Off-hook detection and soft line seizure for telephone line sharing in a computer system
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorBarry O'Mahony
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for processing an incoming call on a telephone line in a computer system, wherein a telephony circuit detects a pick-up by a parallel device coupled to the telephone line while maintaining high voltage isolation. The telephony circuit performs hard line seizures to cause the parallel device to hang-up and soft line seizures to prevent a central office hang up after the parallel device hangs up.
Claims20
A method for processing an incoming call on a telephone line in a computer system, comprising the steps of:
- coupling the telephone line to a telephone over a local line, such that a ring signal for the incoming call over the telephone line causes the telephone to ring along with at least one telephone extension coupled to the telephone line in parallel with the telephone;
- detecting the incoming call on the telephone line;
- detecting a pick-up by an extension device coupled to the telephone line in parallel with the telephone;
- if a fax calling tone is detected on the telephone line, then seizing the telephone line according to a hard line seizure to cause the extension device to hang-up, then sending a fax answer tone over the telephone line and generating a fax transfer over the telephone line;
- if a fax calling tone is not detected on the telephone line, then seizing the telephone line according to a soft line seizure, the soft line seizure holding a tip to ring voltage of the telephone line to a soft seizure level after the extension device hangs up, then sending an answer tone over the telephone line and generating a data modem or a manual fax transfer over the telephone line.
An apparatus for processing an incoming call on a telephone line in a computer system, comprising:
- means for coupling the telephone line to a telephone over a local line, such that a ring signal for the incoming call over the telephone line causes the telephone to ring along with at least one telephone extension coupled to the telephone line in parallel with the telephone;
- means for detecting the incoming call on the telephone line;
- means for detecting a pick-up by an extension device coupled to the telephone line in parallel with the telephone;
- means for seizing the telephone line according to a hard line seizure to cause the extension device to hang-up, then sending a fax answer tone over the telephone line and generating a fax transfer over the telephone line if a fax calling tone is detected on the telephone line;
- means for seizing the telephone line according to a soft line seizure, the soft line seizure holding a tip to ring voltage of the telephone line to a soft seizure level after the extension device hangs up, then sending an answer tone over the telephone line and generating a data modem or a manual fax transfer over the telephone line if a fax calling tone is not detected on the telephone line.
A telephony subsystem for a computer system, comprising:
- extension off-hook detector circuit capable of detecting a pick-up by an extension device coupled a telephone line from a central office;
- line seizure circuit having circuitry for performing either a hard line seizure On the telephone line or a soft line seizure on the telephone line while the extension device is off-hook, wherein the hard line seizure causes the extension device to hang-up, and wherein the soft line seizure does not cause the extension device to hang-up and wherein the soft line seizure prevents the central office from disconnecting the telephone line after the extension device hangs up.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.