Apparatus for dialing of caller ID block code and receiving call waiting caller-ID-signal
First Claim
1. An apparatus, coupled to a telephone line, for dialing a block code to a central telephone switching office for blocking the transmission of information identifying a caller to a called party, comprising:
- a block key where a block code and a first set of block code prompts and descriptions are preprogrammed;
a program means for causing said apparatus to enter an additional code programming mode;
an additional code means for programming said block key to enter one of a plurality of additional operation modes;
an ON/OFF-HOOK status detector for detecting the ON/OFF-HOOK status of said apparatus or of said telephone line;
a display for displaying said various block code prompts and descriptions;
wherein, when no additional operation mode is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is ON-HOOK causes said apparatus to display said block code and a block code description on said display;
wherein, when no additional operation mode is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is OFF-HOOK causes said apparatus to dial said block code and to display a first block code confirmation description on said display;
wherein, when any one of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is ON-HOOK causes said apparatus to display a second set of block code prompts and descriptions on said display;
wherein, when a first of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key and said ON/OFF-HOOK status detector indicates said telephone line is OFF-HOOK, said apparatus displays a prompt message on said display asking a user whether he/she want to dial said block code;
wherein, when a second of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key and said OFF-HOOK status detector indicates said telephone line is OFF-HOOK, said apparatus automatically dials said block code and displays a second block code confirmation description on said display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for providing a convenient and flexible way for a user to dial a block code which allows the user to withhold his/her identity and telephone number when the user makes a phone call. By programming different operation modes using the keys when the apparatus is in an on-hook status, the user may elect to have a block code dialed by manually pressing a block key when desired, or to have a prompt message displayed on the screen to remind him/her to press a key to dial the block code, if so desired, when the phone is off-hook, or to have the block code auto-dialed every time the phone is off-hook. When the apparatus is in an automatic block code dialing mode, the user may override this setting and have his/her caller ID sent on a per call basis. Another aspect of the invention is a circuit arrangement which is capable of reducing the speech/voice interference to the call waiting caller-ID-alert signal during normal telephone conversation, thus improving the chance of a successful caller ID data transmission during call waiting.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus, coupled to a telephone line, for dialing a block code to a central telephone switching office for blocking the transmission of information identifying a caller to a called party, comprising:
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a block key where a block code and a first set of block code prompts and descriptions are preprogrammed; a program means for causing said apparatus to enter an additional code programming mode; an additional code means for programming said block key to enter one of a plurality of additional operation modes; an ON/OFF-HOOK status detector for detecting the ON/OFF-HOOK status of said apparatus or of said telephone line; a display for displaying said various block code prompts and descriptions; wherein, when no additional operation mode is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is ON-HOOK causes said apparatus to display said block code and a block code description on said display; wherein, when no additional operation mode is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is OFF-HOOK causes said apparatus to dial said block code and to display a first block code confirmation description on said display; wherein, when any one of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key, pressing said block key while said telephone line is ON-HOOK causes said apparatus to display a second set of block code prompts and descriptions on said display; wherein, when a first of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key and said ON/OFF-HOOK status detector indicates said telephone line is OFF-HOOK, said apparatus displays a prompt message on said display asking a user whether he/she want to dial said block code; wherein, when a second of said plurality of additional operation modes is programmed in said block key and said OFF-HOOK status detector indicates said telephone line is OFF-HOOK, said apparatus automatically dials said block code and displays a second block code confirmation description on said display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus, coupled to a telephone line, for dialing a block code to notify a central telephone switching office to block transmission of information identifying a caller to a called party, said apparatus comprising:
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a dialing circuit coupled to said phone line; a line status detecting circuit, coupled to said phone line, for detecting an OFF-HOOK status and an ON-HOOK status of said telephone line; a plurality of keys for controlling said block code dialing and for selecting among a plurality of operating modes; a display unit for displaying a plurality of messages to a user; a central processing unit, coupled dialing circuit, to said line status detecting circuit, to said plurality of keys, and to said display unit, said CPU including; means, responsive to a said plurality of keys, for designating one of said plurality of operating modes; means, responsive to a first one of said plurality of keys being activated while said telephone line is ON-HOOK, for generating a block code description message on said display unit when said apparatus is in a first operating mode; means, responsive to said first one of said plurality of keys being activate while said telephone line is OFF-HOOK, for dialing a block code with said dialing circuit and for generating a first block code confirmation message on said display unit when said apparatus is in a first operating mode; means, responsive to said telephone line being in an OFF-HOOK status, for generating a block code prompting message on said display when said apparatus is in a second operating mode; and means, responsive to said telephone line being in an OFF-HOOK status, for automatically dialing said block code with said dialing circuit and for generating a second confirmation message on said display when said apparatus is in a third operating mode.
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8. A call-waiting, caller-ID receiving apparatus, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving a caller-ID signal that originates from a telephone line; and a Wheatstone bridge, coupled to said receiver, to said telephone line, and to a speech generating source; and wherein said connections of said Wheatstone bridge reduces/eliminates the interference of speech/voice coming from the said speech generating source to said caller-ID signal originating from the telephone line to the said receiver. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A call-waiting, caller-ID receiving apparatus, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving a caller-ID signal originating from a telephone line; and a low value resistor, coupled in serial with the TIP or RING of the telephone line, for feeding said caller-ID signal to said receiver, and means for reducing/eliminating speech interference; and a telephony speech transmitting/receiving means coupled to said telephone line via said speech interference reducing/eliminating circuit means, for transmitting speech to said telephone line and receiving speech from the telephone line; and wherein a voltage level across the said low value resistor responsive to the speech from the said speech transmitting/receiving means, together with a voltage level of the said other speech interference reducing/eliminating circuit means, will interact to reduce/eliminate the interference of the speech transmitted by said speech transmitting/receiving means to said caller-ID signal originating from the telephone line and received by the said receiver. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification