Telephone answering system and apparatus for direct caller selection of a party line extension
AssigneeProduct Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorJames H. Bowen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated telephone answering system with plug-in tone responsive unit at each of a plurality of extensions, a central answering unit responds to a caller initiated, telephone company generated, ring signal on the telephone line and establishes a connection with the calling phone. Each of the remote units responds to a different predetermined, selectable tone frequency. When the caller pushes a key on a standard Touch Tone phone key pad to select a specific extension, the responding remote unit generates a ringing signal for that extension. If the telephone line has an on-hook status, the system has means that prevents response to further tone signals.
Claims22
An automated telephone answering system for telephone extensions coupled in parallel on a line, comprising in combination;
- an answering machine for responding to incoming calls;
- means for coupling said answering machine to said line;
- a plurality of remote units;
- means for coupling each of said units to said line;
- means to couple a telephone extension to each of said remote units;
- said remote units each having means to detect a plurality of caller generated signals;
- said remote units each having means to select at least one of said signals for response by said each remote unit;
- each of said remote units including ring signal generating means;
- each of said remote units including means to couple said ring signal generating means to an extension coupled thereto in response to a tone for which it has been selected to respond;
- and
- means to inhibit response to said selected signal if said line has an on-hook status signal thereon.
An automated telephone answering system for telephone extensions coupled in parallel on a line, comprising in combination;
- a central unit for responding to incoming calls, said central unit including means for generating and means for transmitting a selected one of a plurality of radio frequency signals in response to a caller generated signal on said line;
- means for coupling said central unit to said line;
- a plurality of remote units;
- means for coupling each of said units to said line;
- means to couple a telephone extension to each of said remote units;
- said remote units each having means to receive said plurality of radio frequency signals;
- said remote units each having means to select at least one of said radio frequency signals for response by said each remote unit;
- each of said remote units including ring signal generating means;
- each of said remote units including means to couple said ring signal generating means to an extension coupled thereto in response to a tone for which it has been selected to respond;
- and
- means to inhibit response to said selected signal if said line has an on-hook status signal thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.