Telephone message center
First Claim
1. A telephone message system for use at a subscriber'"'"'s premises, adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premises and a telephone line switching system, the message system comprising:
- controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station, said special service treatment performed by means for assigning said calls from the preselected calling station to a mailbox of a specific called party from among multiple mailboxes respectively associated with parties commonly located at said subscriber premises;
a plurality of adjunct units operatively responsive to the controller means, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band; and
means in at least one of said adjunct units for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone message system overcomes the problems and limitations of presently available systems that seek to enhance inter-and intra-premises communications. The system advantageously comprises a controller unit with Caller ID capabilities and one or more adjunct units that are bridged onto a single wire-pair at a user'"'"'s residential location in a parallel electrical connection. These customer installable units are merely plugged into any telephone jack and share a telephone wire-pair with existing telephone extensions without interference. Such operation is possible since communication between the controller unit and the adjunct units is limited to a frequency band different from the audio frequency band used by the existing telephone extensions on the single wire-pair. The controller unit, in one configuration, operates as an answering machine with multiple mailboxes. This functionality is advantageously combined with Caller ID, intercom and speakerphone capabilities. The adjunct units may be added to any of existing telephone devices thereby providing access to the functions available at the controller unit throughout the premises.
173 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A telephone message system for use at a subscriber'"'"'s premises, adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premises and a telephone line switching system, the message system comprising:
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controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station, said special service treatment performed by means for assigning said calls from the preselected calling station to a mailbox of a specific called party from among multiple mailboxes respectively associated with parties commonly located at said subscriber premises; a plurality of adjunct units operatively responsive to the controller means, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band; and means in at least one of said adjunct units for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A telephone message system for use at a subscriber'"'"'s premises, adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premise and a telephone line switching system, the message system comprising:
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controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station; a plurality of adjunct units operatively responsive to the controller means, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and includes means for selectively connecting a telephone device operable in said first frequency band to said wire-pair, and each one of the plurality of adjunct units communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band; and means in at least one of said adjunct units for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of processing telephone calls in a message system arranged for use at a subscriber'"'"'s premises, the message system being adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between said premises and a telephone line switching system, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing the identity of a preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station, wherein said special service treatment includes the step of assigning said calls from the preselected calling station to a mailbox of a specific called party from among multiple mailboxes respectively associated with parties commonly located at said subscriber premises; receiving in a controller the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band; commonly connecting a plurality of adjunct units onto the wire-pair, each one of the plurality of adjunct units being operatively responsive to the controller and communicating with the controller over the wire-pair in a second frequency band, said second frequency band being different from said first frequency band; and providing in at least one of said adjunct units said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A telephone message apparatus adapted to be parallel connected onto a wire-pair that extends between a subscriber'"'"'s premises and a telephone line switching system, the apparatus comprising:
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controller means connected onto said wire-pair for receiving the identity of a preselected calling station over said wire-pair in a first frequency band, said controller means including memory means for storing the identity of the preselected calling station and an indication of a special service treatment to be given to calls received from said preselected calling station; an adjunct unit operatively responsive to the controller means, the adjunct unit being commonly connected onto said wire-pair and includes means for selective connecting a telephone device operable in said first frequency band to said wire-pair, said adjunct unit communicating with said controller means over said wire-pair in a second frequency band different from said first frequency band; and means in said adjunct unit for providing said special service treatment to be given to said calls received from said preselected calling station.
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Specification