Ring count controlled by incoming call related information

• US 6,026,152 A
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/992,113
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.23, 379/142, 379/354, 379/372-377, 379/207, 379/157, 379/177, 379/182, 379/185, 455/38.4, 455/550, 455/566-567, 455/575
• 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 1/652 Means for playing back the recorded messages by remote control over a telephone line H04M1/658 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/654 Telephone line monitoring circuits therefor, e.g. ring detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set

Abstract

A variable ring count device in customer premises equipment is provided and includes a processor, a call related information detector/receiver in communication with a telephone line and a call related information directory in communication with the processor. The call related information directory associates pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count. The processor is operable for an incoming call to compare call related information for the incoming call to the pre-set call related information in the call related information directory, and to determine a ring count for the incoming call based on a correlation between the call related information and the pre-set call related information in the call related information directory.

Claims

1. A variable ring count device in customer premises equipment, said ring count device comprising:

a processor;

a call related information detector/freceiver; and

a call related information directory, said call related information directory associating pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count, said ring count being a number of rings allowed to ring before initiation of an outgoing announcing message;

said processor being operable for an incoming call to compare call related information for said incoming call to said pre-set call related information in said call related information directory, and to determine a ring count for said incominqcall based on said comparison.

2. The variable ring count device according to claim 1, wherein:

said processor determines said ring count for said incoming call while said customer premises equipment is in an on-hook condition.

3. The variable ring count device according to claim 1, wherein:

said call related information is at least a portion of a telephone number.

4. The variable ring count device according to claim 1, wherein:

said call related information is Caller ID information.

5. The variable ring count device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display connected to said processor.

6. The variable ring count device according to claim 5, wherein:

said display is adapted and arranged to display said call related information for said incoming call.

7. The variable ring count device according to claim 5, wherein:

said display is adapted and arranged to display said ring count for said incoming call.

8. The variable ring count device according to claim 5, wherein:

said display is adapted and arranged to indicate that a default ring count is associated with said incoming call.

9. A variable ring count device comprising:

a memory adapted and arranged to contain a plurality of ring count values each associated with respective call related information;

a call related information receiver to receive call related information with respect to an incoming call; and

a processor to compare said received call related information of said incoming call with said respective call related information contained in said memory to identify one of said plurality of ring count values, each of said ring count values indicating a number of rings allowed to ring before an outgoing announcing message is initiated.

10. The variable ring count device according to claim 9, wherein:

said call related information is at least a portion of a telephone number of said incoming call.

11. The variable ring count device according to claim 10, wherein:

said portion of said telephone number is an area code.

12. The variable ring count device according to claim 9, wherein:

said call related information is a household name associated with said incoming call.

13. The variable ring count device according to claim 9, wherein said processor comprises:

a digital signal processor.

14. The variable ring count device according to claim 9, further comprising:

an alpha-numeric keypad in communication with said processor to input said plurality of ring count values and said respective call related information into said memory.

15. A method of setting a ring count for an incoming call, said method comprising:

detecting and receiving call related information relating to said incoming call;

comparing said detected and received call related information with a memory containing pre-set call related information with associated values of said ring count, said ring count indicating a number of rings allowed to ring before an outgoing announcing message is initiated; and

setting said ring count for said incoming call based on said comparison.

16. The method of setting said ring count according to claim 15, wherein:

said call related information is at least a portion of a telephone number of said incoming call.

17. The method of setting said ring count according to claim 16, wherein:

said portion of said call related information is an area code.

18. The method of setting said ring count according to claim 15, wherein:

said call related information is a household name associated with said incoming call.

19. A variable ring count device comprising:

a processor;

call related information detector/receiver means for detecting and receiving call related information about an incoming call; and

call related information memory means for associating pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count, said ring count indicating a number of rings allowed to ring before initiation of an outgoing announcing message;

said processor being operable for an incoming call to compare call related information for said incoming call to said pre-set call related information in said call related information memory means, and to determine a ring count for said incoming call based on said comparison.

20. The variable ring count device according to claim 19, wherein:

said ring count device is in oDerable connection with a customer premises equipment, and wherein said processor determines said ring count for said incoming call while said customer premises equipment is in an on-hook condition.

21. A variable ring count device in customer premises equipment, said ring count device comprising:

a call related information detector/receiver;

a call related information directory, said call related information directory associating pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count;

a processor, said processor being operable to compare call related information of an incoming call to said pre-set call related information in said call related information directory, and to determine a ring count for said incoming call based on said comparison; and

a display connected to said processor, said display being adapted and arranged to display said ring count for said incoming call.

22. A variable ring count device in customer premises equipment, said ring count device comprising:

a call related information detector/receiver;

a call related information directory, said call related information directory associating pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count;

a processor, said processor being operable to compare call related information of an incoming call to said pre-set call related information in said call related information directory, and to determine a ring count for said incoming call based on said comparison; and

a display connected to said processor, said display being adapted and arranged to indicate that a default ring count is associated with said incoming call.

23. A variable ring count device in customer premises equipment, comprising:

a processor;

a call related information detector/receiver; and

a call related information directory, said call related information directory associating pre-set call related information with a corresponding ring count, said ring count being a number of rings allowed to ring before initiation of an outgoing announcing message;

said processor being operable for an incoming call to compare call related information for said incoming call to said pre-set call related information in said call related information directory, to determine a ring count for said incoming call based on said comparison, and to take an action upon said incoming call ringing a number of times equal to at least said ring count.

24. The variable ring count device in customer premises equipment in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said action comprises;

causing said customer premises equipment to transition to an offhook state.

25. The variable ring count device in customer premises equipment in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

said action further comprises;

issuing said outgoing announcing message.