Patent US5250033A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4484031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interface circuit for a telephone system
Assignee: Zale Corp
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Filing: 1982-06-21
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Granted: 1984-11-20
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Expires: 2002-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A telephone communication system (10) utilizes a computer controlled PABX (12) which connects telephone trunk lines (13) to a voice response computer (50). The PABX (12) includes an automatic call distribution unit (12a) which provides selected call control and monitoring features. The ACD unit (12a), however, works only into digital control telephone lines while the voice response computer (50) works only with conventional two-wire telephone lines. Incoming telephone calls are transmitted through the trunk lines (13) to the automatic call distribution unit (12a). These calls are routed through a digital control telephone line (18) to a telephone set (24). A register (34) together with a make busy circuit (38) operate the telephone set (24) when one of the telephone lines (40) is available. If one of the lines (40) is available, a call from the PABX (12) through line (18) is received by the telephone set (24), transferred to the PABX (12), an auto-dial is generated by the set (24) and the transfer is completed. The incoming call is transferred to one of the lines (40) which is compatible with the inputs to the voice response computer (50). The register (34) serves to control each of the functions of the telephone set (24) in receiving, transferring, dialing and completing transfer of the incoming calls.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry B. Gray
- 👤 Cuba M. Adams
- 👤 Larry B. Christensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/523; H04M3/42314; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/58; H04Q3/62; H04Q3/625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serves a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected between said PBX and a user device, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the method comprising the steps of: passing a telephone call from one of the trunk lines through the PBX and a selected one of the digital control telephone lines to a telephone set, monitoring said two-wire lines to detect whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, passing a call transfer command from said telephone set to said PBX after receipt of said telephone call by said telephone set and provided at least one of said two-wire lines is idle as determined by said step of monitoring, and transferring said telephone call from said selected digital control telephone line to an available one of said two-wire lines in response to said call transfer command such that the telephone call is forwarded to said user device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
190 words
A method for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serves a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected between said PBX and a user device, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the method comprising the steps of: passing a telephone call from one of the trunk lines through the PBX and a selected one of the digital control telephone lines to a telephone set, monitoring said two-wire lines to detect whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, passing a call transfer command from said telephone set to said PBX after receipt of said telephone call by said telephone set and provided at least one of said two-wire lines is idle as determined by said step of monitoring, and transferring said telephone call from said selected digital control telephone line to an available one of said two-wire lines in response to said call transfer command such that the telephone call is forwarded to said user device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method recited in claim 1 including the step of passing a busy condition signal from said telephone set to said PBX when said step of monitoring indicates that all of said two-wire lines are in use.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of passing a call transfer command includes the step of generating an address signal at said telephone set and transmitting said address signal to said PBX.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected to both a user device and the PBX, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the method comprising the steps of: passing a telephone call from one of the trunk lines through the PBX and a selected one of the digital control telephone lines to a telephone set, said telephone set having an in-call relay, a transfer relay, an auto-dial relay and a make busy relay, transmitting from said telephone set an in-call signal to a register upon receipt of said telephone call from said PBX, monitoring said two-wire lines with said register to determine whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, activating said in-call relay of said telephone set with said register in response to said in-call signal when at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, and sequentially activating the transfer relay with said register followed by the auto-dial relay followed by a second activation of the transfer relay, thereby transferring said call from said telephone set through one of said two-wire lines to said user device.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected to both a user device and the PBX, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the method comprising the steps of: passing a telephone call from one of the trunk lines through the PBX and a selected one of the digital control telephone lines to a telephone set, said telephone set having an in-call relay, a transfer relay, an auto-dial relay and a make busy relay, transmitting from said telephone set an in-call signal to a register upon receipt of said telephone call from said PBX, monitoring said two-wire lines with said register to determine whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, activating said in-call relay of said telephone set with said register in response to said in-call signal when at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, and sequentially activating the transfer relay with said register followed by the auto-dial relay followed by a second activation of the transfer relay, thereby transferring said call from said telephone set through one of said two-wire lines to said user device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method recited in claim 4 including the step of activating the make busy relay of said telephone set with said register when all of said two-wire lines are in use.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call from one of a group of trunk lines through a private branch exchange (PBX) to a user device over a two-wire telephone line, the apparatus comprising: a telephone set connected to said PBX via a digital control telephone line for receiving a telephone call from said PBX, said telephone set generating an in-call signal upon receiving the telephone call, and means responsive to said in-call signal for activating said telephone set to transfer said telephone call by operation of said PBX from said telephone set to the user device over said two-wire telephone line such that said telephone call is transferred from said digital control telephone line to said two-wire telephone line to free said telephone set for another telephone call.