Off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device

• US 5,612,997 A
• Filed: 09/05/1995
• Issued: 03/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James W. Allman, Vallelonga, Kenneth M. Sr.
• Original Assignee: James W. Allman, Vallelonga, Kenneth M. Sr.
• Inventors: Vallelonga, Kenneth M. Sr., Allman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, DEVENDRA
• Application Number:
  US08/523,464
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 379/373, 379/375, 379/208, 379/32, 379/33, 379/80, 379/187, 379/387, 379/393, 379/377, 379/418
• US Class Current: 379/393
• 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 3/14 Signalling existence of persistent "off-hook" condition

Abstract

An off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device will detect if a telephone is off-hook and will receive incoming telephone calls through the off-hook telephone. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device includes at least one relay, an audio amplifier or first transistor, a switch or second transistor, a timer, a first comparator, a second comparator, a relay driver or third transistor, and a ringer device. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device may be integrally formed with the telephone or may be connected to the telephone by at least one wire. During operation of the device, if an audio signal is not detected, then the timer is actuated and begins to time the period of time that the telephone is off-hook. After a preset period of time, the relay temporarily disconnects the telephone from the telephone line, allowing the off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device to signal through the ringer device that an incoming call is being received, even though the telephone is off-hook. The first comparator detects voltage for enabling the telephone to be reset for normal usage of the telephone. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device may include a plurality of integrated circuits for detecting tones and a NOR gate. If the telephone is off-hook, when the off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device detects a tone produced by the telephone company, the telephone is disconnected from the telephone line. Incoming calls will activate the ringer device, signaling a person to answer the telephone.

Claims

1. An off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device for a telephone connected to a telephone line of a telephone company which provides tones for warning of an off-hook condition of said telephone, comprising:

means for detecting at least one of said tones transmitted through said telephone line of said telephone which is off-hook, wherein said means for detecting said tones comprises four integrated circuits, each preset to decode a specific frequency for detecting if said telephone is off-hook;

means for producing a signal indicating that an off-hook condition of said telephone has been detected;

means for disconnecting said off-hook telephone from said telephone line after receiving said signal;

means for signaling that said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device is receiving an incoming telephone call through said telephone line of said off-hook telephone;

means for electronically resetting said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device for reconnecting said telephone with said telephone line for answering the incoming telephone call; and

means for adjusting the frequency of said integrated circuits.

2. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transformer connected to said telephone line; and

a voltage divider connected between said transformer and said means for detecting.

3. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device according to claim 1, wherein said means for signaling is a ringer device.

4. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device according to claim 1, wherein said means for electronically resetting comprises a hold circuit.

5. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device according to claim 1, wherein said means for disconnecting is a relay and wherein said means for electronically resetting further comprises:

a hold circuit connected to said relay for holding said relay energized while said telephone is off-hook;

a power supply for feeding a voltage through said relay and through said hold circuit for holding said relay energized during disconnection of said off-hook telephone from said telephone line; and

means for preventing voltage flow through said hold circuit for de-energizing said relay for reconnecting said telephone line and said off-hook telephone.

6. An off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device for a telephone, comprising:

means for connecting said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device to said telephone;

means for connecting said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device to a telephone line supplying telephone service;

a relay connected between said telephone and said telephone line for temporarily disconnecting and connecting said telephone and said telephone line;

at least one integrated circuit preset to decode specific frequencies transmitted through said telephone line of said telephone which is off-hook for detecting if said telephone is off-hook and for producing a signal;

a NOR gate connected to said at least one integrated circuit for receiving said signal produced by said at least one integrated circuit;

a timer connected to said NOR gate for receiving a signal from said NOR gate and timing a period of time for enabling said relay to latch;

a relay driver connected to said timer for receiving a signal from said timer and transmitting a signal to said relay for connecting and disconnecting said telephone and said telephone line;

a ringer device connected between said relay and said telephone line for signaling that said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device is receiving an incoming telephone call;

a power supply connected to said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device;

means for electronically resetting said off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device for reconnecting said telephone with said telephone line for answering an incoming telephone call; and

means for adjusting the frequency of said at least one integrated circuit.

7. The off-hook disconnect and reconnect ringer device according to claim 6, wherein said means for electronically resetting comprises:

a hold circuit connected to said relay for holding said relay energized while said telephone is off-hook; and

means for preventing voltage flow through said hold circuit for de-energizing said relay for reconnecting said telephone line and said off-hook telephone;

wherein said power supply feeds a voltage through said relay and through said hold circuit for holding said relay energized during disconnection of said off-hook telephone from said telephone line.