Telephone ring detection method and apparatus

A method for detecting telephone rings and for enabling and disabling a telephone device in response to said detection and comprising the steps of:

• receiving any of several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• distinguishing between said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• providing a different output signal for each of said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• accepting control from manual switch means which controls the enabling of said telephone device in response to one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• and
• enabling said telephone device when said one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received and maintaining disablement of said telephone device when another of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received;
• wherein the step of distinguishing is carried out by a ring detection chip in series with an optoisolator chip, wherein said differently encoded telephone ring signals each include a different number of rings and further including the step, carried out by said optoisolator chip, of producing an output of a series of square wave signals having characteristics related to the received encoded telephone ring signal.

A ring detection and telephone ring enabling/disabling apparatus adapted to be connected to a telephone device and comprising:

• an input for receiving any of several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• means for distinguishing between said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• means for providing a different output signal for each of said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• manual switch means for providing manual control of the enablement of said telephone device in response to one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• and
• means, controlled by said switch means, responsive to said output signals, for enabling said telephone ring signal when said one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received and maintaining disablement of said telephone ring signal when another of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received;
• wherein said means for distinguishing includes a ring detection chip in series with an optoisolator chip, wherein said differently encoded telephone ring signals each include a different number of rings and wherein said optoisolator chip produces an output of a series of square wave signals having characteristics related to the received encoded telephone ring signal.

A method for detecting telephone rings and for enabling and disabling a telephone ring in response to said detection and comprising the steps of:

• receiving any of several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• distinguishing between said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• providing a different output signal for each of said several differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• accepting control from manual switch means which controls the enabling of said telephone ring signal in response to one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals;
• and
• enabling said telephone ring signal when said one of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received and maintaining disablement of said telephone ring signal when another of said differently encoded telephone ring signals is received;
• wherein the step of distinguishing is carried out by a ring detection chip in series with an optoisolator chip, wherein said differently encoded telephone ring signals each include a different number of rings and further including the step, carried out by said optoisolator chip, of producing an output of a series of square wave signals having characteristics related to the received encoded telephone ring signal.