Automated coin arrangement providing interference free coin deposit detection during announcements

Claim 2

In combination, generating means for generating voice announcements, detecting means for detecting distinct signals originating at a telephone station, and coupling means for coupling said generating means to a transmission path connectible to said telephone station to transmit said voice announcements thereover and for coupling said detecting means to said transmission path to detect said distinct signals received thereover from said telephone station, said coupling means including isolating means for isolating said detecting means from said generating means.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said generating means comprises a memory storing binary announcement words, means for accessing said memory to retrieve announcement words therefrom, and means for converting said retrieved announcement words into voice announcements.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said detecting means comprises means for detecting tones indicative of the deposit of a coin at said telephone station, and means for analyzing said tones to determine the value of the deposited coin.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a network terminating said transmission path and also terminating leads extending to said isolating means, and control means for controlling said network to establish a connection between the termination of said transmission path and the termination of said leads.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 4 wherein said isolating means comprises hybrid circuit means connected to said last named leads and applying signals received over said leads from said transmission path to a unidirectional path connected to said detecting means and applying signals received over another path connected to said generating means to said transmission path via said leads and said connection.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 4 wherein said isolating means comprises a first hybrid circuit connected to said last-named leads, a second hybrid circuit connected to said generating means, said hybrid circuits being interconnected by a first unidirectional path also connected to said detecting means and a second unidirectional path, and said first hybrid circuit applies signals received over said leads from said transmission path to said first unidirectional path and applies signals received over said second unidirectional path to said leads and then to said transmission path, and said second hybrid circuit applies signals received over said first unidirectional path to said generating means and applies signals received from said generating means to said second unidirectional path.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 6 further comprising an operator position terminated on said network, and a bidirectional path connecting said generating means and said second hybrid circuit to a termination on said network, and wherein said control means controls said network to establish another connection between said last-mentioned terminations, whereby speech signals from an operator are applied to said transmission path via said other connection, said bidirectional path, said second hybrid circuit, said second unidirectional path, said first hybrid circuit, said leads and said connection, and whereby signals from said telephone station are received by the operator via said transmission path, said connection, said leads, said first hybrid circuit, said first unidirectional path, said second hybrid circuit, said bidirectional path and said other connection, and whereby speech signals from the operator do not interfere with the operation of said detecting means.

Claim 9

In combination, generating means for generating voice announcements, coupling means for coupling said generating means to a transmission path connectible to a telephone station to transmit said voice announcements thereover, detecting means for detecting distinct signals received from said telephone station over said transmission path via said coupling means, and isolating means connected to said coupling means for isolating said detecting means from said voice announcement generating means.

Claim 10

In combination, generating means for generating voice announcements, coupling means for coupling said generating means to a transmission path connectible to a telephone station to transmit said voice announcements thereover, detecting means for detecting distinct signals received from said telephone station over said transmission path via said coupling means, and isolating means connected to said coupling means for isolating said detecting means from said voice announcement generating means.

Claim 11

In an automated coin telephone system, announcing means for generating voice announcements, applying means connected to said announcing means for conveying said voice announcements to a communication path connectible to a calling coin station, said applying means including receiving means for receiving voice signals and coin deposit signals conveyed over said communication path from said coin station and isolating means for segregating said voice announcements from said voice and coin deposit signals from said coin station, and detecting means connected to said isolating means for monitoring said segregated voice and coin deposit signals and for detecting the presence of said coin deposit signals.

Claim 12

In an automated coin telephone system, announcing means for generating voice announcements, applying means connected to said announcing means for conveying said voice announcements to a communication path connectible to a calling coin station, said applying means including receiving means for receiving voice signals and coin deposit signals conveyed over said communication path from said coin station and isolating means for segregating said voice announcements from said voice and coin deposit signals from said coin station, and detecting means connected to said isolating means for monitoring said segregated voice and coin deposit signals and for detecting the presence of said coin deposit signals.

Claim 13

The system according to claim 9 wherein said announcing means comprises memory means for storing binary announcement words, means for accessing said memory to retrieve announcement words therefrom, and means for converting said retrieved announcement words into voice announcements.

Claim 14

The system according to claim 9 wherein said applying means further includes a network, and a network controller for controlling said network to establish a network connection between said communication path and said isolating means.

Claim 15

The system according to claim 11 wherein said isolating means comprises hybrid circuit means applying said voice and coin deposit signals received over said communication path to a unidirectional path connected to said detecting means and applying said voice announcements from said generating means received over another path to said communication path via said network connection.

Claim 16

The system according to claim 11 wherein said isolating means comprises a first hybrid circuit connected to said network connection via a first termination on said network, a second hybrid circuit connected to said network via a second termination on said network, and first and second unidirectional paths interconnecting said hybrid circuits, said first hybrid circuit applying said voice and coin deposit signals received over said network connection to said first unidirectional path and applying signals received over said second unidirectional path to said network connection, said announcing means being connected to the connection between said second hybrid circuit and said second termination and said detecting means being connected to said first unidirectional path, and said second hybrid circuit applying said voice announcements from said announcing means to said second unidirectional path.

