Switching device for controlling power to appliances and muting audio devices in response to a telephone call

• US 5,528,673 A
• Filed: 10/14/1994
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard A. Rosenthal
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Rosenthal
• Inventors: Rosenthal, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/323,378
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 379/373, 379/375, 379/377, 379/378, 379/110, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/395, 379/387, 379/90
• US Class Current: 379/102.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

A switching device for simultaneously controlling AC power to an electrical appliance and providing an infrared mute and unmute signal to an infrared-controlled device in response to initiation and termination of a telephone call includes a circuit for connecting said switching device to a telephone line, having tip-and-ring connectors, and a telephone; an AC plug for connecting said switching device to an AC outlet; an AC power-controlled outlet for receiving electrical appliance plugs. An infrared-controlled circuit is provided for decoding an existing infrared emitting device and for emitting an infrared signal suitable for muting the infrared controlled device; and a control circuit is provided for simultaneously controlling power to said AC power-controlled outlet and causing said infrared circuit to emit the infrared signal. The control circuit is responsive to voltage across the tip-and-ring connectors and interconnected between the AC power plug, the AC power-controlled outlet and the infrared circuit.

Claims

1. A switching device for simultaneously controlling AC power to an electrical appliance and providing an infrared mute signal to an infrared-controlled device in response to initiation and termination of a telephone call, said switching device comprising:

means for connecting said switching device to a telephone line, having tip-and-ring connectors, and a telephone;

AC plug means for connecting said switching device to an AC outlet;

AC power-controlled outlet means for receiving electrical appliance plugs;

infrared circuit means for decoding an existing infrared emitting device and for emitting an infrared signal suitable for muting the infrared-controlled device, said infrared circuit means being configured for decoding a plurality of existing infrared-emitting devices and for emitting a plurality of infrared signals, each suitable for muting a different infrared-controlled device; and

control means for simultaneously controlling power to said AC power-controlled outlet means and causing said infrared circuit means to emit the infrared signal, said control means being responsive to voltage across the tip-and-ring connectors and interconnected between said AC power plug means, said AC power-controlled outlet means, and said infrared circuit means, said control means comprising;

Triac means, having a sensitive gate controlling ON and OFF states of the Triac means, for controlling power to said power-controlled outlet means, the ON state corresponding to providing power to said power-controlled outlet means and the OFF state corresponding to cutting power to said power-controlled outlet means;

diode means, interconnected with said means for connecting said switching device to a telephone line, and said Triac means, for holding the Triac means in the OFF state in response to 90 V voltage applied across the tip-and-ring connectors and holding the Triac means in the ON state in response to 48 V voltage applied across the tip-and-ring connectors; and

delay current means for delaying the emission of the infrared signal by the infrared current means after a voltage across the tip-and-ring connector corresponding to a hang-up of the telephone.