Calling line identification system

Claim 1

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of stations each terminating a transmission path connectable through a communication network with a called station comprising means eanbled by the called station for sequentially opening groups of the transmission paths and momentarily applying bursts of distinctive tone signals to each of the opened transmission paths, and means responsive to returned ones of the tone signals for effecting the identify of the anonymous station connected through the communication network with the called station.

Claim 2

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of stations each terminating a transmission path connectable through a communication network with a called station comprising means eanbled by the called station for sequentially opening groups of the transmission paths and momentarily applying bursts of distinctive tone signals to each of the opened transmission paths, and means responsive to returned ones of the tone signals for effecting the identify of the anonymous station connected through the communication network with the called station.

Claim 6

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities connectable through the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming line facility of a called telephone station comprising means for generating a plurality of tone signals each comprised of a coded pair of frequency components, means enabled by the called telephone station for sequentially opening groups of the terminating line facilities and simultaneously applying bursts of the tone signals to each of the opened terminating line facilities, and means enabled by the coded pair of frequency components of first and second ones of the bursts of the tone signals appearing on the incoming line facility for effecting the identity of the anonymous telephone station associated with one of the terminating line facilities connected to the incoming line facility of the called telephone station.

Claim 7

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities connectable through the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming line facility of a called telephone station comprising means for generating a plurality of tone signals each comprised of a coded pair of frequency components, means enabled by the called telephone station for sequentially opening groups of the terminating line facilities and simultaneously applying bursts of the tone signals to each of the opened terminating line facilities, and means enabled by the coded pair of frequency components of first and second ones of the bursts of the tone signals appearing on the incoming line facility for effecting the identity of the anonymous telephone station associated with one of the terminating line facilities connected to the incoming line facility of the called telephone station.

Claim 13

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating transmission line facilities selectively connectable through the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming attendant telephone circuit of a remote called attendant position comprising means for genrating a plurality of tone signals each comprised of a coded pair of individual frequency components, means for receiving ones of the tone signals designated by the coded pair of frequency components, means for coupling the incoming attendant telephone circuit to said receiving means, means for opening groups of the transmission line facilities and coupling ones of the tone signals to each group of opened transmission line facilities, means responsive to said receiving means for sequentially stepping said opening means between groups of the transmission line facilities, means enabled by said receiving means detecting the coded pair of frequency components of a first one of the tone signals for directing said opening means to uncouple the first tone signal from one of the groups of opened transmission line facilities and couple each opened transmission line facility thereof individually to second ones of the tone signals, and means enabled by said receiving means detecting the coded pair of frequency components of one of the second tone signals for identifying the anonymous telephone station associated with one of the transmission line facilities connected to the incoming attendant telephone circuit.

Claim 14

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating transmission line facilities selectively connectable through the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming attendant telephone circuit of a remote called attendant position comprising means for genrating a plurality of tone signals each comprised of a coded pair of individual frequency components, means for receiving ones of the tone signals designated by the coded pair of frequency components, means for coupling the incoming attendant telephone circuit to said receiving means, means for opening groups of the transmission line facilities and coupling ones of the tone signals to each group of opened transmission line facilities, means responsive to said receiving means for sequentially stepping said opening means between groups of the transmission line facilities, means enabled by said receiving means detecting the coded pair of frequency components of a first one of the tone signals for directing said opening means to uncouple the first tone signal from one of the groups of opened transmission line facilities and couple each opened transmission line facility thereof individually to second ones of the tone signals, and means enabled by said receiving means detecting the coded pair of frequency components of one of the second tone signals for identifying the anonymous telephone station associated with one of the transmission line facilities connected to the incoming attendant telephone circuit.

