US3777069A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone silencing apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-04-19
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-04-19
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for selectively silencing the bell of a telephone wherein the method comprises selectively reducing the resultant magnetomotive force through the ringer circuit to a value below that necessary to ring the bell. The method also includes selectively increasing the ringing voltage output from the central system generator with a transformer to increase the current level in the ringer circuit and thus the magnetomotive force above that necessary to ring the bell. The embodiment of the apparatus includes an impedance means selectively connectable between the incoming ringer hot wire and the ringer circuit of the telephone by a switch. The impedance means has an impedance valve sufficiently great to reduce the current flow through the ringer circuit and thus the magnetomotive force below that necessary to ring the bell when the standard ringing signal voltage is imposed thereon. This embodiment of the apparatus may also include a voltage step-up transformer selectively connecting the signal generator to the ringer circuit to increase the ringer voltage and the ringer current as well as the magnetomotive force to a value above that necessary to ring the bell. The embodiment of the apparatus also includes an accumulator circuit selectively connecting the incoming ringer hot wire with the ringer circuit in such a way as to silence the bell of the telephone until a predetermined number of ring signals have been received.
Inventors
- 👤 M Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:22
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M19/00; H04M19/02; H04M19/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
Apparatus for selectively silencing the bell in the ringer circuit of a telephone and its associated incoming signal carrying wires for a prescribed number of ringing signal pulses and for selectively operating the bell after a predetermined number of ringing signals have been receivd including: first means for selectively reducing the resultant magnetomotive force in the ringer circuit of said telephone below that necessary to ring said bell when the standard ringing voltage is imposed across the incoming ringer signal carrying wires to said telephone; and, accumulating means for selectively connecting the incoming signal carrying wires to the telephone ringer circuit through said first means, and for connecting the incoming wires directly to the ringer circuit, said accumulating means responsive to the incoming ringer signal pulses to connect the incoming wires to the ringer circuit through said first means to silence the bell until a predetermined number of ringing signal pulses have been received, and for connecting the incoming wires directly to the telephone ringer circuit after said prescribed number of signal pulses have been received to cause the bell to be rung.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
Apparatus for selectively silencing the bell in the ringer circuit of a telephone and its associated incoming signal carrying wires for a prescribed number of ringing signal pulses and for selectively operating the bell after a predetermined number of ringing signals have been receivd including: first means for selectively reducing the resultant magnetomotive force in the ringer circuit of said telephone below that necessary to ring said bell when the standard ringing voltage is imposed across the incoming ringer signal carrying wires to said telephone; and, accumulating means for selectively connecting the incoming signal carrying wires to the telephone ringer circuit through said first means, and for connecting the incoming wires directly to the ringer circuit, said accumulating means responsive to the incoming ringer signal pulses to connect the incoming wires to the ringer circuit through said first means to silence the bell until a predetermined number of ringing signal pulses have been received, and for connecting the incoming wires directly to the telephone ringer circuit after said prescribed number of signal pulses have been received to cause the bell to be rung.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said accumulating means includes reset means responsive to the time interval between pulses of the ringing signal to reset said accumulating means for a new cycle of operation when the time between the pulses exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
205 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said accumulating means includes first switch means, capacitive means, and second switch means, said first switch means responsive to operation of said reset means to connect said capacitance means to the ringing signal when said time interval between said pulses does not exceed said prescribed amount and to prevent discharge of said capacitive means between pulses of the ringing signal so as to cumulatively charge said capacitive means and to disconnect said capacitive means from the ringing signal and discharge said capacitive means when said time interval exceeds said prescribed value, and said second switch means connecting the incoming ringing signal wires to the telephone ringer circuit through said first means in its first operative state and connecting the incoming ringer signal wires directly to the telephone ringer circuit in its second operative state, said capacitve means operatively connect to said second switch means to maintain said second switch means in its first operative state until said capacitive means has cumulatively charged to a prescribed value on the receipt of the predetermined number of ringing signal pulses and to transfer said second switch means to said second operative state when said capacitive means is charged to said prescribed value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said accumulating means further includes regulating means for controlling the rate at which said capacitive means is charged by the ringing signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
122 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first switch means includes a field effect transistor which conducts when the voltage at its gate is high and does not conduct when the voltage at its gate is low, said gate operatively connected to said reset circuit and said field effect transistor operatively connected to said capacitive means to cause said capacitive means to be charged by the ringing signal pulses when said field effect transistor is not conducting, said reset circuit imposing a low voltage on said gate when said ring signal pulses are successively received within said prescribed time interval and imposing a high voltage on said gate when said time interval eetween said successive ringing signal pulses exceeds said prescribed amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said field effect transistor connects said capacitive means to ground to discharge same when said field effect transistor conducts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
164 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said reset means includes voltage producing means operatively connected to the ringing signal for generating a prescribed voltage thereacross when a ringing signal pulse is imposed thereon, second capacitive means operatively connected across said voltage producing means for charging said second capacitive means when the ringing signal pulse is imposed on said voltage producing means, and transistor means operatively connected across said voltage producing means and said second capacitive means, said transistor means rendered conductive upon imposition of the ringing signal pulse on said voltage producing meas and maintained conductive for a predetermined period of time after the ringing signal pulse is removed from said voltage producing means by the discharge of said second capacitive means therethrough, the output of said transistor means operatively connected to said gate of said field effect transistor to impose a low voltage thereon when said transistor means conducts and to impose a high voltage thereon when said transistor means does not conduct.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said voltage producing means includes a zener diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said regulating meas is selectively variable to control the number of ringing signal pulses necessary to charge said capacitance means to said prescribed value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including selector switch means for selectively connecting said first means directly between the incoming ringing signal wires and the ringer circuit to totally silence the bell and connecting said first means between the incoming ringing signal wires and the ringer circuit through said accumulating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3226489A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |