System and method for simultaneously controlling ringing at local and remote telephones
First Claim
1. A telephone device operable to receive an incoming call from a calling telephone instrument on a subscriber telephone line coupled to said telephone device and to connect said incoming call to a first telephone instrument coupled to said telephone device and to connect said incoming call to a selected second telephone instrument, said telephone device comprising:
- means for initiating and maintaining a three-way conference connection on said subscriber telephone line between said calling telephone instrument, said telephone device, and said second telephone instrument, said three-way conference connection initiated by said incoming call directed to said subscriber telephone line;
monitoring and connecting means for monitoring said first telephone instrument during said three-way conference connection, applying a locally generated ringing cadence, and connecting said first telephone instrument to said three-way conference connection when said monitoring detects that said first telephone instrument is answered;
transceiver means coupled to said first telephone instrument and said subscriber telephone line operable to monitor energy signals from said telephone subscriber line and said first telephone instrument, said energy signals including DTMF inputs, dial tones, busy signals, ringing cadences and telephone line energy, and to generate DTMF tones in response to said detection of said monitored energy signals;
a digital processor coupled to said transceiver means, said digital processor operable to receive input signals from said first telephone instrument and said transceiver means and to generate outputs to said first telephone instrument and said transceiver means under control instructions stored in an electronic memory, said stored control instructions operable to control said three-way conference connection means, said monitoring and connecting means, said transceiver means and said first telephone instrument; and
circuitry coupled to and controlled by said digital processor for generating ringing cadences and busy signals for communication to said first telephone instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a method and system for redirecting a telephone call incoming to a first line to a selected one or more second lines. In operation, ringing signals initially applied to the first line by the central switching network are inhibited and instead a three-way calling connection is established to the second telephone. Ringing signals applied to the second telephone from the second network connection are detected and cause ringing signals to be applied to the first telephone substantially concurrently with the application of ringing signals to the second telephone. The system is controlled by a processor located in physical proximity to the first telephone.
230 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A telephone device operable to receive an incoming call from a calling telephone instrument on a subscriber telephone line coupled to said telephone device and to connect said incoming call to a first telephone instrument coupled to said telephone device and to connect said incoming call to a selected second telephone instrument, said telephone device comprising:
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means for initiating and maintaining a three-way conference connection on said subscriber telephone line between said calling telephone instrument, said telephone device, and said second telephone instrument, said three-way conference connection initiated by said incoming call directed to said subscriber telephone line; monitoring and connecting means for monitoring said first telephone instrument during said three-way conference connection, applying a locally generated ringing cadence, and connecting said first telephone instrument to said three-way conference connection when said monitoring detects that said first telephone instrument is answered; transceiver means coupled to said first telephone instrument and said subscriber telephone line operable to monitor energy signals from said telephone subscriber line and said first telephone instrument, said energy signals including DTMF inputs, dial tones, busy signals, ringing cadences and telephone line energy, and to generate DTMF tones in response to said detection of said monitored energy signals; a digital processor coupled to said transceiver means, said digital processor operable to receive input signals from said first telephone instrument and said transceiver means and to generate outputs to said first telephone instrument and said transceiver means under control instructions stored in an electronic memory, said stored control instructions operable to control said three-way conference connection means, said monitoring and connecting means, said transceiver means and said first telephone instrument; and circuitry coupled to and controlled by said digital processor for generating ringing cadences and busy signals for communication to said first telephone instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. The method of controlling an incoming telephone call from a calling telephone instrument directed to a called telephone instrument so that the incoming call may be answered by the called instrument or by a selected one of a plurality of other telephone instruments, each having a unique called number identification, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the incoming call at a telephone device coupled to the called telephone instrument; initiating a three-way conference call on the incoming telephone line between the calling phone instrument, the telephone device and a first selected other telephone instrument; and determining when ringing cadence is being applied to the first selected other telephone instrument, and in response to said determination, immediately applying a locally generated ringing cadence to the called telephone instrument. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. The method of controlling an incoming telephone call from a calling telephone instrument directed to a called telephone instrument so that the incoming call may be answered by the called instrument or by a selected one of a plurality of other telephone instruments, each having a unique called number identification, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the incoming call at a telephone device coupled to the called telephone instrument; initiating and maintaining a three-way conference call on the incoming telephone line between the calling phone instrument, the telephone device and a first selected other telephone instrument; determining when ringing cadence is being applied to the first selected other telephone instrument and, in response to said determination, immediately applying a locally generated ringing cadence to the called telephone instrument; and monitoring the called telephone instrument during the three-way conference call and connecting the called telephone instrument to the three way conference call when the monitoring detects that the called telephone instrument is answered. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification