US4052570A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-12-22
•
Granted: 1977-10-04
•
Expires: 1995-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A telephone set which will automatically redial a telephone number after a busy signal has been received and continues redialing that number until the party being called answers, or until a predetermined number of attempts have been made. As the user dials a telephone number onto the telephone line, whether by manual dialing or by utilizing pulse-type dialing of "touch-tone" type, the number is simultaneously stored in a storing device. A signal detector detects the receiving of a busy signal in response to the dialing of the telephone number. A control circuit, responsive to both the detection of a busy signal and the releasing of the telephone line, waits a predetermined fixed amount of time subsequent to which it seizes the line and causes the number stored to be redialed onto the telephone line. If a busy signal again occurs, a line disconnect circuit responds by releasing the line. The routine is repeated for a predetermined number of times or until a normal ringing signal is obtained, and thereafter the control circuit and the storing means are reset.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul J. Sutton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:55
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/26; H04M1/27; H04M1/272; H04M1/2725
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
An attachment for a telephone set which dials telephone numbers onto a telephone line, or the like, said attachment comprising: a. storing means coupled to said telephone set for storing a telephone number at the same time as it is initially dialed and transmitted onto the telephone line; b. signal detector means coupled to said telephone set for detecting the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of said telephone number and in the absence thereof clearing said storing means; and c. control means coupled to said signal detector means; and responding to the receipt of a busy signal and the releasing of the telephone line for causing the number stored to be re-dialed onto the telephone line, said control means comprising release means coupled to the telephone set for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means when the handset is subsequently removed from the cradle of the telephone set.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
An attachment for a telephone set which dials telephone numbers onto a telephone line, or the like, said attachment comprising: a. storing means coupled to said telephone set for storing a telephone number at the same time as it is initially dialed and transmitted onto the telephone line; b. signal detector means coupled to said telephone set for detecting the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of said telephone number and in the absence thereof clearing said storing means; and c. control means coupled to said signal detector means; and responding to the receipt of a busy signal and the releasing of the telephone line for causing the number stored to be re-dialed onto the telephone line, said control means comprising release means coupled to the telephone set for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means when the handset is subsequently removed from the cradle of the telephone set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The attachment as in claim 1 and further comprising open-line detector means coupled to said control means for detecting when the telephone line is released, and gating means coupled to said open-line detector means and said signal detector means and producing a re-dialing signal upon both the detection of a busy signal and the detection of the release of the telephone line, said control means causing said number stored to be re-dialed only in response to said redialing signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The attachment as in claim 2 and wherein said control means further includes line-connecting means for seizing the telephone line prior to causing the number stored to be dialed onto the telephone line, and line-disconnect means responsive to the receiving of a busy signal after said stored number is re-dialed onto the telephone line and thereupon releasing the line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and wherein said control circuit further comprises delay means coupled between said gating means and said line-connecting means for delaying the seizing of the telephone line after receiving said re-dialing signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and wherein said control means further comprises repetition counting means for counting the number of times said stored number is re-dialed onto the telephone line, and upon reaching a predetermined count terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and wherein said control means further comprises signaling means responsive to a ring signal when said stored number is re-dialed onto the telephone line, and thereupon providing an output signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and wherein said control means further comprises means responsive to the lack of receiving a ring signal when said number stored is re-dialed onto the telephone line, and for holding the line for a predetermined length of time and thereupon activating said line disconnect means for releasing the line and for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and further comprising voice detection means for providing an answer signal when the called party answers the phone, and tape playing means coupled to both said voice detecting means and said gating means for playing an audible message onto the telephone line when a re-dialing signal is present and the called party answers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The attachment as in claim 8 and further comprising end of tape detector means for sensing the end of the tape and in response thereto terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The attachment as in claim 3 and wherein said control means comprises holding switch means for temporarily suspending the operation of said control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The attachment as in claim 10, and wherein said holding switch means inhibits said detector means from detecting said busy signals and inhibits said memory from storing numbers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The attachment as in claim 1 further comprising digit detector means connected between said handset and said storing means for detecting both rotary dialed numbers and Touch-Tone dialed numbers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
164 words
