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OwnerDwight W. Kitchin, Alan K. Schott +2inventors
InventorsDwight W. Kitchin, Alan K. Schott, John C. Johnson, Clive L. Smith
Estimating the term…
Methods and apparatus for use in connection with a telecommunication between a local telephone and a remote telephone, which are capable of detecting whether one of the parties to the communication has attempted to initiate a three-way, i.e., conference, call by using a hook-flash signal. The apparatus includes a low pass filter for passing energy having frequencies below about 500 Hz, and an energy detector for detecting a specific electrical energy pulse characteristic of the hook-flash having passed through the low pass filter. The existence of the hook-flash is confirmed by digital signal processing equipment which identifies a rapid drop-off in energy also characteristic of the hook-flash signal. Optionally, the hook-flash may be further confirmed by including software for cooperating with the energy detector to ascertain whether sound has occurred in the telecommunication during a predetermined period following the first hook-flash signal.
An apparatus connected to a telecommunication between a local telephone in telecommunication with a remote telephone, wherein one of said telephones has a three-way calling service which is not associated with the apparatus, which apparatus is capable of determining whether the party using the telephone with three-way calling service has performed a specific act that is consistent with an attempt to initiate a three-way call utilizing a hook-flash signal comprising:
An apparatus connected to a telecommunication between a local telephone in telecommunication with a remote telephone, said connection being made at a point in the network after the telecommunication from the local telephone reaches the initial switch at the local exchange, wherein one of said telephones has a three-way calling service which is not associated with the apparatus, which apparatus is capable of determining whether a party using the telephone with the three-way calling service has performed a specific act that is consistent with an attempt to initiate a three-way call utilizing a hook-flash signal comprising:
A method for determining whether a remote party using a remote telephone in telecommunication with local telephone equipment, wherein said remote telephone has a three-way calling service which is not associated with the apparatus, has performed a specific act that is consistent with an attempt to initiate a three-way call utilizing a hook-flash signal comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.