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call from one of a group of trunk lines through a private branch exchange (PBX) to a user device over a two-wire telephone line, the apparatus comprising: a telephone set connected to said PBX via a digital control telephone line for receiving a telephone call from said PBX, said telephone set generating an in-call signal upon receiving the telephone call, and means responsive to said in-call signal for activating said telephone set to transfer said telephone call by operation of said PBX from said telephone set to the user device over said two-wire telephone line such that said telephone call is transferred from said digital control telephone line to said two-wire telephone line to free said telephone set for another telephone call.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected to both a user device and the PBX, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the apparatus comprising: a telephone set connected to one of said digital control telephone lines for receiving a telephone call from said PBX through said automatic call distribution subsystem, said telephone set generating an in-call signal upon receiving the telephone call, means for monitoring said two-wire lines to determine whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, and means responsive to said means for monitoring and said in-call signal for activating said telephone set to transfer said telephone call, by operation of said PBX, from said telephone set to one of said two-wire lines which is idle, thereby connecting said telephone call, which is received from one of said trunk lines, to said user device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
180 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange (PBX), through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connected to both a user device and the PBX, the PBX having an automatic call distribution subsystem which works in conjunction with a plurality of digital control telephone lines, the apparatus comprising: a telephone set connected to one of said digital control telephone lines for receiving a telephone call from said PBX through said automatic call distribution subsystem, said telephone set generating an in-call signal upon receiving the telephone call, means for monitoring said two-wire lines to determine whether or not at least one of said two-wire lines is idle, and means responsive to said means for monitoring and said in-call signal for activating said telephone set to transfer said telephone call, by operation of said PBX, from said telephone set to one of said two-wire lines which is idle, thereby connecting said telephone call, which is received from one of said trunk lines, to said user device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein said means for activating, in response to said means for monitoring, generates a pulse when all of said two-wire lines become in use and when one of said two-wire lines becomes available after all of said two-wire lines have been in use, said pulses serving to set and reset a make busy relay of said telephone set.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein said means for activating comprises a plurality of sequentially activated relays connected to operate a set of function relays of said telephone set.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange, through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connd digital control telephone lines, said telephone set having an in-call circuit, a call transfer circuit, an auto-dial circuit and a make busy circuit, each of said telephone set circuits operating in conjunction with said PBX, the activation of said make busy circuit generating a make busy signal for blocking receipt of a call from said PBX to said telephone set, a loop detector for monitoring said two-wire lines to determine whether or not at least one of said lines is idle, and a register connected to receive an in-call signal from said telephone set and said make busy signal from said make busy circuit, said register including a respective relay for each of the circuits of said telephone set, each of said relays connected to activate the corresponding circuit of said telephone set, said relays, other than the one of said relays for said make busy circuit, sequentially activated in response to receipt of said in-call signal from said telephone set, said register operating said make busy circuit in response to said make busy signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for routing a telephone call received from one of a group of trunk lines, which serve a private branch exchange, through a select one of a plurality of two-wire lines connd digital control telephone lines, said telephone set having an in-call circuit, a call transfer circuit, an auto-dial circuit and a make busy circuit, each of said telephone set circuits operating in conjunction with said PBX, the activation of said make busy circuit generating a make busy signal for blocking receipt of a call from said PBX to said telephone set, a loop detector for monitoring said two-wire lines to determine whether or not at least one of said lines is idle, and a register connected to receive an in-call signal from said telephone set and said make busy signal from said make busy circuit, said register including a respective relay for each of the circuits of said telephone set, each of said relays connected to activate the corresponding circuit of said telephone set, said relays, other than the one of said relays for said make busy circuit, sequentially activated in response to receipt of said in-call signal from said telephone set, said register operating said make busy circuit in response to said make busy signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said loop detector includes circuitry for monitoring selected groups of said two-wire lines.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said make busy circuit includes: a relay which is activated by the output from said loop detector, and circuit means for generating a pulse for said make busy signal upon receipt of an output from said loop detector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said register includes: a start relay which is activated in response to said in-call signal and causes sequential activation of said in-call circuit relay, said transfer circuit relay, said auto-dial circuit relay and said transfer circuit relay, and circuit means for time delaying the activation of said in-call circuit relay, said transfer circuit relay and said auto-dial circuit relay.
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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) | 1987-11-20 | 1988-05-21 | 1988-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-11-20 | 1992-05-21 | 1992-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-11-20 | 1996-05-21 | 1996-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |