Systems and methods for generating telephony dial tones

• US 7,801,287 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clifford J. August
• Original Assignee: Clifford J. August
• Inventors: August, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/253,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100.14, 379/357.03
• US Class Current: 379/100.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/505 signals generated in digital form

Abstract

A system for generating number tones for dialing a telephone device comprising a socket assembly and at least one dialer module. The socket assembly defines at least one socket, where the socket is electrically connected to the telephone device. The at least one dialer module comprises a first memory device for storing a sequence of numbers, a first data entry device and a plug electrically connected to the first memory device. The plug engages the socket to electrically connect the first memory device to the socket assembly. Operation of the first data entry device causes the generation of an electrical DTMF signal based on the sequence of numbers stored by the memory device. The electrical DTMF signal is transmitted to the telephone device.

Claims

1. A system for generating number tones for dialing a telephone device comprising:

a socket assembly defining at least one socket, where the socket is electrically connected to the telephone device;

at least one dialer module comprising

a number memory device for storing a sequence of numbers;

a switch;

a plug electrically connected to the number memory device; and

a button assembly for supporting the number memory device, the switch, and the plug;

whereby

the plug mechanically engages the socket to detachably attach the button assembly to the socket assembly;

when the plug engages the socket, operation of the switch causes the dialer module to generate an electrical signal that is transmitted to the telephone device through the plug and the socket; and

the electrical signal causes the telephone device to dial a telephone number corresponding to the sequence of numbers stored in the number memory device.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dialer modules, wherein:

the socket assembly defines a plurality of sockets;

the plugs of the plurality of dialer modules are adapted to mechanically engage one of the sockets to detachably attach the dialer modules to the socket assembly; and

when the plugs engage the sockets, operation of the switches causes the dialer modules to generate electrical signals that are transmitted to the telephone device through the plugs and the sockets; and

the electrical signals cause the telephone device to dial telephone numbers corresponding to the sequences of numbers stored in the number memory devices.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the socket assembly comprises a converter, where the converter generates DTMF signals based on the electrical signals.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, in which the socket assembly comprises a hardware controller, and the converter is formed by the hardware controller and a software program.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, in which each of the dialer modules comprises a converter, where each converter generates a DTMF signal based on the electrical signal generated by the dialer module.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, in which the each of the dialer modules comprises a hardware controller, and the converter is formed by the hardware controller and a software program.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an activation system that detects activation of the switch to place the system in a programming mode; and

a programming system that allows the sequence of stored digits to be changed when the system is in the programming mode.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, in which the programming system comprises a counter for counting activations of the switch in a first group of activations, where the number of activations in the first group of activations is stored in the number memory device as a first portion of the sequence of stored digits.

9. A system as recited in claim 2, in which the sequence of stored digits comprises a plurality of numbers, the system further comprising a counter for counting activations of the switch in a plurality of groups of activations, where the number of activations in each of the plurality of groups of activations are stored in the number memory device as one of the numbers of the sequence of stored digits.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a timer for measuring a delay period during which the switch is not activated;

whereby

the number of activations in each of the plurality of groups of activations are stored in the number memory device as one of the numbers of the sequence of stored digits based on the delay period.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a frequency memory device that stores first and second sets of frequency data, where each set of frequency data represents a sine wave signal having a predetermined frequency.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the at least one dialer module further comprises a frequency memory device that stores first and second sets of frequency data, where each set of frequency data represents a sine wave signal having a predetermined frequency.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, in which the socket assembly comprises a converter, where the converter generates a DTMF signal based on the sequence of numbers stored in the number memory device and the first and second sets of frequency data stored in the frequency memory device.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the socket assembly comprises a hardware controller, and the converter and the frequency memory device are formed by the hardware controller and a software program.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the socket assembly further comprises a frequency memory device that stores first and second sets of frequency data, where each set of frequency data represents a sine wave signal having a predetermined frequency.

16. A system as recited in claim 11, in which each of the dialer modules comprises a converter, where the converter generates the DTMF signal based on the sequence of numbers stored in the number memory device and the first and second sets for frequency data stored by the frequency memory device.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, in which the each of the dialer modules comprises a hardware controller, and the converter and the frequency memory device are formed by the hardware controller and a software program.

18. A system as recited in claim 11, further comprising a summing system that adds the first and second sets of frequency data to obtain composite data, where the composite data represents a composite signal comprising first and second sine wave signals associated with the first and second sets of frequency data.

19. A system as recited in claim 16, in which the converter comprises a pulse-width modulator for generating the DTMF signal based on the composite data.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, in which the converter generates the DTMF signal based on a binary representation of the composite data.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, in which the binary representation of the composite data generally corresponds to a value of the composite signal at a given point in time.

22. A system for generating number tones for dialing a telephone device comprising:

a socket assembly defining at least one socket, where the socket is electrically connected to the telephone device;

at least one dialer module comprising

a first memory device for storing a sequence of numbers;

a first data entry device; and

a plug electrically connected to the first memory device;

an activation system that detects activation of the first data entry device to place the system in a programming mode; and

a programming system that allows the first sequence of stored digits to be changed when the system is in the programming mode, the programming system comprising a counter for counting activations of the first data entry device in a first group of activations, where the number of activations in the first group of activations is stored in the first memory device as a first portion of the first sequence of stored digits;

whereby

the plug engages the socket to electrically connect the first memory device to the socket assembly;

operation of the first data entry device causes the generation of an electrical DTMF signal based on the sequence of numbers stored by the memory device; and

the electrical DTMF signal is transmitted to the telephone device.

23. A system for generating number tones for dialing a telephone device comprising:

a socket assembly defining a plurality of sockets, where each socket is electrically connected to the telephone device;

a plurality of dialer modules each comprising

a first memory device for storing a sequence of numbers, where the sequence of numbers stored in the first memory device comprises a plurality of numbers;

a first data entry device; and

a plug electrically connected to the first memory device; and

a counter for counting activations of the first data entry device in a plurality of groups of activations, where the number of activations in each of the plurality of groups of activations are stored in the first memory device as one of the numbers of the first sequence of stored digits;

whereby

the plugs of the plurality of dialer modules are adapted to engage one of the sockets to electrically connect the first memories of the plurality of dialer modules to the sockets of the plurality of socket assemblies;

the plug engages the socket to electrically connect the first memory device to the socket assembly;

operation of the first data entry device causes the generation of an electrical DTMF signal based on the sequence of numbers stored by the memory device; and

the electrical DTMF signal is transmitted to the telephone device.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

a timer for measuring a delay period during which the first data entry device is not activated;

whereby

the number of activations in each of the plurality of groups of activations are stored in the first memory device as one of the numbers of the first sequence of stored digits based on the delay period.