US 4,926,461 AGranted

Telephone answering machine having call transfer capabilities

AssigneeCode-A-Phone Corporation

InventorHenry Kuok

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A telephone answering machine adapted for use in conjunction with a telephone system having a station-to-station call transfer capability for incoming calls includes a tape deck and various components for recording and playing back announcements and messages under microprocessor control. The answering machine also includes a DTMF receiver and DTMF generator for receiving and sending digit tone signals. The microprocessor directs the operation of the answering machine for recording data from a calling party, which data represent a telephone number to which the calling party wishes to be transferred. Thereafter, the microprocessor directs the operation of the answering machine for dialing this telephone number after a hook flash has been used to request a call transfer sequence by the telephone system. The telephone answering machine thereby enables call transfers to take place upon the initiative of calling parties.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A telephone answering machine connectable to any selected one of a plurality of telephone station lines of a telephone switching system, wherein the telephone system connects a caller's outside telephone line with a telephone station line designated by the caller, and wherein the telephone system initiates the connection by providing a signal on the caller-designated telephone station line, the telephone answering machine comprising:

message means for receiving and transmitting messages;
interface means connected to a first telephone station line for connecting the message means with the first telephone station line in response to a first signal provided on the first telephone station line by the telephone system, the connection being made in the absence of signals generated by the caller subsequent to the first signal;
control means for enabling the message means to receive or transmit messages over the first telephone station line and for monitoring the first telephone station line to detect a second signal generated by a caller whose outside line is connected with the first telephone station line, wherein the second signal includes an extension number for a second telephone station line;
and
transfer means for storing the extension number included in the second signal and for retrieving the stored extension number to generate transfer signals suitable for directing the telephone system to transfer the outside caller to the second telephone station line.

2 more elements

A method for operating a telephone answering machine that is connectable to any selected one of a plurality of telephone station lines of a telephone switching system, wherein the telephone system connects a caller's outside telephone line with a telephone station line designated by the caller, and wherein the telephone system initiates the connection by providing a signal on the caller-designated telephone station line, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a first telephone station line to a message mechanism for receiving and transmitting messages, wherein the connection is made in response to a first signal provided on the first telephone station line by the telephone system and wherein the connection is made in the absence of signals generated by the caller subsequent to the first signal;
monitoring the first telephone station line to detect a second signal generated by the caller whose outside line is connected with the first telephone station line, wherein the second signal includes an extension number for a second telephone station line;
storing the extension number included in the second signal;
and
retrieving the stored extension number to generate transfer signals suitable for directing the telephone system to transfer the outside caller to the second telephone station line.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/162,482Filed 1 Mar 1988 · continuation in part
Priority: 12 Jan 1987
Granted: 15 May 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04M 1/658
Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party: means for redirecting recorded messages to other extensions or equipment
H04M 3/58
Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers: arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another;…
H04M 1/27
Devices for calling a subscriber: devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
H04M 2201/34
Electronic components, circuits, software, systems or apparatus used in telephone systems: microprocessors