a telephone, and, in a more particular embodiment, a radio. A recorder connection is also provided in the bridging device.

Claims

1. A headset bridging apparatus for connecting a single headset to a telephone and a public safety answering point (PSAP) in order to communicate through the telephone and the PSAP, the headset bridging apparatus comprising:

(a) a first switching means for switching a group of connections alternatively between two other groups of connections wherein the first switching means is activated by a first control signal;

(b) a headset jack, a PSAP jack, and a telephone jack, wherein the jacks are telephone type jacks;

(c) first control wiring from the first switching means operable for exterior connection and operable to activate the first switching means when the first control signal is provided to the first control wiring;

(d) receive wiring from the first switching means to the headset jack, telephone jack, and PSAP jack operable to allow the first switching means, based on the first control signal, to switch a pair of receive wires from the headset alternatively between a pair of receive wires from the telephone and a pair of receive wires from the PSAP, when each pair of receive wires from the headset, telephone, and PSAP are connected to their respective jacks; and

(e) firs transmit wiring from the first switching means to the headset jack, telephone jack, and PSAP jack operable to allow the first switching means, based on the first control signal, to switch a pair of transmit wires from the headset alternatively between a pair of transmit wires from the telephone and a pair of transmit wires from the PSAP, when each pair of transmit wires from the headset, telephone, and PSAP are connected to their respective jacks.

2. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 1 further comprises:

(a) a radio;

(b) a second switching means for switching a group of connections alteratively between two other groups of connections wherein the second switching means is activated by a second control signal;

(c) a radio connection means for accepting a connection from the radio;

(d) second transmit wiring from the second switching means to the radio connection means, the headset jack, and the first switching means, operable to allow the second switching means, based on the second control signal, to switch the pair of transmit wires from the headset alternatively between the pair of transmit wires from the telephone and a pair of transmit wires from the radio, when each pair of transmit wires from the headset, telephone, and radio are connected to their respective jacks and radio connections means;

(e) second control wiring from the second switching means operable for exterior connection and operable to activate the second switching means when the second control signal is provided to the wiring.

3. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 2 which further comprises a conversion circuit wires between the first switching means and the telephone jack, operable to allow both carbon and electronic transmission by the telephone connected to the telephone jack.

4. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first switching means comprises a first and a second relay wherein the relays are double pole, double throw, with first and second connect positions, the first switching means further comprising a connection between the first and second relays operable to activate both relays when the first control signal is provided to the first control wiring, and wherein the second switching means comprises a double pole, double throw relay with first and second connect positions.

5. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 1 further comprises:

(a) a recorder;

(b) a terminal means for connecting external wiring;

(c) a recorder jack, wherein the jack is a telephone type jack;

(d) record wiring from the first switching means to the recorder jack and to the terminal means operable to allow the first switching means, based on the first control signal, to switch a pair of record wires from the recorder alternatively between a pair of record wires from the PSAP and a pair of terminal wires from the telephone, when a PSAP recorder output jack connector from the PSAP is connected to the recorder jack, and when the telephone and the recorder are connected to the terminal means.

6. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first control signal is provided by the PSAP recorder output jack connector connected to the recorder jack, and by a connection to the terminal means.

7. The headset bridging apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises control wiring from the headset jack to the PSAP jack operable to allow PSAP log-off of an operator when the headset is disconnected from the headset jack.