Caller ID blocking method and processing system (block caller ID information)

• US 5,341,411 A
• Filed: 09/23/1991
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hashimoto Corporation
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/763,470
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142, 379/67, 379/88, 379/82, 379/199, 379/189, 379/188
• US Class Current: 379/88.19
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/571 Blocking transmission of caller identification to called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

In caller ID telephone service system, if a calling party does not want to display his telephone number on the called party side, the calling party takes an authorized key number (hereinafter called "blocking key number") with the telephone exchange office. The key number is composed of a 3 or 4 digit numerical signal, like a push-phone tone, when the subscriber calls any subscriber (called party) telephone number in this service area. If he dials that key number first and then the conventional number, the telephone exchange office detects that key number, then blocks (stops) sending the calling party telephone number to the called party side. On the other hand, the called party side has a device with a relay which functions to take out the associated telephone set from the telephone line after one ring because the device cannot detect telephone number information between the first ring and second ring. However, the telephone ring signal still comes successively via the telephone line and can activate a Telephone Answering Device (TAD).

Claims

1. A method of blocking caller identification of a telephone signal to a called party in a telephone system having an exchange system between telephone devices of a calling party and the called party and the telephone device of the called party having a telephone set and a receiving device for displaying the caller identification of the calling party, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting a specified key number together with telephone number information of the called party by the calling party into his or her telephone device,

connecting the telephone devices of the calling party and the called party together based on the telephone information, said exchange system blocking from the telephone signal being sent to the telephone device of the called party an FSK signal to display the caller identification when the exchange system detects the specified key number,

detecting a presence or absence of an FSK signal between first bell and second bell rings of the telephone set and displaying the caller identification of the calling party to the called party only in response to the presence of said FSK signal, and

energizing a relay of the receiving device to disconnect the telephone set from a telephone line in order to stop the telephone set of the called party from ringing after a predetermined number of rings.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of disengaging the relay to reconnect the telephone set to the telephone line so that the calling party and the called party can converse with each other.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of initiating an operation of a TAD of the called party coupled to the telephone line for recording an incoming message of the calling party after the TAD detects a preset number of ringing signals within the telephone signal.

2. A caller ID device coupled to a telephone set and an exchange system via a telephone line for processing telephone signals from the exchange system, an FSK signal used for caller identification having been blocked by the exchange system in response to a request made by a calling party when the calling party does not want to display calling party identification on a called party side, said caller ID device comprising:

means for detecting ringing signals within the telephone signals coupled to the telephone line,

means for receiving the FSK signal coupled to the telephone line,

means, coupled to the ringing signals detecting means and receiving means, for detecting presence or absence of the FSK signal between first and second ringing signals,

means for energizing a relay to disconnect the telephone set from the telephone line when the FSK signal detecting means detects the absence of the FSK signal to stop a ringer of the telephone set from ringing after a predetermined number of rings,

means for accepting the next incoming ringing signal through the telephone line in order to enable activation of a TAD (Telephone Answering Device) after a preset number of rings, and

means for effecting an off-hook condition on the telephone line of the exchange system to prevent the exchange system from transmitting additional ringing signals after a preset number of rings in order to allow recording of incoming messages of the calling party by a TAD (Telephone Answering Device) and thus enable communication between the calling party and an absent called party.

5. The caller ID device of claim 2 further comprising means for reconnecting the telephone set to the telephone line after the preset number of rings to enable communication between the calling party and the called party.

6. The called ID device of claim 2, wherein said means for receiving the FSK signal comprises:

an amplification circuit coupled to the telephone line,

a waveform shaping circuit coupled to said amplification circuit, and

an FSK demodulator coupled to said waveform shaping circuit and said FSK signal detecting means.

7. The caller ID device of claim 2, wherein said ringing signals detecting means comprises:

a diode,

a ringing signal detection section coupled to said diode and the telephone line, said ringing signal detection of section causing said diode to emit light in response to a detection of said ringing signals, and

a transistor coupled to said FSK signal detecting means and responsive to said light emitted by said diode to indicate to said FSK signal detecting means a direction of said first and second ringing signals.

8. A method for processing caller ID-blocked telephone calls in a telephone system, the telephone system including telephone sets of a calling party and a caller party coupled through an exchange via a telephone line for processing telephone signals, and the exchange system blocking an FSK signal used for caller identification in response to a request made by a calling party when the calling party does not want to display the caller identification on the called party side, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting ringing signals within the telephone signals,

detecting presence or absence of the FSK signal between first and second ringing signals,

disconnecting the telephone set of the called party from the telephone line when the step of detecting the presence or absence of the FSK signal indicates the absence of the FSK signal to stop a ringer of the telephone set of the called party from ringing after a predetermined number of rings,

accepting the next incoming ringing signals received over the telephone line in order to enable activation of a TAD (Telephone Answering Device) after a preset number of ringing signals, and

effecting an off-hook condition on the telephone line to prevent the exchange system from transmitting additional ringing signals after a preset number of ringing signals in order to allow a recording of incoming messages of the calling party to be made by a TAD (Telephone Answering Device) so to enable communication between the calling party and a absent called party.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

reconnecting the telephone set to the telephone line after the present number of rings, to enable communication between the calling party and called party.

10. A system for blocking caller identification of a calling party to a called party comprising:

a first telephone device for use by the calling party and having means for inputting a specified key number together with telephone number information of the called party,

an exchange system coupled to said first telephone device via a telephone line, said exchange system blocking from telephone signals being sent to the called party an FSK signal when the exchange system detects the specified number, and

second telephone device for use by the called party coupled to the exchange system via a telephone line and having a telephone set and a receiving device for displaying the caller identification of the calling party, said receiving device comprising;

a display device for outputting the caller identification, means for detecting a presence or absence of said FSK signal between first and second bell rings of the telephone set and displaying on the display device the caller identification only in response to the presence of said FSK signal,

a relay coupled between the telephone set and the telephone line, and

means for energizing the relay to disconnect the telephone set from the telephone line by energizing of the relay in order to stop the telephone set of the called party from ringing after a predetermined number of rings.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said receiving device further comprises means for disengaging the relay to reconnect the telephone set to the telephone line so that the calling party and the called party can communicate with each other.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said second telephone device includes a telephone answering device for recording an incoming message after the telephone answering device detects a preset number of ringing signals.