System and method for terminating a telephone call after simulating a telephone connection failure

• US 6,130,936 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartmann, Al
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Application Number:
  US08/993,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 379/354, 379/355, 379/142, 379/93.23, 379/93.17, 379/414, 379/417, 379/415, 379/373, 379/376, 379/381, 455/414, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• 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

Abstract

The present invention comprises an improved telephone system and method for terminating a telephone call after simulating a telephone connection failure. After establishing a telephone connection, a user can terminate the telephone call by depressing a switch on the telephone. The telephone then receives a signal that the switch has been depressed, generates a sound in the telephone line, and then terminates the telephone call. In one embodiment, the user terminates the telephone call because the user no longer wishes to continue conversing with the caller. In another embodiment, the caller terminates the telephone call before the user answers the telephone call after the user determines the identity of the caller. The generated sound simulates a failure in the telephone connection. For example, the sound could be noise to attempt to persuade the caller that the telephone connection is unusable. Thus, a user can terminate a telephone call without the user giving any explanation to the caller of why the user needs to terminate the telephone call.

Claims

1. A method for terminating a telephone call, the method comprising:

a telephone with a handset on hook receiving an incoming telephone call from a caller;

generating a ring sound to alert a user to the incoming telephone call, wherein said generating is performed in response to said receiving said incoming telephone call;

receiving user input to discontinue generating said ring sound, wherein said receiving said user input to discontinue generating said ring sound occurs prior to answering the incoming telephone call, wherein answering the incoming telephone call comprises taking the handset off hook;

discontinuing generating said ring sound in response to said user input to discontinue generating said ring sound, wherein said discontinuing occurs prior to answering the incoming telephone call;

determining an identity of said caller from caller ID information received as part of said incoming telephone call prior to answering said incoming call;

providing through a display said identity of said caller to said user;

receiving user input to generate a disconnect sound signal and terminate the incoming telephone call in response to said user determining said identity of said caller after viewing said display;

transmitting said disconnect sound signal over a telephone line conveying said telephone call, wherein said disconnect sound signal simulates a failure of a telephone connection between said caller and said user; and

terminating said incoming telephone call after generating said disconnect sound signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said incoming telephone call is received over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said disconnect sound signal comprises generating a noise signal which simulates an unusable telephone connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said disconnect sound signal comprises executing a computer audio file that comprises a message telling the caller that the caller'"'"'s telephone call is refused.

5. A telephone which enables a user to terminate a telephone call, the telephone comprising:

a port for coupling to a telephone line for sending and receiving telephone signals to establish a telephone connection;

a telephone call-terminating logic unit coupled to said port and configured to transmit thereto and to receive therefrom said telephone signals, wherein said telephone call-terminating logic unit is operable to receive user input to generate a sound signal, wherein the telephone call-terminating logic unit is operable to generate the sound signal, wherein the sound signal is transmitted over the telephone line, wherein the sound signal simulates a failure of the telephone connection and further wherein the telephone call-terminating logic unit is operable to terminate the telephone call after the telephone call-terminating logic unit transmits the sound signal;

a ringer deactivation logic unit configured to provide ringer control for an incoming telephone call, wherein said ringer deactivation logic unit is operable to receive user input to discontinue generation of ring sound prior to answering the incoming telephone call; and

a switch coupled to said ringer deactivation logic unit and to said telephone call-terminating logic unit, wherein said switch is configured to receive and transfer said user input to generate said sound signal to said telephone call-terminating logic unit, and wherein said switch is further configured to receive and transfer said user input to discontinue said generation of said ring sound to said ringer deactivation logic unit.

6. The telephone of claim 5, wherein the telephone is on the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

7. The telephone of claim 5, wherein the telephone further comprises a caller ID unit, wherein the caller ID unit is operable to:

determine an identity of the caller after establishing the telephone connection; and

display the identity of the caller to the user.

8. The telephone of claim 7, wherein the identity of the caller is used by the user to determine whether to terminate the telephone call.

9. The telephone of claim 5, wherein the sound signal generated comprises a noise signal which simulates an unusable telephone connection.

10. A method for terminating a telephone call, the method comprising:

a telephone with a handset on hook receiving an incoming telephone call from a caller;

generating a ring sound to alert a user to the incoming telephone call, wherein said generating is performed in response to said receiving said incoming telephone call;

receiving user input to discontinue generating said ring sound, wherein said receiving said user input to discontinue generating said ring sound occurs prior to answering the incoming telephone call, wherein answering the incoming telephone call comprises taking the handset off hook;

discontinuing generating said ring sound in response to said user input to discontinue generating said ring sound, wherein said discontinuing occurs prior to answering the incoming telephone call;

determining an identity of said caller from caller ID information received as part of said incoming telephone call prior without answering said incoming call;

providing through a display said identity of said caller to said user;

said user initiating a telephone conversation after viewing through said display said identity of said caller;

receiving user input to generate a disconnect sound signal and terminate the incoming telephone call during said telephone conversation;

generating said disconnect sound signal over a telephone line carrying said telephone conversation, wherein said disconnect sound signal simulates a failure of a telephone connection between said caller and said user; and

terminating said incoming telephone call after generating said disconnect sound signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said generating said disconnect sound signal comprises a generating noise signal which simulates an unusable telephone connection.