Telephone set having automatic incoming-call acknowledgement detection

• US 6,738,613 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Nobuyuki, Sakoh, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/295,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 455/460, 455/462, 455/463, 455/564, 455/566, 455/567, 455/414.1, 455/458, 455/412, 455/413, 455/461, 379/209, 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/387, 379/216, 379/459, 379/210.01, 379/215.01, 379/142.01, 379/209.01, 379/100.06
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures

Abstract

In relation to telephone sets connected together over a radio channel, to enable a telephone set of a calling party to readily identify whether or not a call acknowledgement from a receiving party has been detected. After a call has been originated by way of a keyboard 22 of a radio telephone set, a call acknowledgement signal detection section 17c monitors a call acknowledgement signal transmitted from the calling party by way of a base station 30. When the call acknowledgement signal detection section 17c detects the call acknowledgement signal transmitted from the receiving party, a specific call acknowledgement sound signal is output from an audio output section 21. Further, a specific screen color is displayed on a display section 20. If no call acknowledgement signal from the receiving party is detected and the call acknowledgement detection section 17c determines that no call acknowledgement from the receiving party has been detected, a call is automatically re-originated by means of an automatic call originating function, thereby enabling easy identification of a call acknowledgement. Further, since the call is automatically re-originated if no call acknowledgement from the receiving party is detected, the operations required for the calling party are simplified.

Claims

1. A telephone set connected to a base station over a radio channel, comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the base station; and

a call acknowledgment detection section which detects a call acknowledgment signal sent by a receiving party telephone in response to a signal sent by the telephone set and without intervention by a receiving party, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates that the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected.

2. The telephone set as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if the call acknowledgment detection section does not detect any call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone; and

call acknowledgment display means which displays whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone.

3. The telephone set as defined in claim 2, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio output means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgment detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgment signal is not detected.

4. The telephone set as defined in claim 2, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

5. A cordless telephone set connected with a master telephone set by wireless manner, the cordless telephone comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the master telephone set;

a call acknowledgment detection section for detecting a call acknowledgment signal sent from the transmit/receive section of a receiving party telephone without intervention by a receiving party, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates whether a receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected; and

call acknowledgment display means for displaying whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected.

6. The telephone set as defined in claim 5, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio output means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgment detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgment signal is not detected.

7. The telephone set as defined in claim 5, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

8. A telephone set comprising:

a transmit/receive section for originating a call to a receiving party telephone;

a call acknowledgment detection section for checking whether the receiving party telephone has output a call acknowledgment signal;

notification means for notifying a calling party whether a call acknowledgment signal has been received; and

an automatic call originating section that automatically performs a call originating operation after a lapse of a specified period if a call acknowledgment signal has not been received wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected.

9. The telephone set as defined in claim 8, wherein the automatic call originating section automatically initiates the call originating operation if the call acknowledgement signal has not been received.

10. A telephone set connected to a base station over a radio channel, the telephone set comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the base station;

a call acknowledgment detection section which detects a call acknowledgment signal sent by a receiving party telephone before the receiving party telephone receives a call, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates that the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call; and

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if the call acknowledgment detection section does not detect any call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected.

11. The telephone set as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

call acknowledgment display means which displays whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone.

12. The telephone set as defined in claim 11, wherein the can acknowledgment display means comprises audio output means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgment detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgment signal is not detected.

13. The telephone set as defined in claim 11, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

14. A cordless telephone set connected with a master telephone set by wireless manner, the cordless telephone comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the master telephone set;

a call acknowledgment detection section for detecting a call acknowledgment signal sent by a transmit/receive section of a receiving party telephone before the receiving party telephone receives a call, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates whether the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected; and

call acknowledgment display means for displaying whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgment signal is not detected.

15. The telephone set as defined in claim 14, wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

16. A telephone set comprising:

a transmit/receive section for originating a call to a receiving party telephone;

a call acknowledgment detection section for checking whether the receiving party telephone has output a call acknowledgment signal before the call to the receiving party telephone is originated;

notification means for notifying a calling party whether a call acknowledgment signal has been received; and

an automatic call originating section that automatically performs a call originating operation after a lapse of a specified period if a call acknowledgment signal has not been received wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises audio means which outputs a predetermined call acknowledgment sound signal when the call acknowledgement detection means detects the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone and which outputs a sound different from the predetermined call acknowledgment sound when the call acknowledgement signal is not detected.

17. The telephone set as defined in claim 16, wherein the automatic call originating section automatically initiates the call originating operation if the call acknowledgment signal has not been received.

18. A telephone set connected to a base station over a radio channel, comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the base station;

a call acknowledgment detection section which detects a call acknowledgment signal sent by a receiving party telephone without intervention by a receiving party, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates that the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if the call acknowledgment detection section does not detect any call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone; and

call acknowledgment display means which displays whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone,

wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

19. A cordless telephone set connected with a master telephone set by wireless manner, the cordless telephone comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the master telephone set;

a call acknowledgment detection section for detecting a call acknowledgment signal sent from the transmit/receive section of a receiving party telephone without intervention by a receiving party, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates whether a receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected; and

call acknowledgment display means for displaying whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone,

wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

20. A telephone set connected to a base station over a radio channel, the telephone set comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the base station;

a call acknowledgment detection section which detects a call acknowledgment signal sent by a receiving party telephone before the receiving party telephone receives a call, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates that the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if the call acknowledgment detection section does not detect any call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone; and

call acknowledgment display means which displays whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone,

wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.

21. A cordless telephone set connected with a master telephone set by wireless manner, the cordless telephone comprising:

a transmit/receive section for sending and receiving a signal to and from the master telephone set;

a call acknowledgment detection section for detecting a call acknowledgment signal sent by a transmit/receive section of a receiving party telephone before the receiving party telephone receives a call, wherein the call acknowledgment signal indicates whether the receiving party telephone has an ability to receive the call;

an automatic call origination section which automatically re-originates the call after lapse of a predetermined period of time if no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected; and

call acknowledgment display means for displaying whether or not the call acknowledgment detection section has detected the call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone,

wherein the call acknowledgment display means comprises screen display means which indicates a predetermined screen color when the call acknowledgment detection section detects the call acknowledgment signal and which indicates a screen color different from the predetermined screen color when no call acknowledgment signal from the receiving party telephone is detected.