System and method for telephone operation in quiet mode

• US 9,954,999 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• 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): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/853,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20160006859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• 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 one embodiment, a method includes: storing, in a first handset of a telephone system, quiet mode settings that specify a start time and an end time for a quiet mode signaling feature; wirelessly transmitting, from the first handset of the telephone system to a second handset of the telephone system, the quiet mode settings that specify the start time and the end time for the quiet mode signaling feature; and updating quiet mode settings for the quiet mode signaling feature in the second handset in response to receiving quiet mode settings from the first handset, and wherein the first handset and the second handset of the telephone system self-check the status of their quiet mode settings.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, in a first handset of a telephone system, located in a room of a structure and connected to a base unit, quiet mode settings that specify a start time and an end time for a quiet mode signaling feature;

enabling the quiet mode settings on the first handset of the telephone system;

wirelessly transmitting, from the first handset of the telephone system to a second handset of the telephone system, located in a different room of the structure and connected to the base unit, the quiet mode settings that specify the start time and the end time for the quiet mode signaling feature, wherein the first handset and the second handset are using a common telephone number;

updating quiet mode settings for the quiet mode signaling feature in the second handset in response to receiving quiet mode settings from the first handset, wherein the first handset individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings and the second handset of the telephone system individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings;

storing a specific set of days, a second start time, a second end time, and intensity settings for the quiet mode; and

altering a signal intensity of a particular quiet mode signaling feature during the quiet mode period specified by the specific set of days, the second start time, and the second end time, wherein the quiet mode signaling feature and the particular quiet mode signaling feature are the same feature, and wherein a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature in the specific set of days is different from a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature during other days.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

receiving, with the second handset, a signal from the first handset indicating that the quiet mode signaling feature is enabled;

retrieving, with the second handset, the start time and the end time from a memory of the second handset;

detecting arrival of the start time;

retrieving from the memory of the second handset quiet mode settings for the quiet mode signaling feature; and

setting operation of the quiet mode signaling feature in the second handset according to the retrieved quiet mode settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for a telephone ringer of the second handset in the second handset; and

configuring the telephone ringer of the second handset per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for a voice announce device of the second handset in the second handset; and

configuring the voice announce device of the second handset per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for a keypad tone of the second handset in the second handset; and

configuring the keypad tone of the second handset per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for an error tone of the second handset in the second handset; and

configuring the error tone of the second handset per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for an answering machine associated with the second handset; and

configuring the answering machine per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing quiet mode settings for a speaker telephone associated with the second handset; and

configuring the speaker telephone per the quiet mode settings in response to detecting arrival of the start time.

9. A telephone system, comprising:

a first telephone handset located in a room of a structure and connected to a base unit and a second telephone handset located in a different room of the structure and connected to the base unit, wherein the first handset and the second handset are using a common telephone number;

wherein the first telephone comprises;

a user interface configured to receive quiet mode settings that specify a start time and an end time for a quiet mode on both the first telephone and the second telephone, and receive a request to transmit the quiet mode settings to the second telephone;

a memory that stores a specific set of days, a second start time, a second end time, and intensity settings for the quiet mode; and

a processor that alters a signal intensity of a particular quiet mode signaling feature during the quiet mode period specified by the specific set of days, the second start time, and the second end time, wherein the quiet mode signaling feature and the particular quiet mode signaling feature are the same feature, and wherein a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature in the specific set of days is different from a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature during other days; and

a communication interface configured to wirelessly transmit the quiet mode settings in a single transmission to the second telephone in response to the received request; and

wherein the second telephone comprises;

a receiver configured to receive the quiet mode settings from the first telephone;

a memory that stores a specific set of days, a third start time, a third end time, and intensity settings for the received quiet mode settings; and

a processor that alters a signal intensity of a particular quiet mode signaling feature during the quiet mode period specified by the specific set of days, the third start time, and the third end time, wherein the quiet mode signaling feature and the particular quiet mode signaling feature are the same feature, and wherein a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature in the specific set of days is different from a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature during other days;

a clock configured to trigger and terminate the quiet mode based on the received quiet mode settings in the single transmission; and

wherein the first handset individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings and the second handset of the telephone system individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings.

10. The telephone system of claim 9, wherein the signal comprises an audible sound.

11. The telephone system of claim 9, wherein:

the second telephone further comprises a base station and a handset; and

the signaling device is a component of either the handset or the base station of the second telephone.

12. The telephone system of claim 9, wherein:

the second telephone further comprises an answering device; and

the signaling device is a component of the answering device.

13. The telephone system of claim 9, wherein:

the second telephone further comprises a voice announce device; and

the signaling device is a component of the voice announce device.

14. A method, comprising:

enabling quiet mode settings on a first handset of a telephone system, located in a room of a structure and connected to a base unit;

receiving, with the first telephone of the telephone system, input that requests quiet mode settings to be wirelessly transmitted to a second telephone of the telephone system, located in a different room of the structure and connected to the base unit, wherein the first handset and the second handset are using a common telephone number;

wirelessly transmitting, from the first telephone to the second telephone, first quiet mode settings for a first signaling feature of a second telephone, and second quiet mode settings for a second signaling feature of the second telephone in response to said receiving input; and

in response to receiving the first quiet mode settings, configuring the first signaling feature of the second telephone per the first quiet mode settings;

in response to receiving the second quiet mode settings, configuring the second signaling feature of the second telephone per the second quiet mode settings, and wherein the first handset individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings and the second handset of the telephone system individually self-checks the status of its quiet mode settings;

storing a specific set of days, a second start time, a second end time, and intensity settings for the quiet mode; and

altering a signal intensity of a particular quiet mode signaling feature during the quiet mode period specified by the specific set of days, the second start time, and the second end time, wherein the quiet mode signaling feature and the particular quiet mode signaling feature are the same feature, and wherein a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature in the specific set of days is different from a signal intensity of the particular quiet mode signaling feature during other days.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, from the first telephone to the second telephone, a signal indicating that quiet mode operation is enabled; and

enabling the first quiet mode settings and the second quiet mode settings in the second telephone in response to the second telephone receiving the signal indicating that quiet mode operation is enabled.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first signaling feature and the second signaling feature each comprise a different one of a telephone ringer, voice announce device, a keypad tone, an error tone, an answering machine, a speaker telephone, a visible light signal, and a vibration.