Internet telephony devices with circuity to announce incoming calls

• US 7,190,771 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Original Assignee: Edge Access, Inc. (Florida)
• Inventors: Veschi, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Tuan
• Application Number:
  US09/777,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,227 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/142.07, 379/100.15, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 379/106.05, 379/106.04, 379/388.02, 379/418, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.07, 379/372, 379/373.01, 379/93.01, 370/352, 370/354
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A system detects an incoming telephone call and routes the ring signal to a loudspeaker so that it can be heard at a distance from the telephony device. Once the incoming call has been acknowledged the incoming signal is routed to the headset. New incoming calls are identified by verifying the presence of unique characteristics that are found only in incoming calls. In a conventional telephone the unique characteristic can be a combination of frequencies which are part of the ring signal. The frequencies can be verified by using a bandpass filter which allows only frequencies centered around the ring frequency to pass. Therefore, if a signal of correct frequency is present it will pass through the bandpass filter and activate a switch that routes the signal to the loudspeaker.

Claims

1. An Internet telephony device, comprising:

a first output device and a second output device, distinct from said first output device;

an input device constructed and adapted to receive an audio input signal, and

circuitry constructed and adapted to analyze said audio input signal,

wherein said circuitry is constructed and adapted to detect in said audio input signal a multi-frequency signal indicative of an incoming call, and automatically to send an output signal to a said first output device when said multi-frequency signal corresponding to an incoming call is detected, and otherwise to send said audio input signal to said second output device, wherein said circuitry comprises;

a plurality of frequency filters, each corresponding to a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal, and each filter constructed and adapted to detect a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal,

a plurality of capacitors, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each connected to a different one of said plurality of frequency filters, for filtering out signals having certain durations;

a plurality of switches connected in series, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each connected to a different one of said plurality of capacitors, for selectively causing said audio signal to be routed to the first output device when said frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal are detected for a sufficient period of time by said plurality of frequency filters in conjunction with said plurality of capacitors, and otherwise causing said audio signal to be routed to said second output device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of frequency filters are comprise bandpass filters.

3. The devise of claim 1,

a wherein said plurality of capacitors filter noise in said audio input signal to prevent false detects of incoming telephone calls.

4. A device method as in claim 1 wherein said first output device is a speaker and wherein said second output device is a headset.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises 520 Hz and 650 Hz signals.

6. A device as in claim 1 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises a ring signal.

7. A device as in claim 1 wherein said logic circuitry detects the presence of at least two distinct simultaneous frequencies for a duration indicative of said multi-frequency signal.

8. A device as in claim 1 wherein said first output device is a speaker.

9. A device as in claim 1 wherein said second output device is a headset.

10. A device as in claim 1 wherein said first output device and said second output device are selected from the group comprising:

a speaker and a headset.

11. A device as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of frequency filters corresponds to a harmonic of a frequency of a signal in the multi-frequency signal.

12. An Internet telephony device, comprising:

an input device constructed and adapted to receive an audio input signal, and

logic circuitry constructed and adapted to analyze a central processing unit with logic for analyzing said audio input signal, wherein said logic circuitry detects in said audio input signal the presence of at least two distinct simultaneous frequencies for a duration indicative of a multi-frequency signal indicative of an incoming call, the multi-frequency signal comprising 520 Hz and 650 Hz signals;

wherein said circuitry detects in said audio input signal said multi-frequency signal in said audio input signal, and sends an output signal to a first output device when said multi-frequency signal corresponding to an incoming call is detected, and otherwise sends said audio input signal to a second output device, distinct from said first output device, when said signal corresponding to an incoming call is not detected, wherein said first output device and said second output device are selected from the group comprising;

a speaker and a headset, and

wherein said circuitry comprises;

a plurality of bandpass filters, each corresponding to a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal, each filter constructed and adapted to detect a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal,

a plurality of capacitors, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each capacitor connected to a different one of said plurality of frequency filters, said capacitors for filtering out signals having certain durations;

a plurality of switches connected in series, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each connected to a different one of said plurality of capacitors, for selectively causing said audio signal to be routed to said first output device when said frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal are detected for a sufficient period of time by said plurality of frequency filters in conjunctions with said plurality of capacitors, and otherwise causing said audio signal to be routed to said second output device.