Claim 17

The system according to claim 13 further comprising an operator position terminated on said network and wherein said network controller controls said network to establish a network connection from said operator position to said second termination, and wherein said second hybrid circuit also applies said voice and coin deposit signals on said first unidirectional path to said operator position via said second termination.

Claim 18

For use in a telephone traffic service position system including a network, an incoming communication line terminated on said network and connectible to a calling coin station, and a network controller for controlling said network to establish connections, an automated coin subsystem comprising a first hybrid circuit connected to a first termination on said network, said network controller controls said network to establish a network connection from said incoming communication line to said first termination of said first hybrid circuit, a second hybrid circuit connected to a second termination on said network via a bidirectional path, said hybrid circuits being interconnected by first and second unidirectional paths therebetween, said first hybrid circuit applying signals received at said first termination to said first unidirectional path and applying signals received over said second unidirectional path to said first termination, and said second hybrid circuit applying signals received over said bidirectional path to said second unidirectional path and applying signals received over said first unidirectional path to said bidirectional path, a tone detector connected to said first unidirectional path detects signals indicative of coin deposits applied thereto from said incoming communication line via said network connection, said first hybrid circuit and said first unidirectional path, and announcement generator means for applying voice signals to said incoming communication line via said bidirectional path, said second hybrid circuits, said second unidirectional path, said first hybrid circuit, and said network connection.

Claim 19

For use in a telephone traffic service position system including a network, an incoming communication line terminated on said network and connectible to a calling coin station, and a network controller for controlling said network to establish connections, an automated coin subsystem comprising a first hybrid circuit connected to a first termination on said network, said network controller controls said network to establish a network connection from said incoming communication line to said first termination of said first hybrid circuit, a second hybrid circuit connected to a second termination on said network via a bidirectional path, said hybrid circuits being interconnected by first and second unidirectional paths therebetween, said first hybrid circuit applying signals received at said first termination to said first unidirectional path and applying signals received over said second unidirectional path to said first termination, and said second hybrid circuit applying signals received over said bidirectional path to said second unidirectional path and applying signals received over said first unidirectional path to said bidirectional path, a tone detector connected to said first unidirectional path detects signals indicative of coin deposits applied thereto from said incoming communication line via said network connection, said first hybrid circuit and said first unidirectional path, and announcement generator means for applying voice signals to said incoming communication line via said bidirectional path, said second hybrid circuits, said second unidirectional path, said first hybrid circuit, and said network connection.

Claim 20

The service position system according to claim 15 further including an operator position terminated on said network and wherein said network controller also controls said network to establish a network connection between said operator position and said second termination of said second hybrid circuit, whereby an operator can communicate with a subscriber at the calling coin station without interfering with the detection of coin deposit tones by said tone detector.

Claim 21

For use in the service position system according to claim 15 further comprising a first data processing unit for controlling said network controller, said automated coin subsystem further comprising a second data processing unit interrogating said tone detector to ascertain the value of any coin deposits detected thereby, a memory storing binary announcement words, said second data processing units controls the accessing of said memory to retrieve announcement words therefrom, said announcement generator means includes converter means for converting said retrieved announcement words into voice announcements, and said second data processing unit informs said first data processing unit when the detected coin deposit equals or exceeds the requisite deposit.

Claim 22

In combination, means for detecting tones representative of the deposit of coins at a coin telephone station, means for generating announcements for the coin telephone station, a first hybrid circuit, a second hybrid circuit, first and second unidirectional communication paths between said hybrid circuits, means connecting said tone detecting means to said first path extending from said first hybrid circuit to said second hybrid circuit, means connecting said announcement generating means to said second hybrid circuit for transmission of announcements over said second communication path extending from said second hybrid circuit, to said first hybrid circuit, and control means for controlling said tone detecting means and said announcement generating means.

Claim 23

In combination, means for detecting tones representative of the deposit of coins at a coin telephone station, means for generating announcements for the coin telephone station, a first hybrid circuit, a second hybrid circuit, first and second unidirectional communication paths between said hybrid circuits, means connecting said tone detecting means to said first path extending from said first hybrid circuit to said second hybrid circuit, means connecting said announcement generating means to said second hybrid circuit for transmission of announcements over said second communication path extending from said second hybrid circuit, to said first hybrid circuit, and control means for controlling said tone detecting means and said announcement generating means.

Claim 24

In combination for connection to paths from a coin telephone station, means for detecting tones representative of the deposit of coins at the station, means for formulating announcements for transmission to the station, and hybrid circuit means for isolating announcements from said announcement formulating means from said tone detecting means whereby a proper deposit of coins can simultaneously be detected by said tone detecting means during operation of said announcement formulating means.

Claim 25

In combination for connection to paths from a coin telephone station, means for detecting tones representative of the deposit of coins at the station, means for formulating announcements for transmission to the station, and hybrid circuit means for isolating announcements from said announcement formulating means from said tone detecting means whereby a proper deposit of coins can simultaneously be detected by said tone detecting means during operation of said announcement formulating means.