EP0923227A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mechanism to facilitate single-number for voice and non-voice calls
Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
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Filing: 1998-12-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-12-09
Abstract
Abstract To accommodate calls to a destination number which may be either voice calls or a facsimile call, an answering apparatus receives the call when it is unanswered by a telephone and provides voice mail services. If while handling the call as a voice call a facsimile calling tone is received, the answering apparatus switches to facsimile call handling. If the call is answered by the telephone, the answering apparatus is conferenced in and initiates facsimile call handling if a facsimile calling tone is received. The answering apparatus may be configured to handle other non-voice calls in addition to, or in place of, facsimile calls, such as TTY/TDD calls.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Michael Brennan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/327; H04N1/32704; H04N1/32706; H04N1/32708; H04N1/32715; H04N1/32721; H04N1/32723; H04N1/32732
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for handling both voice and non-voice calls on a call path, comprising the steps
of: sensing whether or not a telephone associated with said call path has completed a
call on said call path; when sensing that said call has not been completed by said associated telephone, (i) completing said call and initiating the playing of a greeting on said call
path; (ii) monitoring said call path for a non-voice indicator signal; (iii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating handling of said call
as a non-voice call and, if said greeting is playing, initiating cessation of said
greeting; (iv) on failing to sense said non-voice indictor signal before the end of said
greeting, initiating voice mail handling of said call until any said non-voice indicator
signal is received; when sensing that said call on said call path has been completed by said associated
telephone, (i) monitoring said call path for anon-voice indicator signal; and (ii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating the handling of said
call on said call path as a non-voice call.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of, when sensing that said call on said call path
has been completed by said associated telephone, on failing to sense said non-voice indictor
signal after a pre-selected time interval, ceasing to monitor said call path for a non-voice
indicator signal.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
40 words
The method of any one of claims 1-2 wherein said step of sensing that said call on said
call path has not been completed by said associated telephone comprises sensing a preselected
number of ringing signals on said call path.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
26 words
The method of any one of claims 1-3 including the step of, on sensing a non-voice
indicator signal, disconnecting said associated telephone from said call path.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
53 words
The method of any one of claims 1-4 wherein said non-voice indicator signal is a
facsimile transmission signal and wherein said step of handling of said call as a non-voice
call comprises one of redirecting said call to a facsimile machine and storing signals on said
call path in a facsimile data store.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
52 words
The method of any one of claims 1-4 wherein said non-voice indicator signal comprises
TTY transmission signals and wherein said step of handling of said call as a non-voice call
comprises one of redirecting said call to a TTY device and storing signals on said call path
in a TTY data store.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
32 words
The method of any one of claims 1-6 wherein the step of initiating voice mail handling
of said call comprises directing signals on said call path to a voice mail data store.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
185 words
A method for handling both voice and non-voice calls on a call path, comprising the steps
of: receiving an indication whether or not a telephone associated with said call path has
completed a call on said call path; when receiving an indication that said call has not been completed by said associated
telephone, (i) completing said call and initiating the playing of a greeting on said call
path; (ii) monitoring said call path for a non-voice indicator signal; (iii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating handling of said call
as a non-voice call and, if said greeting is playing, initiating cessation of said
greeting; (iv) on failing to sense said non-voice indictor signal before the end of said
greeting, initiating voice mail handling of said call until any said non-voice indicator
signal is received; when receiving an indication that said call on said call path has been completed by
said associated telephone, (i) monitoring said call path for a non-voice indicator signal; and (ii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating the handling of said
call on said call path as a non-voice call.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
213 words
A voice and non-voice answering apparatus for a call path, comprising: a port for association with said call path and having an on-hook state and an off-hook
state; processing means for receiving an indication a call on said call path has not been
completed by a telephone associated with said call path within a pre-determined time and
thereafter: (i) transitioning said port to said off-hook state; (ii) initiating the playing of a greeting over said port; (iii) monitoring for a non-voice indicator signal received by said port on said
call path; (iv) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating handling of a call on
said call path as a non-voice call, and, if said greeting is playing, initiating cessation
of said greeting; (v) on failing to sense said non-voice indictor signal before the end of said
greeting, initiating voice mail handling of said call until any said non-voice indicator
signal is received; and for receiving an indication said call on said call path has been completed by said
associated telephone and thereafter: (i) transitioning said port to said off-hook state; (ii) monitoring for a non-voice indicator signal received by said port; and (iii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating the handling of said
call on said call path as a non-voice call.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The answering apparatus of claim 9 wherein said indication a call on said call path has
not be completed by said telephone associated with said call path within a pre-determined
time comprises a pre-determined number of ringing signals on said call path sensed by said
processing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The answering apparatus of any one of claims 9-10 wherein said indication a call on
said call path has been completed by said telephone associated with said call path comprises
a DC line voltage on said call path.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The answering apparatus of any one of claims 9-11 wherein said processing means has
an input line for connection to a local switching system, said processing means for receiving
a non-completion signal on said line indicating a call on said call path has not be completed
within a pre-determined time.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The answering apparatus of any one of claims 9-12 wherein said processing means is
for receiving a completion signal on said input line indicating a call on said call path has
been completed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The answering apparatus of any one of claims 9-13 including a data store associated
with said processing means for storing voice-mail.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The answering apparatus of any one of claims 9-14 including a ring generator associated
with said processing means, said processing means for initiating handling of said call as a
non-voice call by instructing said ring generator to cause a connected facsimile machine to
go off-hook.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
246 words
A telephone switching system comprising: a plurality of line cards; a switch processor for selectively bridging line cards to establish a call path, for
sensing on said call path, and for signalling; a port connected to one of said line cards and having an on-hook state and an off-hook
state; an answering system processing means for receiving an indication from said switch
processor a call on a call path has not been completed by a telephone associated with said
call path within a pre-determined time and thereafter: (i) transitioning said port to said off-hook state; (ii) initiating the playing of a greeting over said port; (iii) monitoring for a non-voice indicator signal received by said port on said
call path; (iv) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating handling of a call on
said call path as a non-voice call, and, if said greeting is playing, initiating cessation
of said greeting; (v) on failing to sense said non-voice indictor signal before the end of said
greeting, initiating voice mail handling of said call until any said non-voice indicator
signal is received; and for receiving an indication from said switch processor said call on said call path has
been completed by said associated telephone and thereafter: (i) transitioning said port to said off-hook state; (ii) monitoring for a non-voice indicator signal received by said port; and (iii) on sensing a non-voice indicator signal, initiating the handling of said
call on said call path as a non-voice call.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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