Microcomputer controlled repertory dialer

Claim 2

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting directory listing data, i.e., search data and telephone number data, as well as control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access particular stored telephone number data; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a third input control signal, store a plurality of "special" telephone numbers in said first storage means; in response to a fourth input control signal, store alterable selection data associated with at least one of said numbers to select a predetermined one of said plurality of "special" telephone numbers to be accessed; and in response to a fifth input control signal, access said first memory means to obtain said predetermined one of said "special numbers" selected by said alterable selection data.

Claim 3

The repertory dialer of claim 1, wherein said programmable microcomputer means includes: a microprocessor; a common bus, and a memory interface connected to said common bus for interfacing said microprocessor to said first and second storage means.

Claim 4

The repertory dialer of claim 1, wherein said keyboard input means includes a "special" key for generating said fourth control signal.

Claim 5

The repertory dialer as recited in claim 1, including display means responsive to said keyboard input means for displaying contents of said first storage means.

Claim 6

The repertory dialer of claim 1, including means for concatenating said predetermined one of said "special" telephone numbers and said accessed particular stored telephone number data.

Claim 7

The repertory dialer of claim 5, wherein at least some of said stored telephone number data include a fixed prefix designating a long distance number, wherein said concatenating means includes means for detecting said fixed prefix and in response deleting said fixed prefix.

Claim 8

The repertory dialer of claim 1, wherein said control program means includes means for storing data in said first storage means in a first storage means in a first predetermined order, independent of order of entry of said data at said keyboard input means, and in a second predetermined order associated with said first predetermined order and dependent of said order of entry of said data.

Claim 9

The repertory dialer of claim 1, including means for transferring data between said first storage means and an external terminal means.

Claim 10

The repertory dialer of claim 8, wherein said external terminal means is another repertory dialer.

Claim 11

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; and second storage means storing a control program for causing said microcomputer control means to: in response to said first control signal, store first telephone number data and associated search data in a predetermined order independent of the order of entry of said first data, and second telephone number data and associated search data grouped together and associated with particular first data in order of entry of said second data.

Claim 12

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; and second storage means storing a control program for causing said microcomputer control means to: in response to said first control signal, store first telephone number data and associated search data in a predetermined order independent of the order of entry of said first data, and second telephone number data and associated search data grouped together and associated with particular first data in order of entry of said second data.

Claim 13

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control .means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries, at least some of the telephone number data including a fixed prefix indicative of a long distance telephone number; second storage means for storing variable length fields of "special" telephone number and associated search data entries; first means responsive to a first input control signal for storing particular telephone number data in said first storage means; second means responsive to a second input control signal and particular input associated search data for accessing particular telephone number data stored in said first storage means; third means operative in a "discount mode" for deleting any said fixed prefix from said accessed telephone number data; and fourth means responsive to said third means for concatenating said accessed "special number" and accessed number data.

Claim 14

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control .means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries, at least some of the telephone number data including a fixed prefix indicative of a long distance telephone number; second storage means for storing variable length fields of "special" telephone number and associated search data entries; first means responsive to a first input control signal for storing particular telephone number data in said first storage means; second means responsive to a second input control signal and particular input associated search data for accessing particular telephone number data stored in said first storage means; third means operative in a "discount mode" for deleting any said fixed prefix from said accessed telephone number data; and fourth means responsive to said third means for concatenating said accessed "special number" and accessed number data.

Claim 15

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said diater; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control sig- nais to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data; access particular stored telephone number data; means controlled by said keyboard means for displaying contents of said first storage means, and means responsive to said keyboard in an edit mode for editing contents of said first storage means, wherein each byte of data stored in said first storage means includes a parity bit, and said control program further includes error detection means for testing said parity bit, and means responsive to a parity error for displaying an error character, and said parity error responsive means includes means for displaying entries having error characters but inhibiting said dialing means.

Claim 16

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said diater; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control sig- nais to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data; access particular stored telephone number data; means controlled by said keyboard means for displaying contents of said first storage means, and means responsive to said keyboard in an edit mode for editing contents of said first storage means, wherein each byte of data stored in said first storage means includes a parity bit, and said control program further includes error detection means for testing said parity bit, and means responsive to a parity error for displaying an error character, and said parity error responsive means includes means for displaying entries having error characters but inhibiting said dialing means.

