Method and apparatus for emulating telephone services

• US 6,393,103 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tandy Corporation (RS Legacy Corp.)
• Original Assignee: RadioShack Legacy Corporation
• Inventors: Pedigo, Ronald W., Carey, Richard T., Clark, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/158,600
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 379/10, 379/34, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.22, 379/93.12, 379/100.05, 379/157, 379/171, 379/201, 379/214, 379/279, 379/1.01, 379/9.01, 379/14.01, 379/10.01, 379/10.03, 379/11, 379/12, 379/13, 379/15.01, 379/15.03, 379/19, 379/22.03, 379/25, 379/26.01, 379/26.02, 379/27.04, 379/29.02, 379/29.01, 379/29.08, 379/29.11, 379/32.01, 379/200.01, 379/214.01, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 379/29.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for simulating telephony services and providing information about telephony services and products without the use of a public carrier telephone system. The system includes at least one Telephone Interface (TI), connected between a telephone and the simulation system. The emulator receives, decodes and validates a user initiated command signal, converts it into a control signal and activates a playback sequence which emulates telephone services. A plurality of different telephone functions and services can be simulated without connection to external telephone lines or wireless service.

Claims

1. An emulator for demonstrating and describing telephone services and features in response to DTMF commands received from a command signal generator, comprising:

a standard telephone interface for sending and receiving command signals to and from a command signal generator, including DTMF signals;

a microcontroller with memory, said memory containing preprogrammed data and instructions for comparing said command signals with preprogrammed data in said memory, said microcontroller producing an output signal if said command signal matches said preprogrammed data, and

a data storage and playback device wherein said data storage and playback device receives said output signal and transmits information describing or emulating telephone services in response to said output signal, and according to standard telephone line interface signaling standards.

2. An emulator for demonstrating and describing telephone services and features in response to DTMF commands received from a command signal generator, comprising:

a standard telephone interface for sending and receiving command signals to and from a command signal generator, including DTMF signals;

a microcontroller with memory, said memory containing preprogrammed data and instructions for comparing said command signals with preprogrammed data in said memory, said microcontroller producing an output signal if said command signal matches said preprogrammed data;

a data storage and playback device wherein said data storage and playback device receives said output signal and transmits information describing or emulating telephone services in response to said output signal;

wherein said command signal generator is a telephone, said telephone providing a dual tone multiple frequency signal;

wherein said telephone interface simulates a standard telephone line, and

a dual tone multiple frequency decoder wherein said dual tone multiple frequency signals from said telephone are transformed by said dual tone multiple frequency decoder into digital data which is sent to said microcontroller.

3. The communications emulator of claim 2 further comprising:

a ring generator, wherein said ring generator upon receiving a signal from said microcontroller sends signals via said telephone interface to cause said telephone to ring.

4. A method of demonstrating a telephone product connected to an emulator, through a standard telephone interface, capable of generating commands comprising the steps of:

detecting a telephone product going off hook;

listening for DTMF commands from said telephone product;

decoding said DTMF commands; and

performing a microcontroller routine to emulate specific telephone services or communications corresponding to said DTMF commands, which comprises

playing an audio recording instructing a user of said telephone product to maintain the off hook condition of said telephone product, sending a call waiting sequence to said telephone product, sending caller ID information to said telephone product, and detecting said telephone product going momentarily on hook, playing an audio recording simulating a message from a call waiting party, detecting said telephone product going momentarily on hook, and playing an audio recording simulating a message from an original calling party.

5. A method of demonstrating a telephone product connected to an emulator, through a standard telephone interface, capable of generating commands comprising the steps of:

detecting a telephone product going off hook;

listening for DTMF commands from said telephone product;

decoding said DTMF commands; and

performing a microcontroller routine to emulate specific telephone services or communications corresponding to said DTMF commands, which comprises

playing an audio recording instructing the user to go on hook with said telephone product, sending a ring sequence to said telephone product, detecting said telephone product going off hook, playing an audio recording of a sending fax machine handshake sequence, detecting a receiving fax machine handshake sequence from said telephone product, playing an audio recording of a fax being sent, and going on hook upon completion of playing back said audio recording of said fax being sent.

6. An emulator for demonstrating and describing telephone services and features in response to DTMF commands received from a telephone instrument, comprising:

a telephone interface which simulates a standard telephone line interface without using public carrier circuits;

a DTMF decoder coupled to said telephone interface and operable to convert DTMF signals received from the telephone instrument to digital data;

a microcontroller coupled to said DTMF decoder and operable to receive said digital data therefrom, and operable to compare said received digital data with preprogrammed data, said controller operable to output command signals in accordance with the comparison results, and

a playback device coupled to receive said command signals from said controller, said playback device operable to select, and output to said telephone interface, information describing or emulating telephone services in accordance with said command signals and according to standard telephone line interface signaling standards.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, and wherein said playback device is a digital storage device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, and wherein said playback device is a compact disk player.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, and wherein said playback device is operable to select a track on a compact disc in response to said command signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, and wherein said playback device is a computer hard drive.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, and wherein said playback device is a magnetic tape player.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a command signal generator coupled to said telephone interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, and wherein said command signal generator is coupled to said telephone interface through a closed telephonic communications network.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, and wherein said command signal generator is a standard telephone instrument having a DTMF generator.

15. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a ring generator having an input coupled to said microcontroller for receiving command signals therefrom, and having an output coupled to said telephone interface, said ring generator responsive to certain command signals to generate a ring signal at said output.

16. A method for emulating telephonic communications comprising:

receiving a DTMF signal without using public carrier circuits at a telephone interface that simulates a standard telephone line;

transforming said DTMF signal into digital data;

comparing said digital data with preprogrammed data;

sending a command signal to a playback device if said digital data matches said preprogrammed data, and

transmitting data from said playback device to said telephone interface describing or emulating telephone services in response to said command signal, and according to standard telephone line interface signaling standards.

17. The method of claim 16, and wherein said playback device is a digital storage device.

18. The method of claim 16, and wherein said playback device is a compact disk player.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

selecting a track on a compact disc in response to said command signal.

20. The method of claim 16, and wherein said playback device is a computer hard drive.

21. The method of claim 16, and wherein said playback device is a magnetic tape player.

22. The method of claim 16, and wherein said DTMF signal is received from a command signal generator coupled to said telephone interface.

23. The method of claim 22, and wherein said command signal generator is a standard telephone instrument having a DTMF generator.

24. The method of claim 16, and wherein said DTMF signal is received from said command signal generator through a closed telephonic communications network.

25. The method in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

generating a ring signal when a ring signal generator receives a generate ring command signal.