Telephone control system
AssigneeAristonics Corporation
InventorLaurence P. Harrington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for controlling telephone set usage in a local telephone facility. Each potential telephone user has a card which identifies him and contains an authorization code. Prior to dialing, the user inserts the card into an accessory body which contains a reading mechanism. If the user dials an unauthorized call, the telephone set is disconnected from an outgoing telephone line. Other circuits collect and store detailed data relating to each authorized call. When the user completes a call, the data is transferred to a memory or other output device.
Claims29
Apparatus for controlling the level of calling permitted through a telephone facility according to the authorization level of the particular user of the facility, the facility being of the type including at least one telephone set to be controlled and at least one telephone line capable of transmitting calls of varying levels to and from the telephone set, the telephone set being adapted for use by at least one user, said user being assigned a call authorization code that identifies the user and that represents the level of calling permitted for the user over the telephone line, said apparatus comprising:
- A. means associated with each telephone set to be controlled for generating signals representing the call authorization code of the user;
- B. means associated with each telephone set to be controlled for generating signals representing the level of a call to be extended through the telephone set by the user;
- C. means for switchably connecting the telephone set to the telephone line;
- and
- D. control means including
- i. means responsive to the user authorization code signals for establishing a predetermined maximum level of authorized telephone use for the user, and
- ii. means responsive to the call level signals for activating said switchable means to disconnect the telephone set from the telephone line when the call to be extended by the user exceeds the user's predetermined maximum level.
Apparatus for controlling the level of calling permitted through a telephone facility according to the authorization level of the particular user of the facility, the facility being of the type including a plurality of telephone sets and a telephone line associated with each telephone set capable of transmitting calls of varying levels to and from each telephone set, the telephone sets being adapted for use by a plurality of users, each user being assigned a call authorization code that identifies the user and that represents the level of calling permitted for the user over the telephone lines, at least some of said users having different call authorization levels, said apparatus comprising:
- A. a user identification device encoded with data representing the call authorization code of a user;
- B. a user identification device reading means associated with each telephone set to be controlled for reading said user identification device and for generating signals representing the authorization code data of the user using the telephone set;
- C. means associated with each telephone set to be controlled for generating signals representing the leve of a call to be extended through the telephone set by the user;
- D. means for switchably connecting the telephone set to its associated telephone line;
- E. control means including
- i. means responsive to said user authorization code data signals for establishing a predetermined maximum level of authorized telephone use for the user, and
- ii. means responsive to the call level signals for activating said switchable means to disconnect the telephone set from its associated telephone line when the call to be extended by the user exceeds the user's predetermined maximum level;
- F. means for storing said user authorization code data signals and said call level signals for each call permitted by said control means;
- and
- G. means operative substantially upon completion of each permitted call for restoring said reading means, said switchable means, said control means, and said storing means to condition for controlling subsequent calls.
A method of controlling the level of calling permitted through a telephone facility according to the authorization of the particular user of the facility, the facility being of the type including at least one telephone set adapted for use by at least one user, at least one telephone line capable of transmitting calls of varying levels to and from the telephone set, and means for switchably connecting the telephone set to the telephone line, each user being assigned a call authorization code that identifies the user and that represents the level of calling permitted for the user over the telephone line, said method comprising the steps of:
- A. generating signals representing the call authorization code of the user of the telephone set;
- B. generating signals representing the level of a call to be extended through the telephone set by the user;
- C. establishing a predetermined maximum level of authorized telephone use for the user based upon said user authorization code signals;
- and
- D. actuating said switchable means in response to said call level signals to disconnect the telephone set from the telephone line when the call to be extended by the user exceeds the user's predetermined maximum level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.