Dedicated line eliminator for facsimile/telephone systems

Claim 1

An electronic device for controlling the operation of a facsimile machine and a telephone which are both connected to a single telephone line, the device being located between the facsimile machine and the telephone line such than an incoming call, either a fax call or a voice call, will activate both the electronic device and the telephone, said electronic device comprising: means for detecting said incoming call; means for disconnecting said facsimile machine from said telephone line for a predetermined period of time in response to said detection means detecting said incoming call without affecting the connection of said telephone to said telephone line, thereby preventing said facsimile machine from automatically answering said incoming call and allowing a person to answer said incoming call with said telephone; means for determining whether the incoming call, once answered, is fax call, intended for said facsimile machine; means for activating said disconnected facsimile machine by generating imitation "ring" signals which simulate an incoming call so that said facsimile machine answers said imitation "ring" signals, said activating means being responsive to said determining means determining said incoming call is a fax call; means for detecting when said facsimile machine answers said imitation "ring" signals; and means for connecting said facsimile machine back with said telephone line so that said fax call is received by said facsimile machine.

Claim 3

A method for directing incoming calls from s single input telephone line to either a facsimile machine or a telephone having a connection to said telephone line, wherein said incoming calls include a "ring" signal followed by either facsimile data or voice data depending on the intended destination, the steps of said method comprising: detecting said "ring" signal of an incoming call; electrically disconnecting said facsimile machine from said input telephone line without affecting the connection of the telephone to the telephone line, said step of electrically disconnecting being responsive to detection of said "ring" signal, an incoming call on telephone line causing said telephone to "ring" and providing an opportunity for person in the vicinity of the telephone to answer said incoming call by bringing said telephone to an off-hook state; determining whether said incoming call, upon being answered, includes facsimile data by detecting handshake signals; electrically reconnecting said facsimile machine to said input telephone line if said predetermined period has elapsed and said incoming call remains unanswered or in response to detecting said handshake signals after said incoming call in answered, wherein said reconnecting step includes: generating simulated "ring" signals to said facsimile machine, thereby activating said facsimile machine to answer said simulated "ring" signals and receive said incoming facsimile data.

Claim 4

A method for directing incoming calls from s single input telephone line to either a facsimile machine or a telephone having a connection to said telephone line, wherein said incoming calls include a "ring" signal followed by either facsimile data or voice data depending on the intended destination, the steps of said method comprising: detecting said "ring" signal of an incoming call; electrically disconnecting said facsimile machine from said input telephone line without affecting the connection of the telephone to the telephone line, said step of electrically disconnecting being responsive to detection of said "ring" signal, an incoming call on telephone line causing said telephone to "ring" and providing an opportunity for person in the vicinity of the telephone to answer said incoming call by bringing said telephone to an off-hook state; determining whether said incoming call, upon being answered, includes facsimile data by detecting handshake signals; electrically reconnecting said facsimile machine to said input telephone line if said predetermined period has elapsed and said incoming call remains unanswered or in response to detecting said handshake signals after said incoming call in answered, wherein said reconnecting step includes: generating simulated "ring" signals to said facsimile machine, thereby activating said facsimile machine to answer said simulated "ring" signals and receive said incoming facsimile data.

Claim 5

A method for directing incoming calls from a single telephone line to either a data device or a telephone, said data device being of the type utilizing handshake signals to establish a connection, incoming calls including a "ring" signal followed by either data or voice information depending on the intended destination, said method comprising the steps of: providing a normal connection between said telephone and said telephone line; providing an electrical connection between said data device and said telephone line; in response to a "ring" signal on said telephone line, electrically disconnecting said data device therefrom; and upon an incoming call remaining unanswered for a predefined period of time or in response to the appearance of handshake signals on the telephone line, performing the following additional steps: reconnecting said data device to said telephone line; and providing a simulated "ring" signal to said data device so that it may answer the same in its usual manner and receive data coming in on said telephone line.

Claim 6

A method for directing incoming calls from a single telephone line to either a data device or a telephone, said data device being of the type utilizing handshake signals to establish a connection, incoming calls including a "ring" signal followed by either data or voice information depending on the intended destination, said method comprising the steps of: providing a normal connection between said telephone and said telephone line; providing an electrical connection between said data device and said telephone line; in response to a "ring" signal on said telephone line, electrically disconnecting said data device therefrom; and upon an incoming call remaining unanswered for a predefined period of time or in response to the appearance of handshake signals on the telephone line, performing the following additional steps: reconnecting said data device to said telephone line; and providing a simulated "ring" signal to said data device so that it may answer the same in its usual manner and receive data coming in on said telephone line.