Telephone set device capable of vocalizing a telephone number being called

• US 6,636,586 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Bar-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/786,770
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/76, 379/88.12, 379/80, 379/82, 379/88.01, 379/88.17, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/144, 379/142, 379/373, 379/374, 379/70, 379/88.16, 379/88.21, 379/93.08, 379/167.08, 379/156, 379/159, 379/177, 379/179, 379/201.207, 379/207.12
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

A telephone set device capable of vocalizing a telephone number being called. A line interface circuit serves as an interface between the tip and ring wires of a standard telephone circuit and the internal circuit. A ring detector detects whether a ring signal is being input. A controller provides the input of signals from the line interface circuit, the keypad, and the ring detector. A hybrid circuit divides the connecting terminals of the line interface into a voice input and a voice output. A keypad inputs the control signal or the number signal to the controller, and sets the address data in the internal memory of the controller to output the voice data. A DTMF generator generates DTMF signals to represent each key on the keypad. A number voice generator receives the address data and decompresses the corresponding compressed voice data retrieved from the internal memory. A handset receives/transmits a voice signal. A switch device cuts off the voice signal from the handset under the control of the DTMF generator when the DTMF generator outputs the DTMF signals. A speaker connected to the number voice generator, vocalizes the decompressed voice signal.

Claims

1. A telephone set device capable of reciting a telephone number being called, comprising:

a line interface circuit for acting as an interface between a tip and ring wires of a standard telephone circuit, and an internal circuit;

a ring detector for detecting whether a ring signal is being input, and outputting a detection signal when the ring signal is detected;

a keypad for presetting a telephone number associated with the telephone set on which the keypad is disposed by providing number signals corresponding to the telephone number and control signals, the presetting being done by using a plurality of number keys and specific keys;

a controller for;

(a) receiving the number signals and control signals from the keypad when presetting the telephone number associated with the telephone set;

(b) generating information data corresponding to the number signals and control signals;

(c) storing the information data in an internal memory; and

(d) transmitting the information data when receiving the detection signal;

a number voice generator for receiving the information data, and decompressing the information data for generation of voice signals corresponding to the telephone numbers being called; and

a speaker, connected to the number voice generator, for reciting the decompressed voice signals before the telephone set goes off-hook.

2. The telephone set device of claim 1, further comprising:

a ring tone generator for outputting a ring tone under the control of the ring detector; and

an amplifier for amplifying and outputting the ring tone signals from the ring generator and the words from the number voice generator to the speaker.

3. The telephone set device of claim 1, wherein the number voice generator comprises a memory for storing the information data.

4. The telephone set device of claim 3, wherein the information data comprises ring tone data, voice data for telephone numbers, and several words.

5. The telephone set device of claim 2, wherein the ring detector drives the ring generator to produce a ring voice signal, and then makes the controller output the address signal to drive the number voice generator to output the voice signal while detecting the input of the ring signal.

6. A telephone set capable of reciting a telephone number being called, comprising:

a line interface circuit for acting as an interface between a tip wire and a ring wire of a standard telephone circuit, and an internal circuit;

a ring detector for detecting whether a ring signal is being input, and outputing a detection signal when the ring signal is detected;

means for presetting a telephone number associated with the telephone set;

a controller receiving the telephone number associated with the telephone set, generating information data corresponding to the telephone number, storing the information data in an internal memory, and transmitting the information data when receiving the detection signal;

a number voice generating the information data transmitted by the controller and decompressing the information data to generate voice signals corresponding to the telephone number being called; and

a speaker connected to the number voice generator and receiving the voice signals, the speaker outputting the voice signals reciting the telephone number being called before the telephone set goes off-hook.

7. The telephone set of claim 6, further comprising:

a ring tone generator for outputing a ring tone under the control of the ring detector; and

an amplifier for amplifying and outputing the ring tone signals from the ring generator and words of voice signals from the number voice generator to the speaker.

8. The telephone set of claim 7, wherein the ring detector drives the ring tone generator to produce a ring voice signal, and the ring detector then controls the controller to output an address signal to drive the number voice generator to output the voice signals while detecting the input of the ring signal.

9. The telephone set of claim 7, wherein the information data comprises ring tone data, voice data for one or more telephone numbers, and several words.

10. The telephone set of claim 6, wherein the number voice generator comprises a memory for storing the information data.