Method and apparatus for electronic payphone open switch interval management

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein one condition subject to change which is monitored is a change in status of a hook switch of the coin operated telephone.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein one condition subject to change which is monitored is an occurrence of a coin collection operation.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein one condition subject to change which is monitored is an occurrence of a coin refund operation.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of battery powered low power consuming latch circuits are employed to monitor information concerning a plurality of conditions subject to change during the open switch interval.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the conditions subject to change comprise a change in status of a hook switch of the coin operated telephone, an occurrence of a coin collection operation and an occurrence of a coin refund operation.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of completing the power down sequence by putting the microcontroller in a reset condition.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring the status of the phone line for the occurrence of an open switch interval and for the end of the open switch interval with a line power monitoring circuit.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of warning the control processing means that the phone line power has been removed and that a minimum amount of time remains to initiate the power down sequence.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein the amount of time to initiate the power down sequence is approximately 200 milliseconds.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of informing the control processing means that power has been returned so that the power up sequence will be initiated.

Claim 15

The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of employing at least one battery powered latch to monitor a condition subject to change when the telephone is on hook.

Claim 16

The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of utilizing the plurality of battery powered latches to monitor information concerning a plurality of conditions subject to change during the power down sequence.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising means for resetting the microcontroller upon completion of the power down sequence.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the status monitoring means comprises a line power monitor circuit.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control processing means further comprises a real time clock.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one condition is the status of a hook switch of the coin operated telephone.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one condition is the occurrence of a coin collection operation.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one condition is the occurrence of a coin refund operation.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a plurality of battery powered latch circuits monitor a plurality of events that are subject to change during an open switch interval.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 21 where the plurality of events subject to change include the status of the hook switch, the occurrence of a coin collection operation, and the occurrence of a coin refund operation.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein no phone line power is drawn by the telephone when the telephone is on-hook.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of: monitoring at least one condition subject to change during the open switch interval.

Claim 29

The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of: storing an indication that said at least one condition subject to change has changed during the open switch interval.

Claim 30

The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of: utilizing said indication to resume the phone call taking into consideration that said at least one condition subject to change has changed.

Claim 31

Apparatus for continuing a phone call with a phone line powered telephone after phone line power has been interrupted as a result of an open switch interval for a time exceeding a power down sequence of a control processing means for controlling the operation of the coin operated telephone, comprising: means for monitoring the occurrence of the open switch interval; means for initiating a power down sequence upon detection of a beginning of the open switch interval; means for storing coin operated telephone status information in nonvolatile memory; means for initiating a power up sequence upon detection of an end of the open switch interval; and means for retrieving and utilizing the coin operated telephone status information stored in nonvolatile memory to resume the phone call at the point at which phone line power was interrupted.

Claim 32

Apparatus for continuing a phone call with a phone line powered telephone after phone line power has been interrupted as a result of an open switch interval for a time exceeding a power down sequence of a control processing means for controlling the operation of the coin operated telephone, comprising: means for monitoring the occurrence of the open switch interval; means for initiating a power down sequence upon detection of a beginning of the open switch interval; means for storing coin operated telephone status information in nonvolatile memory; means for initiating a power up sequence upon detection of an end of the open switch interval; and means for retrieving and utilizing the coin operated telephone status information stored in nonvolatile memory to resume the phone call at the point at which phone line power was interrupted.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising: means for monitoring at least one condition subject to change during the open switch interval.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising: means for storing an indication that said at least one condition subject to change has changed during the open switch interval.

Claim 35

The method of claim 30 further comprising: means for utilizing said indication to resume the phone call taking into consideration said t least one condition subject to change has changed.

Claim 36

Apparatus for continuing a phone call with a phone line powered telephone after phone line power has been interrupted as a result of an open switch interval for a time exceeding a power down sequence of a control processor for controlling the operation of the telephone, comprising: an opening switch interval detection circuit having an output indicating the beginning of an open switch interval; a programmed microcontroller connected to the output of the open switch interval detection circuit, said microcontroller initiating a power down sequence upon the occurrence of the output indicating the beginning of an open switch interval; a nonvolatile memory connected to the micrcontroller; a phone status monitoring circuit having an output connected to the microcontroller; said microcontroller causing the output from the phone status monitoring circuit to be stored in nonvolatile memory as part of the power down sequence; said microcontroller also causing at least one software interval variable to be stored in nonvolatile memory as part of the power down sequence; and said microcontroller upon detection of an end of the open switch interval causing a power up sequence which includes the steps of retrieving the output from the phone status monitoring circuit and said at least one software internal variable stored in nonvolatile memory and initializing said microcontroller for resumed processing with the retrieved output and software internal variable from nonvolatile memory.

Claim 37

Apparatus for continuing a phone call with a phone line powered telephone after phone line power has been interrupted as a result of an open switch interval for a time exceeding a power down sequence of a control processor for controlling the operation of the telephone, comprising: an opening switch interval detection circuit having an output indicating the beginning of an open switch interval; a programmed microcontroller connected to the output of the open switch interval detection circuit, said microcontroller initiating a power down sequence upon the occurrence of the output indicating the beginning of an open switch interval; a nonvolatile memory connected to the micrcontroller; a phone status monitoring circuit having an output connected to the microcontroller; said microcontroller causing the output from the phone status monitoring circuit to be stored in nonvolatile memory as part of the power down sequence; said microcontroller also causing at least one software interval variable to be stored in nonvolatile memory as part of the power down sequence; and said microcontroller upon detection of an end of the open switch interval causing a power up sequence which includes the steps of retrieving the output from the phone status monitoring circuit and said at least one software internal variable stored in nonvolatile memory and initializing said microcontroller for resumed processing with the retrieved output and software internal variable from nonvolatile memory.