Telephone apparatus

• US 5,379,319 A
• Filed: 11/05/1991
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Satoh, Masaharu, Tajima, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, Magdy
• Application Number:
  US07/788,241
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 379/387, 379/419, 379/422, 379/424, 379/453, 379/58, 379/61, 379/200, 379/210, 379/355
• US Class Current: 379/355.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A telephone apparatus has a human body approach sensor for sensing, for example, infrared rays from a human body to produce an approach signal in response to which a controller activates a lamp to illuminate, for example, a ten-key device on the telephone, thereby facilitating the use of the telephone in darkness. When the sensor operation is continued longer than a predetermined period, the controller automatically triggers an automatic dialing function of the telephone.

Claims

1. A telephone apparatus, comprising:

a ten-key device for enabling entry of a code and a telephone number;

telephone number registration means for storing telephone numbers therein;

calling means for transmitting one of the telephone numbers registered and stored in said telephone number registration storage means;

human body approach sensing means for producing a signal when approached by a human body;

a comparing means for comparing a value of said signal from said human body approach sensing means with a predetermined value, said comparing means delivering an approach signal when said value of said signal from said human body approach sensing means exceeds said predetermined value; and

control means receiving said approach signal from said comparing means, for activating said telephone number registration means when said approach signal is delivered thereto, and for activating said calling means when said ten-key device is operated.

2. A telephone apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising (a) illumination means for illuminating at least said ten-key device, and (b) a timer, and wherein said control means (i) activates said illuminating means to illuminate said ten-key device in response to said approach signal, and (ii) activates said timer when said control means receives said approach signal, said timer delivers a timer-out signal to said illumination means when a predetermined time period elapses after the timer is activated, and said control means de-activates said illumination means when it receives said timer-out signal from said timer, but de-activates said timer when the ten-key device is actuated before said predetermined time period elapses.