13. A device as in claim 12 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises a ring signal.

14. An Internet telephony device, comprising:

an input device constructed and adapted to receive an audio input signal, and

logic circuitry constructed and adapted to analyze a central processing unit with logic for analyzing said audio input signal, wherein said logic circuitry detects in said audio input signal the presence of at least N distinct simultaneous frequencies for a duration indicative of a multi-frequency signal indicative of an incoming call, where N≧

2;

wherein said circuitry detects in said audio input signal said multi-frequency signal in said audio input signal, and sends an output signal to a first output device when said multi-frequency signal corresponding to an incoming call is detected, and otherwise sends said audio input signal to a second output device, distinct from said first output device, when said signal corresponding to an incoming call is not detected, and

wherein said circuitry comprises;

at least N frequency filters, each corresponding to a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal, each filter constructed and adapted to detect a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal,

at least N Capacitors, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each capacitor connected to a different one of said plurality of frequency filters, said capacitors for filtering out signals having certain durations;

at least N switches connected in series, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each connected to a different one of said plurality of capacitors, for selectively causing said audio signal to be routed to said first output device when said frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal are detected for a sufficient period of time by said plurality of frequency filters in conjunctions with said plurality of capacitors, and otherwise causing said audio signal to be routed to said second output device.

15. A device as in claim 14 wherein said first output device and said second output device are selected from the group comprising:

a speaker and a headset.

16. A device as in claim 14 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises 520 Hz and 650 Hz signals.

17. A device as in claim 16 wherein one of the plurality of frequency filters corresponds to the fundamental of the 520 Hz signal and another of the plurality of frequency filters corresponds to a fifth harmonic of the 650 Hz signal.

18. A device as in claim 14 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises a ring signal.

19. A device as in claim 14 wherein the frequency filters comprise bandpass filters.

20. A device as in claim 14 where N=2.

21. A device as in claim 14 where the value is N is selected from the numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5.

22. An Internet telephony device, comprising:

an input device for receiving constructed and adapted to receive an audio input signal, and

logic circuitry constructed and adapted to analyze a central processing unit with logic for analyzing said audio input signal, wherein said logic circuitry detects in said audio input signal the presence of two distinct simultaneous frequencies for a duration indicative of a multi-frequency signal indicative of an incoming call;

wherein said circuitry detects in said audio input signal said multi-frequency signal in said audio input signal, and sends an output signal to a first output device when said multi-frequency signal corresponding to an incoming call is detected, and otherwise sends said audio input signal to a second output device, distinct from said first output device, when said signal corresponding to an incoming call is not detected, and

wherein said circuitry comprises;

two frequency filters, each corresponding to a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal, each filter constructed and adapted to detect a different frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal,

two capacitors, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each capacitor connected to a different one of said plurality of frequency filters, said capacitors for filtering out signals having certain durations;

two switches connected in series, one corresponding to each of said plurality of frequency filters, each connected to a different one of said plurality of capacitors, for selectively causing said audio signal to be routed to said first output device when, said frequency indicative of said multi-frequency signal are detected for a sufficient period of time by said plurality of frequency filters in conjunctions with said plurality of capacitors, and otherwise causing said audio signal to be routed to said second output device.

23. A device as in claim 22 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises a ring signal.

24. A device as in claim 22 wherein the multi-frequency signal comprises 520 Hz and 650 Hz signals.

25. A device as in claim 24 wherein one of thy two frequency filters corresponds to the fundamental of the 520 Hz signal and the other of the two frequency filters corresponds to a fifth harmonic of the 650 Hz signal.

26. A device as in claim 22 wherein the frequency filters comprise bandpass filters.

27. A device as in claim 22 wherein one of the plurality of frequency filters corresponds to a harmonic of a frequency of a signal in the multi-frequency signal.