Claim 17

The repertory dialer of claim 12, including means for updating contents of said first storage means with edited contents by terminating the edit mode.

Claim 18

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, stored said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access particular stored telephone number data; display means for displaying contents of said first storage means; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means to operate in a setup mode controlling said display means to display prompt messages, monitor the keyboard input means and in response initialize variables stored in said first storage means; said control program additionally causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a third input control signal, stored a plurality of "special" telephone numbers in said first storage means; in response to a fourth input control signal, store alterable selection data associated with at least one of said numbers to select a predetermined one of said plurality of "special" telephone numbers to be accessed; in response to a fifth input control signal, access said first memory means to obtain said predetermined one of said "special numbers" selected by said alterable selection data; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means in the setup mode to select said alterable selection data.

Claim 19

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data and associated search data entries; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, stored said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access particular stored telephone number data; display means for displaying contents of said first storage means; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means to operate in a setup mode controlling said display means to display prompt messages, monitor the keyboard input means and in response initialize variables stored in said first storage means; said control program additionally causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a third input control signal, stored a plurality of "special" telephone numbers in said first storage means; in response to a fourth input control signal, store alterable selection data associated with at least one of said numbers to select a predetermined one of said plurality of "special" telephone numbers to be accessed; in response to a fifth input control signal, access said first memory means to obtain said predetermined one of said "special numbers" selected by said alterable selection data; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means in the setup mode to select said alterable selection data.

Claim 20

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting directory listing data, i.e. search data, telephone number data, and control characters to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length telephone number data and/or search data entries, the character length of each of said telephone number data and search data in each entry being arbitrary and limited by only the capacity of said first storage means; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access particular stored telephone number data.

Claim 21

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting directory listing data, i.e. search data, telephone number data, and control characters to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length telephone number data and/or search data entries, the character length of each of said telephone number data and search data in each entry being arbitrary and limited by only the capacity of said first storage means; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store said telephone number data and said associated search data entries in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access particular stored telephone number data.

Claim 22

The repertory dialer of claim 15, including display means responsive to said keyboard input means for displaying contents of said first storage means.

Claim 23

The repertory dialer of claim 15, wherein said control program means includes means for storing data in said first storage means in a first predetermined order, independent of order of entry of said data at said keyboard input means, and in a second predetermined order associated with said first predetermined order and dependent of said order of entry of said data.

Claim 24

The repertory dialer of claim 15, including means for transferring data between said first storage means and an external terminal means.

Claim 25

The repertory dialer of claim 18, wherein said external terminal means is another repertory dialer.

Claim 26

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data, search data or both associated as an entry; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store an entry of said telephone number data, said search data or both in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access a particular stored entry; display means for displaying contents of said first storage means; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means to operate in a "setup" mode controlling said display means to display prompt messages, monitor the keyboard input means and, in response, assign values to variables stored in said second storage means to configure said dialer.

Claim 27

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data, search data or both associated as an entry; second storage means storing a control program for causing said programmable microcomputer control means to: in response to a first control signal, store an entry of said telephone number data, said search data or both in said first storage means; and in response to a second input control signal and particular first input search data, access a particular stored entry; display means for displaying contents of said first storage means; said control program further causing said programmable microcomputer control means to operate in a "setup" mode controlling said display means to display prompt messages, monitor the keyboard input means and, in response, assign values to variables stored in said second storage means to configure said dialer.

Claim 28

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data, search data or both associated as an entry; and second storage means storing a control program for causing said microcomputer control means to: in response to said first control signal, store first search data in a predetermined order independent of the order of entry thereof, and second search data indexed under particular first search data, the second search data stored in the order of entry thereof.

Claim 29

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of telephone number data, search data or both associated as an entry; and second storage means storing a control program for causing said microcomputer control means to: in response to said first control signal, store first search data in a predetermined order independent of the order of entry thereof, and second search data indexed under particular first search data, the second search data stored in the order of entry thereof.

Claim 30

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of first telephone number data, at least some of the first telephone number data including a prefix indicative of a long distance telephone number; means for receiving variable length fields of second telephone number data; first means responsive to a first input control signal for accessing particular first telephone number data stored in said first storage means; second means operative in a "discount mode" for deleting any said fixed prefix from said accessed second telephone number data; and third means responsive to said second means for concatenating said accessed first telephone number data and said second telephone number data.