A telephone set comprising: a. a telephone set housing means; b. telephone circuit means for dialing and receiving telephone numbers onto a telephone line; c. storing means coupled to said telephone circuit means for storing a telephone number at the same time as it is initially dialed and transmitted onto the telephone line; d. signal detector means coupled to said telephone circuit means for detecting the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of said telephone number and in the absence thereof clearing said storing means; and e. control means coupled to said signal detector means responding to the receipt of a busy signal and the releasing of the telephone line for causing the number stored to be re-dialed onto the telephone line, said control means comprising release means coupled to the telephone set for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means when the handset is subsequently removed from the cradle of the telephone set.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
164 words
A telephone set comprising: a. a telephone set housing means; b. telephone circuit means for dialing and receiving telephone numbers onto a telephone line; c. storing means coupled to said telephone circuit means for storing a telephone number at the same time as it is initially dialed and transmitted onto the telephone line; d. signal detector means coupled to said telephone circuit means for detecting the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of said telephone number and in the absence thereof clearing said storing means; and e. control means coupled to said signal detector means responding to the receipt of a busy signal and the releasing of the telephone line for causing the number stored to be re-dialed onto the telephone line, said control means comprising release means coupled to the telephone set for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means when the handset is subsequently removed from the cradle of the telephone set.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
The telephone set as in claim 13 and further comprising open-line detector means coupled to said control means for detecting when the telephone line is released, and gating means coupled to said open line detector means and said signal detector means for producing a re-dialing signal upon both the detection of the busy signal and the detection of the release of the telephone line, said control means causing said number stored to be re-dialed only in response to said redialing signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The telephone set as in claim 14 and wherein said control means further includes line-connecting means for seizing the telephone line prior to causing the number stored to be dialed onto the telephone line, and line disconnect means responsive to receiving a busy signal after said stored number is redialed onto the telephone line and thereupon releasing the line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The telephone set as in claim 15, and wherein said control circuit further comprises signaling means responsive to a ring when said stored number is redialed onto the telephone line, and thereupon providing an output signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The telephone set as in claim 15 and wherein said control means comprises holding switch means for temporarily suspending the operation of said control means, said holding switch means inhibiting said detector means from detecting said busy signals and inhibiting said memory from storing numbers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
The telephone set as in claim 15 and wherein said control means further comprises means responsive to receiving a ring signal when said number stored is re-dialed onto the telephone line, and for holding the line for a predetermined length of time and thereupon activating said line disconnect means for releasing the line and for terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The telephone set as in claim 3 and wherein said control means further comprises repetition counting means for counting the number of times said stored number is re-dialed onto the telephone line and upon reaching a predetermined count terminating the operation of said control means and clearing said storing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The attachment as in claim 2 and further comprising reset means coupled to said open line detector means and said signal detector means and producing a clear signal upon both the detection of the release of the telephone line and a ring signal, said clear signal clearing the telephone number from the storage means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
54 words
The telephone set as in claim 14 and further comprising reset means coupled to said open-line detector means and said signal detector means and producing a clear signal upon both the detection of the release of the telephone line and a ring signal, said clear signal clearing the telephone number from the storage means.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of achieving the completion of a telephone call, comprising the steps of: a. dialing and transmitting a telephone number onto a telephone line utilizing a standard telephone set; b. storing the telephone number as it is dialed onto the line; c. monitoring the telephone line to detect the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of the telephone number; d. clearing the stored telephone number upon detection of a ring signal; e. automatically re-dialing the telephone number onto a telephone line in response to a busy signal; and f. clearing the stored telephone number and terminating the automatic re-dialing upon detecting subsequent removal of the handset from its cradle.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of achieving the completion of a telephone call, comprising the steps of: a. dialing and transmitting a telephone number onto a telephone line utilizing a standard telephone set; b. storing the telephone number as it is dialed onto the line; c. monitoring the telephone line to detect the receiving of a busy signal in response to the initial dialing of the telephone number; d. clearing the stored telephone number upon detection of a ring signal; e. automatically re-dialing the telephone number onto a telephone line in response to a busy signal; and f. clearing the stored telephone number and terminating the automatic re-dialing upon detecting subsequent removal of the handset from its cradle.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-10-03 | 1981-04-04 | 1981-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-03 | 1985-04-04 | 1985-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-03 | 1989-04-04 | 1989-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |