Shared line telephone answering system with a telephone line-powered disconnect module
US5392332A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1992 |
| Grant date | Feb 21, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M1/654
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A disconnect module for a system of telephone answering devices (TADs) sharing the same telephone line. The disconnect module is connected between the telephone line and a main telephone answering device (MTAD) which initially responds to incoming telephone calls by answering the incoming call. Extension telephone answering devices (ETADs) are selectively activated by caller-initiated DTMF tone codes. When one of the ETADs is activated, the disconnect module breaks the connection between the MTAD and the telephone line. The disconnect module maintains the broken connection until the ETAD finishes its call-answering cycle, or until the caller hangs up. When the MTAD can no longer interfere with the ETAD's reception of the call, the connection between the telephone line and the MTAD may be re-established so that the MTAD can answer the next incoming telephone call. The disconnect module is powered by the telephone line or may be incorporated into the MTAD.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.