Apparatus and method for activating an inbound telemetry device

An inbound telemetry device for coupling to a telephone line which services a predetermined first location for monitoring conditions at said first location and for reporting information regarding said conditions over said phone line back to a central station situated at a second location which is remote from said first location, said device comprising:

• collecting means for collecting information at said site;
• real time clock means for causing said telemetry device to dial inbound to said central station over said phone line to report said information to said central station at predetermined times;
• ring detecting means, coupled to said phone line, for detecting ring bursts on said telephone line at said first location;
• counting means, coupled to said ring detecting means, for counting the number of ring bursts occurring when said telephone line is rung
• first determining means, coupled to said counting means, for determining when the number of ring bursts counted by said counting means exceeds a predetermined plurality of ring bursts which occur during a typical give-up time;
• second determining means for determining when the ring bursts on said telephone line have ceased;
• dial-in means, coupled to said first determining means and said second determining means, for dialing inbound to said central station over said telephone line when said first determining means determines that the number of ring bursts counted by said counting means exceeds said predetermined plurality of ring bursts which occur during a typical give-up time, said dial-in means being activated to dial into said central station a predetermined amount of time after the ring bursts on said telephone line have ceased as determined by said second determining means, and
• transmitting means, coupled to said dial-in means, for sending said information to said central station over said phone line after such dialing.