Telephone apparatus and a method of controlling same

A telephone apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of terminals connected with corresponding different channels of a line of an Integrated Services Digital Network;
• incoming signal detecting means connected with an Integrated Services Digital Network, for detecting reception of an incoming signal sent from the Integrated Services Digital Network;
• timer means which is caused to start to operate in response to the detection of the incoming signal supplied from the incoming signal detecting means;
• off-hook detecting means for detecting an off-hook operation conducted at the telephone apparatus;
• control means for initiating, when the reception of the incoming signal is detected, calling processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted before the expiration of a period of time during which the timer means is operational, and call-receiving processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted after the expiration of the period of time during which the timer means is operational;
• and
• transferring means for transferring the incoming signal to a terminal connected to another channel on the same line when calling processing is designated by the off-hook operation conducted before the expiration of the period of time during which the timer means is operational.

A method of controlling a telephone apparatus connected to an Integrated Services Digital Network, comprising the steps of:

• detecting reception of an incoming signal sent form the Integrated Service Digital Network;
• detecting an off-hook operation conducted at the telephone apparatus;
• initiating operation of a timing means in response to detection of an incoming signal supplied from the incoming signal detecting means;
• and
• initiating, when the incoming signal is detected, a calling processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted before the expiration of a predetermined time and a call-receiving processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted after the expiration of the predetermined time.

A method of controlling a telephone apparatus having a plurality of terminals connected to corresponding different channels of a line connected to an Integrated Services Digital Network, comprising the steps of:

• detecting reception of an incoming signal sent from the Integrated Service Digital Network;
• detecting an off-hook operation conducted at the telephone apparatus;
• initiating, when the incoming signal is detected, a calling processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted before the expiration of a predetermined time and a call-receiving processing in response to the off-hook operation conducted after the expiration of the predetermined time;
• and
• transferring an incoming signal to a terminal connected to another channel on the same line when calling processing is designated by an off-hook operation conducted before the expiration of the predetermined time.