Telephone with call-incoming-operation limiting function and method of limiting call-incoming operation of telephone

• US 6,763,105 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miura, Nozomi, Toda, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Minsun Oh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Application Number:
  US09/191,581
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.08, 379/373.01, 379/376.02, 379/377, 379/372, 379/421, 455/561
• US Class Current: 379/373.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/042 with variable loudness of the ringing tone, e.g. variable envelope or amplitude of ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has a clock means 2 for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprises: a ringer-tone-volume controlling means 4 for controlling the tone volume of a ringer 5 during call incoming; and a call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means 3 for instructing the ringer-tone-volume controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the tone volume of the ringer to a tone volume set by the user. By designating the time when the surroundings become quiet and by lowering the tone volume of the ringer, the user is able to know call incoming without imparting discomfort and annoyance to the surrounding people.

Claims

1. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising:

ringer-tone-volume controlling means for controlling a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming; and

call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing said ringer-tone-volume controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the tone volume to a tone volume set by the user, and

call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding the time which has been set over a plurality of times by the user, and for setting average time of the timing as the time set by the user.

2. The telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to claim 1, wherein, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, said call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs said ringer-tone-volume controlling means to effect a changeover to the tone volume set by the user and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs said ringer-tone-volume controlling means to stop the changeover.

14. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to any of the claims 1 to 8 or 13, further comprising:

signaling means for signaling to the user that the time measured by said clock means and the time set by the user have coincided.

3. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising:

call-incoming-pattern controlling means for controlling a ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming; and

call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing said call-incoming pattern controlling means at the time set by a user to change over the ringing pattern to a ringing pattern set by the user, and

call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding the time which has been set over a plurality of times by the user, and for setting average time of the timing as the time set by the user.

4. The telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to claim 3, wherein, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, said call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs said call-incoming-pattern controlling means to effect a changeover to the ringing pattern set by the user and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs said call-incoming-pattern controlling means.

5. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising:

vibrator controlling means for controlling a vibrator for signaling call incoming; and

call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing said vibrator controlling means at the time set by a user to effect a changeover to signaling of call incoming by said vibrator, and

call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding the time which has been set over a plurality of times by the user, and for setting average time of the timing as the time set by the user.

6. The telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to claim 5, wherein, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, said call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs said vibrator controlling means to effect a changeover to the signaling of call incoming by said vibrator and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs said vibrator controlling means to stop the changeover.

7. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising:

answering-phone-function controlling means for controlling an answering phone function; and

call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing said answering-phone-function controlling means at the time set by a user to use the answering phone function during call incoming, and

call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding the time which has been set over a plurality of times by the user, and for setting average time of the timing as the time set by the user.

8. The telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to claim 7, wherein, at a starting time of a time zone set by the user, said call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means instructs said answering-phone-function controlling means to use the answering phone function and, at an ending time of the time zone, instructs said answering-phone-function controlling means not to use the answering phone function.

9. A method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the steps of:

automatically changing over a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming to a set tone volume each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives,

holding a plurality of individual time settings that have been individually set by the user in call-incoming-operation change information setting means, and

setting an average of the plurality of individual time settings in the call-incoming-operation change information setting means as the time set by the user.

10. A method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the steps of:

automatically changing over a ringing pattern of a ringer during call incoming to a set ringing pattern each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives,

holding a plurality of individual time settings that have been individually set by the user in call-incoming-operation change information setting means, and

setting an average of the plurality of individual time settings in the call-incoming-operation change information setting means as the time set by the user.

15. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function according to any one of the claims 9-12, further comprising the step of:

automatically signaling to the user each time said time zone arrives.

11. A method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the steps of:

automatically changing over a signaling method of a ringer during call incoming to a method of signaling by vibration each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives,

holding a plurality of individual time settings that have been individually set by the user in call-incoming-operation change information setting means, and

setting an average of the plurality of individual time settings in the call-incoming-operation change information setting means as the time set by the user.

12. A method of limiting call-incoming operation of a telephone, comprising the steps of:

automatically changing over a response during call incoming to a response by an answering phone function each time a time zone set by a user periodically arrives,

holding a plurality of individual time settings that have been individually set by the user in call-incoming-operation change information setting means, and

setting an average of the plurality of individual time settings in the call-incoming-operation change information setting means as the time set by the user.

13. A telephone with a call-incoming-operation limiting function which has clock means for measuring the time and changes over call-incoming operation according to the time, comprising:

at least one controlling means selected among ringer-tone-volume controlling means for controlling a tone volume of a ringer during call incoming, call-incoming-pattern controlling means for controlling a ringing pattern of said ringer during call incoming, vibrator controlling means for controlling a vibrator for signaling call incoming, and answering-phone-function controlling means for controlling an answering phone function;

call-incoming-operation limiting function controlling means for instructing said controlling means at the time set by a user to effect a changeover of operation during call incoming;

call-incoming-operation change information setting means for holding a plurality of individual time settings that have been individually set by the user, and for setting an average of the plurality of individual time settings as the time set by the user.