US4998271A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone accessory
Assignee: VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES Inc NORTH BILLERICA MASSACHUSETTS A MASSACHUSETTS CORP
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Filing: 1989-08-28
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Granted: 1991-03-05
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Expires: 2009-08-28
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for use with a telephone including, in one embodiment, a detector for detecting when the telephone is in an off-hook condition and disconnect circuit for eliminating the off-hook condition when the off-hook condition is caused by the telephone so that phone calls may be received by the line. An alarm responsive to the detector produces a warning of the off-hook condition if another phone on the line is off hook.
Inventors
- 👤 Angelo Tortola
- 👤 Donald C. Miffitt
- 👤 Charles S. Sebor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M19/00; H04M19/02; H04M19/04; H04M1/00; H04M1/68; H04M1/82; H04M3/00; H04M3/08; H04M3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, the apparatus comprising: a detector for detecting when an off-hook condition exists on said phone line, and a disconnect circuit responsive to the off-hook detector for eliminating the off-hook condition when said off-hook condition is caused by said telephone being in an off-hook mode.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, the apparatus comprising: a detector for detecting when an off-hook condition exists on said phone line, and a disconnect circuit responsive to the off-hook detector for eliminating the off-hook condition when said off-hook condition is caused by said telephone being in an off-hook mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the disconnect circuit electrically disconnects the telephone from the phone line so as to eliminate the off-hook condition caused by the telephone being in an off-hook mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the telephone causes the off-hook condition by adding a load to the phone line and wherein the off-hook detector operates by detecting the presence of the added load on the phone line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said disconnect circuit electrically disconnects the telephone from the phone line by disconnecting the load from the phone line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telephone is a cordless phone that is electrically connected to the phone line through a base station, the cordless phone having a talk mode that results in an off-hook condition on the phone line and a standby mode that does not result in an off-hook condition on the phone line, and wherein the disconnect circuit eliminates the off-hook condition by placing the cordless phone in the standby mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the off-hook detector detects that the off-hook condition exists in the phone line by detecting that the cordless phone is in the talk mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the off-hook detector detects the presence of the off-hook condition on the phone line by monitoring a line voltage across said phone line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the off-hook detector detects the presence of the off-hook condition on the phone line by determining that the line voltage has dropped below a predetermined threshold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the disconnect circuit further comprises a line activity detector for detecting when the phone line is in an inactive off-hook condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a phone system sends a warning signal over the phone line to indicate that the phone line has been in an inactive off-hook condition for a predetermined length of time and wherein the line activity detector detects the warning signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the warning signal includes a plurality of tones and wherein the line activity detector operates by detecting one of said plurality of tones.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telephone has an on-hook state and an off-hook state, the off-hook state causing the off-hook condition on the phone line, the apparatus further comprising a testing circuit for detecting when the telephone is in the on-hook state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an override circuit responsive to the testing circuit for resetting said disconnect circuit when the telephone is placed back in the on-hook state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a ring monitor circuit for indicating the presence of an incoming call over the phone line while the phone is disconnected from the phone line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a visual indicator responsive to the off-hook detector for indicating when there is an off-hook condition on the phone line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein another telephone may be connected to the phone line and wherein the apparatus further comprises an alarm responsive to the off-hook detector for indicating when the off-hook condition is caused by the other telephone
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 adapted as a module to be plugged into a phone outlet.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, there possibly being another telephone connected to the phone line, the apparatus comprising: an off hook detector for detecting when an off-hook condition exists in said phone line, a line activity detector responsive to the off-hook detector for determining if the phone line experiencing the off-hook condition is inactive, and an alarm responsive to the line activity detector for indicating that the phone line is in an inactive off-hook condition.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, there possibly being another telephone connected to the phone line, the apparatus comprising: an off hook detector for detecting when an off-hook condition exists in said phone line, a line activity detector responsive to the off-hook detector for determining if the phone line experiencing the off-hook condition is inactive, and an alarm responsive to the line activity detector for indicating that the phone line is in an inactive off-hook condition.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the alarm produces an audible alarm signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the alarm produced a visible alarm signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a phone system sends a warning signal over the phone line to indicate that the phone line has been in an inactive off-hook condition for a predetermined length of time and wherein the line activity detector detects the warning signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the warning signal includes a plurality of tones and wherein the line activity detector operates by detecting one of said plurality of tones.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a reset circuit for disabling the alarm if the off-hook condition is caused by the other phone.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
171 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, the telephone causing an off-hook condition on said phone line when in an off-hook state, the apparatus comprising: a detector for detecting when the off-hook condition exists on said phone line, the off-hook detector detecting the presence of the off-hook condition on the phone line by monitoring a line voltage across said phone line, a line activity detector responsive to the off-hook detector for detecting when the phone line is in an inactive off hook condition, the line activity detector operating by detecting a warning signal sent by a phone system over the phone line, a disconnect circuit responsive to the line activity detector for disconnecting the telephone from the phone line when the inactive off-hook condition is detected, a testing circuit for detecting when the telephone is in the on-hook state, and an override circuit responsive to the testing circuit for resetting said disconnect circuit when the telephone is placed back in the on-hook state.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
171 words
An apparatus for use with a telephone that is electrically connected to a phone line, the telephone causing an off-hook condition on said phone line when in an off-hook state, the apparatus comprising: a detector for detecting when the off-hook condition exists on said phone line, the off-hook detector detecting the presence of the off-hook condition on the phone line by monitoring a line voltage across said phone line, a line activity detector responsive to the off-hook detector for detecting when the phone line is in an inactive off hook condition, the line activity detector operating by detecting a warning signal sent by a phone system over the phone line, a disconnect circuit responsive to the line activity detector for disconnecting the telephone from the phone line when the inactive off-hook condition is detected, a testing circuit for detecting when the telephone is in the on-hook state, and an override circuit responsive to the testing circuit for resetting said disconnect circuit when the telephone is placed back in the on-hook state.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
45 words
A method for preventing a telephone from remaining off-hook and inactive comprising: detecting a signal sent to said telephone from said system when said telephone is in both an off-hook and inactive condition, and producing an signal in response to said off-hook and inactive condition.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
45 words
A method for preventing a telephone from remaining off-hook and inactive comprising: detecting a signal sent to said telephone from said system when said telephone is in both an off-hook and inactive condition, and producing an signal in response to said off-hook and inactive condition.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
Method of claim 25 further comprising: removing said off-hook condition when said telephone in said off-hook and inactive conditions are detected.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method for preventing a telephone from remaining off-hook and inactive comprising: detecting when said telephone is in both an off-hook condition and an inactive condition, and removing said off hook condition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method for preventing a telephone from remaining off-hook and inactive comprising: detecting when said telephone is in both an off-hook condition and an inactive condition, and removing said off hook condition.
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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) | 1994-03-04 | 1994-09-03 | 1995-03-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-03-04 | 1998-09-03 | 1999-03-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-03-04 | 2002-09-03 | 2003-03-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |