US4477697A — Method and circuitry for encoding telephone ringi…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

A communication system including a control unit and a plurality of station sets connected thereto, each station having a capability of communication with other stations of the system, said system comprising: means for dividing the active ring interval of an audible ringing signal into a first and a second segment, means for generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said first group providing, respectively, different information of a first type about a received call, and means for generating during said second segment of one of a second group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said second group providing, respectively, different information of a second type about said received call.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 122 words

A communication system including a control unit and a plurality of station sets connected thereto, each station having a capability of communication with other stations of the system, said system comprising: means for dividing the active ring interval of an audible ringing signal into a first and a second segment, means for generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said first group providing, respectively, different information of a first type about a received call, and means for generating during said second segment of one of a second group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said second group providing, respectively, different information of a second type about said received call.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 94 words

A station set comprising: means for dividing the active ring interval of an audible ringing signal into a first and a second segment, means for generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said first group providing, respectively, different information of a first type about a received call, and means for generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said second group providing, respectively, different information of a second type about said received call.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 94 words

A station set comprising: means for dividing the active ring interval of an audible ringing signal into a first and a second segment, means for generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said first group providing, respectively, different information of a first type about a received call, and means for generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audio tone signals each signal of said second group providing, respectively, different information of a second type about said received call.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said first type of information specifies the origin of said received call.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said first type of information specifies the priority of said received call.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said second type of information specifies the destination of said received call.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said dividing means divides said ring interval into said first and second segments having equal duration.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said first segment signal generating means generates audio tone signals each having a unique number of pulses of a single frequency.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said first segment signal generating means generates audio tone signals each having a unique pulse width of a single frequency.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein each audio tone signal generated by said second segment signal generating means comprises at least one frequency of a group of frequencies.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further including means dividing said second segment into two or more subsegments, each subsegment comprising one frequency of a group of audio frequencies.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each audio tone signal of said first segment is comprised of a single audio frequency and the first subsegment of said second segment following said first segment is comprised of an audio frequency different from said signal audio frequency of said first segment.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further including means for dividing said first segment into multiple subsegments having selected subsegments including a single audio frequency signal and nonselected subsegments having no signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further including means for dividing said first segment into at least six equal length subsegments and means for dividing said second segment into at least three equal length subsegments.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first segment has selected subsegments including a single audio frequency signal and non-selected subsegments having no signal and wherein each of said three subsegments of said second segment includes one of two different audio frequencies with only one frequency change occurring during said second segment.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 46 words

The communication system of claim 1 wherein said common control includes means for transmitting an encoded ringing signal specifying the audio signals to be generated by said first signal generating means located at a station and said station includes means for receiving said encoded ringing signal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The station set of claim 2 further including means for receiving an encoded ringing signal specifying the audio signals to be generated during said first and second segments.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 15 or 16 wherein said received encoded ringing signal is a binary signal.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said binary signal includes information specifying the audio signals to be generated by said second signal generating means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said binary signal includes a second segment inhibit signal, said invention further including, means for disabling said second segment signal generating means in response to said second segment inhibit signal.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 58 words

The invention of claim 17 wherein said binary signal includes a single frequency enable signal, said invention further including means for disabling said first and second segment signal generating means in response to said enable signal, and means for generating a steady single audio frequency signal during said first and second segments in response to said enable signal.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 44 words

The invention of claim 20 wherein said binary signal further includes an amplitude modulation enable signal, said invention further including means for amplitude modulating at a predetermined rate the output of said single frequency generating means in response to said amplitude modulation enable signal.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 96 words

A method of encoding an audible ringing signal of a communication system, said method comprising the steps of: dividing the active ring interval of said ring signal into a first and second segment, generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audible signals each signal of said first group identifying, respectively, different information about the origin of a received call, and generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audible signals each signal of said second group identifying, respectively, different information about the destination of said received call.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 96 words

A method of encoding an audible ringing signal of a communication system, said method comprising the steps of: dividing the active ring interval of said ring signal into a first and second segment, generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audible signals each signal of said first group identifying, respectively, different information about the origin of a received call, and generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audible signals each signal of said second group identifying, respectively, different information about the destination of said received call.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of encoding a ringing signal of a station set comprising the steps of: dividing the active ring interval of said ringing signal into a first and a second segment, generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audible signals each signal of said first group identifying, respectively, different information about the origin of a received call, and generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audible signals each signal of said second group identifying, respectively, different information about the destination of said received call.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of encoding a ringing signal of a station set comprising the steps of: dividing the active ring interval of said ringing signal into a first and a second segment, generating during said first segment one of a first group of encoded audible signals each signal of said first group identifying, respectively, different information about the origin of a received call, and generating during said second segment one of a second group of encoded audible signals each signal of said second group identifying, respectively, different information about the destination of said received call.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 wherein said first and second segments of the active ring interval are of equal duration.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 wherein each signal of said first audible signal group has a unique number of pulses of a single frequency.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 wherein each signal of said first audible signal group has a unique pulse width of a single frequency.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 wherein each signal of said second audible signal group comprises at least one frequency of a group of frequencies.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 further including the step of: dividing said second segment into two or more subsegments, each subsegment comprising an audible signal which is one frequency of a group of frequencies.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 28 wherein each audible signal of said first segment is a single frequency and the audible signal of first subsegment of said second segment following said first segment is a frequency different from said single frequency of said first segment.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 further including the step of: dividing said first segment into multiple subsegments having selected subsegments having a single frequency signal and having non-selected subsegments having no signal.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 22 or 23 further including the steps of: dividing said first segment into at least six equal length subsegments and dividing said second segment into at least three equal length subsegments.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 31 wherein said first segment has selected subsegments including a single frequency audible signal and non-selected subsegments including no audible signal, and said second segment has subsegments including two different audible frequencies and wherein only one frequency change occurs during said second segment.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-10-16	1988-04-16	1988-10-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-10-16	1992-04-16	1992-10-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-10-16	1996-04-16	1996-10-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and circuitry for encoding telephone ringing signals

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