Extension telephone answering device and system employing same
AssigneeAgere Systems Inc.
InventorsJames A. Johanson, Philip D. Mooney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wireless answering system is disclosed in which answering functions executed at a main telephone answering device can be controlled from an extension answering device. The extension answering device is able to record new outgoing messages, screen calls and playback messages recorded at the main telephone answering device. Communication between the main telephone answering device and extension telephone answering device are by way of wireless communications, preferably through a Bluetooth™ compliant communications path.
Claims35
A telephone answering system comprising:
- a main telephone answering device for answering telephone calls including a first control circuit for controlling operations of said main telephone answering device, a first communication circuit, and a storage medium for storing incoming telephone messages;
- an extension answering device including a second control circuit for controlling operations at said extension answering device, and a second communications circuit which communicates with said first communications circuit, said second control circuit causing said extension answering device to retrieve stored incoming messages from said main telephone answering device through said first and second communications circuits, reproduce said retrieved stored incoming messages and send a command to said main telephone answering device, said first control circuit causing said main telephone answering device to send a busy signal to said extension answering device when unable to process said command.
An extension answering device comprising:
- an audio circuit for reproducing an audio output to a user;
- a communications circuit for transmitting and receiving wireless messages directed to and received from a main telephone answering device;
- and
- a control circuit for controlling operations at said extension telephone answering device, for causing answering machine operation commands to be issued through said communications circuit to said main telephone answering device, and for responding to a busy signal received by said communications circuit to provide a busy signal indication, said control circuit never capable of controlling the initiation of a telephone call.
A method of operating a telephone answering system comprising:
- establishing a wireless communications link between a main telephone answering device and at least one extension answering device that is never capable of initiating a telephone call, said main telephone answering device having a switch that turns on or turns off call screening operation at said main telephone answering device independently from said call screening operation at said at least one extension answering device;
- and
- operating said main telephone answering device to send audio information over said link to said extension answering device at least during said call screening operation without requiring user intervention at said extension answering device.
A method as in clam 28 further comprising transmitting an outgoing message to a telephone line at said main telephone answering device when an incoming call is answered, and transmitting said outgoing message to said extension answering device as part of said call screening operation.
A method of operating an extension telephone answering device comprising:
- establishing a wireless communications link between said extension telephone answering device capable of sending commands and never capable of initiating a telephone call and a main telephone answering device, having an associated switch hook function, that responds to said commands with a busy signal when unable to process said commands;
- and
- controlling operations at said main telephone answering device from said extension telephone answering device without controlling said switch hook function.
A method of operating an extension telephone answering device comprising:
- establishing a wireless communications link between said extension telephone answering device and a main telephone answering device coupled to a telephone line wherein said extension telephone answering device is never capable of initiating a telephone call;
- controlling operations at said main telephone answering device from said extension telephone answering device during a time when an active call is in progress on said telephone line and said main telephone answering device is not answering said active call.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.