Claim 15

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities selectively connectable through a central office of the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming attendant line facility of a remote called attendant position comprising a plurality of generators for generating tones comprised of a coded pair of frequency signals, a plurality of first relays each having transfer contacts, the break portions of which are connected in series in ones of the terminating line facilities between one of the telephone stations and the central office and the make portions of which are connected with the ones of the terminating line facilities between the break portions of said transfer contacts and the central office, a plurality of second relays having make contacts and transfer contacts, the break portions of said second relay transfer contacts which are connected in series between ones of said first relay transfer make contacts and a common One of said generators and the make portions of said second relay transfer contacts which are connected in series between the ones of said first relay transfer make contacts and predetermined ones of said generators, a plurality of stepping relays having first make contacts and second make contacts, the first make contacts of which establish an operate path for ones of said first relays, a plurality of coding relays each having first make contacts and second make contacts, the first make contacts of which are connected in series with first make contacts of other coding relays to establish operate paths for predetermined ones of said second relays, detecting apparatus activated by said generators for operating ones of said coding relays in accordance with the coded pair of frequency signals, pulsing apparatus activated by said detecting apparatus for momentarily operating ones of said stepping relays in a predetermined sequence, actuating apparatus responsive to the called attendant position for interconnecting the incoming attendant line facility with said detecting apparatus, and means including said second relay make contacts in series combination with said second make contacts of said stepping relays and said coding relays for effecting an identity of a calling one of the telephone stations connected with the called attendant position.

Claim 16

A system for identifying an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities selectively connectable through a central office of the telephone direct distance dialing network with an incoming attendant line facility of a remote called attendant position comprising a plurality of generators for generating tones comprised of a coded pair of frequency signals, a plurality of first relays each having transfer contacts, the break portions of which are connected in series in ones of the terminating line facilities between one of the telephone stations and the central office and the make portions of which are connected with the ones of the terminating line facilities between the break portions of said transfer contacts and the central office, a plurality of second relays having make contacts and transfer contacts, the break portions of said second relay transfer contacts which are connected in series between ones of said first relay transfer make contacts and a common One of said generators and the make portions of said second relay transfer contacts which are connected in series between the ones of said first relay transfer make contacts and predetermined ones of said generators, a plurality of stepping relays having first make contacts and second make contacts, the first make contacts of which establish an operate path for ones of said first relays, a plurality of coding relays each having first make contacts and second make contacts, the first make contacts of which are connected in series with first make contacts of other coding relays to establish operate paths for predetermined ones of said second relays, detecting apparatus activated by said generators for operating ones of said coding relays in accordance with the coded pair of frequency signals, pulsing apparatus activated by said detecting apparatus for momentarily operating ones of said stepping relays in a predetermined sequence, actuating apparatus responsive to the called attendant position for interconnecting the incoming attendant line facility with said detecting apparatus, and means including said second relay make contacts in series combination with said second make contacts of said stepping relays and said coding relays for effecting an identity of a calling one of the telephone stations connected with the called attendant position.

Claim 18

A system for identifying the directory number of an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities connectable through a telephone switching network to the line facility incoming to a called telephone station comprising signal means for generating a plurality of coded tone signals, relay means connected in series with each of the terminating line facilities for sequentially removing groups of the telephone stations from across their respective line facilities and momentarily applying distinctive ones of the coded tone signals to each opened line facility, and means enabled by first and second ones of the coded tone signals appearing on the incoming line facility of the called telephone station for obtaining the directory number of the anonymous telephone station coupled to the called telephone station.

Claim 19

A system for identifying the directory number of an anonymous one of a plurality of telephone stations each terminating line facilities connectable through a telephone switching network to the line facility incoming to a called telephone station comprising signal means for generating a plurality of coded tone signals, relay means connected in series with each of the terminating line facilities for sequentially removing groups of the telephone stations from across their respective line facilities and momentarily applying distinctive ones of the coded tone signals to each opened line facility, and means enabled by first and second ones of the coded tone signals appearing on the incoming line facility of the called telephone station for obtaining the directory number of the anonymous telephone station coupled to the called telephone station.