Dual-line telephone bridging device that gives remote telephones access to communications features
First Claim
1. A private branch exchange (PBX) system comprising:
- a plurality of feature telephones; and
wherein each telephone includes;
(a) a first telephone line connected to the PBX system to provide individual access to the telephone;
(b) a second telephone line connected to provide individual access to a public telephone system by the telephone; and
(c) processing means within the telephone for selectively connecting the first telephone line to the second telephone line via the telephone upon input of a password, the processing means within the telephone being operable to provide access to a plurality of features by a remote telephone exclusive of the PBX, wherein the access to the plurality of features is provided via the telephone.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A feature telephone having an internal mechanism for providing access to its features from a remote location. Without third party intervention or the aid of special features on a PBX or public network, a remote user can set up his office phone to transfer telephony features to another phone, such as his home phone. For example, a user can gain access to his company'"'"'s tie lines and private network from his home telephone. A user can also bill data calls to his office phone or receive office calls at his home phone without the use of a PBX or public network call forwarding feature. According to another aspect of the mechanism, a user can also set up a password to restrict access to his telephone'"'"'s features and set up a time of day clock to activate call forwarding and feature access between predetermined hours of the day.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A private branch exchange (PBX) system comprising:
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a plurality of feature telephones; and wherein each telephone includes; (a) a first telephone line connected to the PBX system to provide individual access to the telephone; (b) a second telephone line connected to provide individual access to a public telephone system by the telephone; and (c) processing means within the telephone for selectively connecting the first telephone line to the second telephone line via the telephone upon input of a password, the processing means within the telephone being operable to provide access to a plurality of features by a remote telephone exclusive of the PBX, wherein the access to the plurality of features is provided via the telephone. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of operating a dual line feature telephone comprising the steps of:
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coupling the telephone to a first telephone line of a private multi-line network of feature phones; coupling the telephone to a second telephone line of a public telephone system; detecting when a call has been routed to the telephone on the first telephone line; determining whether the telephone is in a call passthrough mode; allowing the call to ring through when the telephone is not in the call passthrough mode; taking the telephone off-hook when the telephone is in the call passthrough mode; monitoring the first telephone line for received DTMF signals; disconnecting the call if DTMF signals indicative of an authorized password are not received on the first telephone line; and
,allowing remote access, by a caller on the first telephone line, to features of the feature telephone and access to the second telephone line connected thereto if the authorized password is received on the first telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A feature telephone of a private multi-line network of feature phones comprising:
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a first hookswitch relay, connected to couple the telephone to the private multi-line network via a first telephone communications line; a second hookswitch relay connected to couple the telephone to a second telephone communications line having access to a public telephone system; a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decoder coupled to the first hookswitch relay; ring detector means for detecting when a call has been routed to the telephone on the first telephone communications line; memory means for storing data indicative of ON/OFF status of a call passthrough mode; password protection means for determining whether a user has entered an authorized password; a processor, coupled to the first and second hookswitch relays, the DTMF decoder, the ring detector means, the memory means and the password protection means;
the processing comprising;means for enabling the call to ring through when the passthrough mode is OFF and for closing the first hookswitch relay when the passthrough mode is ON; means for opening the first hookswitch relay if the user at the remote station fails to enter an authorized password and for enabling the remote user to close the second hookswitch relay if the remote user timely enters an authorized password, wherein closing each of said first and second hookswitch relays couples said first communications line to said second communications line. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification