Programmable system for interfacing a standard telephone set with a radio transceiver

• US 4,737,975 A
• Filed: 12/30/1986
• Issued: 04/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telular Corporation (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Metrofone Incorporated
• Inventors: Shafer, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/947,630
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/63, 379/56, 379/57, 379/89, 379/61, 455/33, 455/34
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation

Abstract

A programmable interface system for interfacing a standard telephone set with a radio transceiver as part of a telephone network is provided. The radio transceiver may be a conventional cellular-type transceiver or other transceiver having typical control inputs and outputs similar to that provided by cellular transceivers. The programmable interface system converts tone-dial or pulse-dial inputs from the telephone into a serial data stream for storage in the transceiver. The programmable interface system can be programmed to automatically determine when the last numeral or digit is dialed for a particular area telephone system and provides a send signal to the transceiver when such determination is made. The system responds to incoming call signals, such as alert signals, from the transceiver and rings the telephone accordingly. The system simulates ring and dial-tone type signals under conditions typical of standard telephone set usage.

Claims

1. A programmable telephone interface system for coupling a standard touch-tone/rotary dial telephone set with a radio transceiver used in a telephone communication system, wherein the transceiver is capable of radio communication with a remote radio transmitter-receiver system that is part of a telephone network, wherein the programmable interface system comprises:

telephone coupling means for providing a two-way communication link with the telephone set;

transceiver coupling means for providing a two-way communication link with the radio transceiver;

telephone number digital conversion means for receiving a group of touch-tone or rotary dialed telephone numbers from said telephone coupling means, converting the group of telephone numbers into digital data, and providing said digital data to said transceiver coupling means;

programmable determination means coupled with the telephone number digital conversion means for programmably determining the last number of the group of telephone numbers provided at said transceiver coupling means;

send signal means coupled with said programmable determination means for providing a send signal to the transceiver coupling means;

call detecting means for detecting an incoming call signal provided at said transceiver coupling means;

off-hook detecting means for detecting an off-hook signal provided at said telephone coupling means;

audio channel means for providing a two-way audio signal path between said telephone coupling means and said transceiver coupling means; and

telephone simulation means coupled with said telephone coupling means for providing audio frequency ring tone and dial tone signals thereto.

2. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said telephone number digital conversion means comprises means for converting each number of the group of numbers into a binary coded parallel output, parallel to serial converting means for converting the binary coded output into a serial digital data stream and for providing the serial data stream to said transceiver coupling means for storage in the transceiver.

3. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said programmable determination means includes means for programmably determining if the numerical value of predetermined numbers of the group of numbers have a predetermined value or values.

4. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined value or values is ONE or ZERO.

5. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 3, wherein said programmable determination means includes means for determining the elapsed time following receipt of a number.

6. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said programmable determination means includes a decimal decoder, clocking means for advancing the decimal decoder upon receipt of numbers from said telephone number digital conversion means, and decoding the numerical value of each number, whereby the numerical values of predetermined numbers are checked for a predetermined value or values.

7. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined value or values in ONE or ZERO.

8. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said telephone simulation means is responsive to the off hook signal of said off hook detecting means to provide a continuous audio dial tone frequency signal.

9. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said telephone simulation means is responsible to the incoming call signal of said call detecting means to provide a periodic audio ring frequency signal.

10. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said audio channel means includes a two-wire channel means connected with said telephone coupling means, a four-wire channel means connected with said transceiver coupling means, and channel coupling means for coupling two separate audio in/out channels at said four-wire connection means with a single audio in/out channel at said two-wire connection means.

11. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 1, wherein said programmable determination means includes a programmable microprocessor.

12. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 11, wherein said programmable microprocessor means includes an independent programmable memory device for storing logic information.

13. A programmable telephone interface system for coupling a standard touch-tone/rotary dial telephone set with a cellular-type radio transceiver comprising:

a telephone number digital conversion means for converting a group of telephone numbers to digital data and for providing the digital data to the transceiver;

programmable determination means for programmably determining the last number of the group of telephone numbers;

send signal means coupled with said programmable determination means for sending a predetermined send code signal to the transceiver in response to the determination means determining the last number;

call detecting means for detecting an incoming call from the transceiver; and

ring frequency generating means responsive to the incoming call for providing periodic audio ring tone frequency signals to said telephone set.

14. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 13, further comprising hang-up detecting means for detecting a hang-up condition from the telephone set and end signal means for sensing a predetermined end code signal to the transceiver in response to detection of the hang-up signal.

15. A programmable telephone interface system according to claim 13, wherein said telephone number digital conversion means includes a means for sending a predetermined coded signal to the transceiver upon the completion of each numeral of the group of numerals.

16. A cellular--type radio/telephone communication system having at least one remote radio station transmitter-receiver linked with a master cellular-type switching center which is in turn linked with a local telephone central switching office, wherein the remote radio station transmitter-receiver provides a wireless communication link with a base station transceiver, the improvement comprising:

a standard touch-tone/pulse dialing telephone set;

a cellular-type radio transceiver mounted at a fixed site;

programmable interfacing means for programmably interfacing said telephone set to said transceiver, said interfacing means including,

(a) power supply means for supplying DC voltage to said transceiver;

(b) telephone number digital conversion means for converting touch-tone dialed/pulse-dialed telephone numbers from said telephone set to digital data for temporary storage;

(c) programmable sending means for enabling said transceiver to transmit the digital data; and

(e) telephone simulation means for providing ring-type and dial-tone type tone frequency signals to the telephone set.

17. The communications system according to claim 16, wherein the cellular-type radio transceiver includes a directional antenna directed to the remote radio station transmitter-receiver.

18. A programmable telephone interface system for coupling a standard touch-tone/rotary dial telephone set with a radio transceiver used in a telephone communication system, wherein the transceiver is capable of radio communication with a telephone network, wherein the programmable interface system comprises:

telephone number digital conversion means for converting a group of telephone numbers to digital data and for providing the digital data to a transceiver;

send signal means for providing a send signal to the transceiver for enabling the transceiver to transmit the digital data;

programmable determination means for programmably and automatically determining when the send signal is to be provided to the transceiver; and

call detecting means for detecting an incoming call from the transceiver.