Patent · US Expired

Telephone line activity monitor

US4559416A · kind A · utility

69Cited by
2References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 1983
Grant dateDec 17, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 12, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M3/51
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A line activity monitor for a plurality of telephone lines operates to record a log for each call indicative of the time at which the telephone line entered each of a plurality of states during the call. In this way, complete information regarding line usage is recorded for each call, and the use of averages or summary statistics is avoided. Detailed analysis can then be applied to the information contained in the logs, tailored to the individual application. The disclosed line activity monitor also acts to record a coded signal with each log. This coded signal is generated by an operator following the answering of an incoming call, and can be used to indicate the purpose of the call to further enhance the line usage statistics developed from the information in the logs. The disclosed line activity monitor also distinguishes between the presence and absence of voice during the time the line is in an off-hook condition in order to enable the effective tabulation of nonproductive periods, whether or not the A and A1 control leads are used to place the line on hold.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.