Telephone ringer control device

• US 5,812,648 A
• Filed: 02/20/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Wanner, Brenda D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/603,474
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93, 379/95, 379/96, 379/102, 379/105, 379/111, 379/133, 379/140, 379/142, 379/188, 379/190, 379/199, 379/200, 379/418, 379/421
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal

Abstract

A telephone ringer control device selectively activates or deactivates a telephone ringer to silence a telephone during specified periods. The silent periods may be specified by a timer. In one embodiment, the ringer control device includes a remotely accessible activation circuit that allows the ringer control device to be programmed or overridden via a telephone line. In another embodiment, the ringer control device includes a caller identification to allow the user to block out all calls except for those originating from specified callers. The ringer control device may be mounted within the telephone housing, may be a stand-alone item, or may be incorporated in a telephone answering machine.

Claims

1. A ringer control device for controlling a ringer in a telephone, comprising:

a ringer disable circuit having a disable input and couplable to the ringer, the disable circuit being responsive to disable the ringer in response to a disable signal at the disable input;

a disable signal circuit coupled to supply the disable signal to the disable input, the disable signal circuit including a timer and a remotely accessible activation circuit couplable to a telephone line, the activation circuit being responsive to re-enable the ringer in response to selected commands from the telephone line, the activation circuit including;

a memory contained stored data representing the selected commands;

a decoder coupled to decode signals from the telephone line; and

a comparator coupled to retrieve the data from the memory and to receive decoded signals from the decoder, the comparator comparing the selected commands to the decoded signal, the comparator producing the disable signal in response to the decoded signal matching the selected commands; and

a circuit further including a caller identification circuit coupled to the decoder, the caller identification circuit producing a signal representing an origination source of a telephone call in response to the decoded signals from the telephone line, wherein the stored data further includes an authorized caller identification, the override circuit being responsive to the origination source being an authorized caller.

2. The ringer control device of claim 1, further including:

a memory containing data representing telephone numbers;

a caller identification circuit couplable to the telephone line; and

a comparator coupled to retrieve data from the memory and coupled to the caller identification circuit, the comparator comparing the telephone numbers from the memory to an incoming call telephone number.

3. A telephone for coupling to a telephone line, comprising:

a ringer;

a user activated ringer disable circuit coupled to the ringer, the disable circuit being responsive to disable the ringer in response to a user input;

a remotely accessible activation circuit coupled to the disable circuit and couplable to the telephone line, the activation circuit being responsive to an override signal to override the disable circuit to re-enable the ringer;

a memory containing a plurality of authorized numbers; and

a caller identification circuit coupled to the memory and the activation circuit, the caller identification circuit being operative to provide the override signal in response to an incoming caller identification matching one of the authorized numbers.

4. The telephone of claim 3, further including a timer coupled to the disable circuit, wherein the disable circuit is responsive to re-enable the ringer in response to the timer.

5. The telephone of claim 4, further including a programmable integrated circuit device coupled to the disable circuit, the timer and the activation circuit.

6. The telephone of claim 3, further including a housing, wherein the activation circuit and disable circuit are concealed within the housing.

7. The telephone of claim 3, further including a keypad for telephone number dialing coupled to the activation circuit, the activation circuit being responsive to accept user input from the keypad.