Multisensing circuitry for class signals and stutter dial tone in visual message waiting indicator

A voice message waiting indicator, comprising:

• a receiver receiving both a first off-hook voice mail indication signal and a second on-hook voice mail indication signal;
• a signal detector coupled to the receiver for detecting both the first off-hook voice mail indication signal when a phone line is in the off-hook condition and detecting the second off-hook voice mail indication signal when the phone line is in the on-hook condition, the signal detector automatically disabling off-hook detection of the first off-hook voice mail indication signal when the second on-hook voice mail indication signal is detected;
• and
• a visual indicator activated by the signal detection circuit when voice mail messages are identified by the first off-hook voice mail indication signal and when voice mail messages are identified by the second on-hook voice mail indication signal.

A method for detecting voice mail messages, comprising:

• monitoring a telephone line for triggering events that indicate possible changes to a voice mail waiting condition;
• electronically monitoring the telephone line in an on-hook condition for a first voice mail indicator signal transmitted from a central office for a given time period after detecting one of the triggering events;
• electronically monitoring the telephone line in an off-hook condition for a second voice mail indicator signal from the central office after detecting one of the triggering events;
• activating a visual indicator when the first voice mail indicator signal identifies the voice mail waiting condition and also when the second voice mail indication signal identifies the voice mail waiting condition;
• and
• disabling monitoring of the telephone line for the second voice mail indicator signal in the off-hook condition after detecting one of the triggering events and detecting the first voice mail indicator signal in the on-hook condition.

A voice message waiting indicator circuit, comprising:

• an interface for receiving a telephone line carrying any of a first voice mail message signal transmitted from a central telephone office and a second voice mail message signal transmitted from a central telephone office, the first and second voice mail message signals providing notification that a voice mail message exists;
• a receiver coupled to the interface detecting both the first voice mail message signal by simulating an off-hook condition and also detecting the second voice mail message signal while in an on-hook condition;
• a signal detection circuit coupled to the receiver selectively disabling detection of the first voice mail message signal in the receiver according to detection of the second voice mail message signal;
• and
• a visual indicator activated by the signal detection circuit both when the first voice mail message signal is detected by the receiver and also when the second voice mail message signal is detected by the receiver.

A voice message waiting indicator circuit, comprising:

• a receiver coupled to a telephone line that receives a first and a second voice mail message status signals each providing notification of a voice mail message, the first voice mail message status signal detectable in an on-hook condition and the second voice mail message status signal detectable only in an off-hook condition;
• a signal detection circuit detecting both the first and second voice mail message status signals;
• and
• a visual indicator activated when the first voice mail message status signal notifies the signal detection circuit of the voice mail message and also when the second voice mail message status signal notifies the signal detection circuit of the voice mail message.