Claim 31

A repertory dialer, comprising: programmable microcomputer control means for controlling operation of said dialer; dialing means in circuit with said programmable microcomputer control means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting telephone number data, associated search data and control signals to said programmable microcomputer control means; first storage means for storing variable length fields of first telephone number data, at least some of the first telephone number data including a prefix indicative of a long distance telephone number; means for receiving variable length fields of second telephone number data; first means responsive to a first input control signal for accessing particular first telephone number data stored in said first storage means; second means operative in a "discount mode" for deleting any said fixed prefix from said accessed second telephone number data; and third means responsive to said second means for concatenating said accessed first telephone number data and said second telephone number data.

Claim 32

The repertory dialer of claim 15 including: means for displaying any name and associated telephone number by scrolling through the directory of the first storage means; and means for displaying the stored contents of each character of each data entry of the directory.

Claim 33

The repertory dialer of claim 18 wherein the means for transferring data includes: means for entering the directory into the first storage means from a remote source; and means for transferring the directory stored in said first storage means to an auxiliary unit.

Claim 34

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the keyboard input means includes: means for keying in data from the keyboard, the data being changeable via the keyboard before storage; and after data has been stored, means for establishing an edit mode to recall and change any stored data entry.

Claim 35

The repertory dialer of claim 15 including: a clear key hardwired to the microcomputer control means and operative upon actuation to reset the dialer and clear whatever operation was in process when the key was actuated.

Claim 36

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the keyboard input means includes: a control key operative to define the subsequent field as a telephone number field; and means for displaying a control symbol upon actuation of that control key.

Claim 37

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the keyboard input means includes: a view key operative upon actuation to display the last directory name looked up, whether dialed out or not.

Claim 38

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the keyboard input means includes: a dial key operative upon actuation to display the name associated with the call being placed.

Claim 39

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the programmable microcomputer control means includes: means operative upon detection of a new entry entered via the keyboard to establish an entry mode for storage of the new entry in its alphabetic location of the directory of the first storage means.

Claim 40

The repertory dialer of claim 15 wherein the programmable microcomputer means includes: timing means operative to time each telephone call and to retain the monitored time in memory for the last call made; the display means being operative to display the stored time information upon command by the keyboard input means.

Claim 41

A repertory dialer comprising: a programmable microcomputer means for controlling operation of the dialer and having a random access memory; dialing means in circuit with the programmable microcomputer means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting name and telephone number data in the random access memory of the microcomputer means to establish a directory of alphabetized names and associated telephone numbers; display means for displaying any name and associated telephone number stored in the directory of the memory; and wherein the keyboard input means includes: means for scrolling through each entry of the directory for display of the name and associated telephone number of each entry; means for scrolling through each character of each entry for display of the character of each entry of the directory; a data port operative to provide connection to an auxiliary unit for transfer of the directory of the memory from the dialer to the auxiliary unit and for the loading of the memory with directory data from an auxiliary unit.

Claim 42

A repertory dialer comprising: a programmable microcomputer means for controlling operation of the dialer and having a random access memory; dialing means in circuit with the programmable microcomputer means for providing dialing signals to a telephone circuit; keyboard input means for inputting name and telephone number data in the random access memory of the microcomputer means to establish a directory of alphabetized names and associated telephone numbers; display means for displaying any name and associated telephone number stored in the directory of the memory; and wherein the keyboard input means includes: means for scrolling through each entry of the directory for display of the name and associated telephone number of each entry; means for scrolling through each character of each entry for display of the character of each entry of the directory; a data port operative to provide connection to an auxiliary unit for transfer of the directory of the memory from the dialer to the auxiliary unit and for the loading of the memory with directory data from an auxiliary unit.

Claim 43

The repertory dialer of claim 32 wherein the data port includes connector terminals providing power to an auxiliary unit connected thereto.

Claim 44

The repertory dialer of claim 32 wherein the programmable microcomputer means includes: timing means operative to time each telephone call and to retain the monitored time in memory for the last call made; the display means being operative to display the stored time information upon command by the keyboard input means.

Claim 45

The repertory dialer of claim 32, wherein the keyboard input means includes a dial key operative upon single actuation to dial a selected call, and operative upon repeated actuation to redial a previously made but uncompleted call.