System and method for telephone operation in quiet mode

• US 7,397,908 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/771,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20050175158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 379/199, 379/373.1, 379/373.02, 379/142.06, 455/461
• US Class Current: 379/199
• 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 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A method and system for automatically changing the operation of signaling features in a telephone are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed to provide automatic reduction in the sound volume associated with the signaling features of a telephone system, during a selected portion of a day. A user is provided with a programmable menu in communication with one or more devices associated with a telephone system. From the menu provided, the user may enter a the beginning and ending time for the “quiet mode” operation of the telephone system. In addition, the user may select the signaling features to be quieted, as well as the sound volume associated with quiet mode operation for a given signaling feature.

Claims

1. A method for enabling quiet mode operation of a telephone system comprising a plurality of telephone devices comprising a base unit and one or more handsets, wherein at least one telephone device is operable to receive information over a radio frequency link from at least one other of the plurality of telephone devices and is switchable to update its operation with the information or not to update its operation, the information related to the quiet mode operation, the method comprising performing the following operations in a first telephone device of the plurality of telephone devices:

setting a start time associated with the quiet mode operation in the memory of the first telephone device;

setting an end time associated the quiet mode operation in the memory of the first telephone device;

selecting at least one signaling feature associated with the telephone system;

entering instructions for operation of the at one least signaling feature between the start time and the end time; and

enabling the quiet mode operation of the at least one signaling feature associated with the first telephone device between the start time and the end time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the quiet mode operation of the at least one signaling feature further comprises:

receiving a signal indicating that the quiet mode operation is enabled;

retrieving the start time and the end time from the memory;

detecting arrival of the start time;

retrieving the instructions from the memory for operation of the at least one signaling feature during quiet mode operation; and

setting the operation of the at least one signaling feature according to the instructions retrieved from memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes a telephone ringer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes a voice announce device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes a keypad tone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes an error tone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes an answering machine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signaling feature includes a speaker telephone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a specific set of days into the memory;

setting a second start time associated with the start of the quiet mode period for the specific set of days in the memory of the first telephone device;

setting a second end time associated with the end of the quiet mode period for the specific set of days in the memory of the first telephone device; and

selecting at least one signaling feature whose signaling intensity is to be altered during the quiet mode period for the specific set of days.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one telephone device and the at least one other of the plurality of telephone devices are each a telephone handset.

10. A telephone system for automatically entering and exiting a quiet mode operation comprising a plurality of telephone devices comprising a base unit and one or more handsets, wherein at least one telephone device is operable to receive information over a radio frequency link from at least one other of the plurality of telephone devices and is switchable to update its operation with the information or not to update its operation, the information related to quiet mode operation, wherein at least one telephone device comprises:

a signaling feature;

a user interface for programming the quiet mode operation;

a memory for storing instructions associated with quiet mode operation;

a processor for executing the instructions;

a clock for triggering initiation and termination of the quiet mode operation; and

a controller for changing the level of a signal emitted by the signaling feature during the quiet mode operation.

11. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the signal comprises an audible sound.

12. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the signal comprises a visible light signal.

13. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the signal comprises vibration.

15. The telephone system of claim 10, further comprising at least one answering device, wherein the signaling feature is associated with the answering device.

16. The telephone system of claim 10, further comprising at least one voice announce device;

wherein the signaling feature is associated with the voice announce device.

17. The telephone system of claim 10, wherein the system is associated with a plurality of telephone lines.

18. The telephone system of claim 10,

wherein each telephone device includes a mechanism for sending information to other telephone devices of the plurality of telephone devices, and

wherein each telephone device includes a receiver for receiving information from other telephone devices of the plurality of telephone devices.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one telephone device and the at least one other of the plurality of telephone devices are each a telephone handset.

20. A method for establishing a quiet mode operation in a plurality of telephone devices associated with a telephone system, the plurality of telephone devices comprising a base unit and one or more handsets, the method comprising:

entering information related to quiet mode operation into the memory of a first telephone device associated with the telephone system;

enabling at least one additional telephone device other than the first telephone device to receive information related to quiet mode operation transmitted from the first telephone device over a radio frequency link; and

transferring over the radio frequency link the information related to quiet mode operation from the first telephone device to the at least one additional telephone device in the system when the first device determines that a change of the quiet mode operation is required.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the information related to the quiet mode operation comprises:

a first time associated with a beginning of the quiet mode operation;

a second time associated the end of the quiet mode operation; and

instructions for operation of at least one signaling feature associated with the first telephone device during the quiet mode operation.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the enabling the at least one additional telephone device comprises enabling a mechanism that is configured to control whether or not to apply the information related to quiet mode operation received from the first telephone device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the enabling the at least one additional telephone device comprises setting a flag in the at least one additional telephone device, the method further comprising:

forwarding the information related to the quiet mode operation to a communication chip in the first telephone device;

sending the information related to the quiet mode operation to a receiver in the at least one additional telephone device;

tripping the flag in the at least one additional telephone device to store the information related to the quiet mode operation; and

forwarding the information to a memory in the at least one additional telephone device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

entering a programmable menu in the at least one additional telephone device;

selecting a setting in the programmable menu to enable the at least one additional telephone device to receive the information; and

exiting the programmable menu, whereby the at least one additional telephone device becomes enabled to receive the information.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the operation of at least one signaling feature in the at least one additional telephone device is altered upon receiving the information related to quiet mode operation from the first telephone device.