Cellular telephone usage monitoring system

Claim 1

A usage monitoring system for a cellular transceiver having an adaptor which provides a simulated telephone line for connection to a conventional telephone device, comprising: a mobile unit having: a voltage detector which detects the voltage on the simulated telephone line and generates a voltage level signal; a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) detector which detects dialed DTMF digits on the simulated telephone line and generates a dialed digit signal for each dialed DTMF digit; a real-time clock generating a clock signal; a memory; a microprocessor having a program and being coupled to the simulated telephone line, said microprocessor also being coupled to said clock and said memory, said microprocessor receiving said voltage level signal from said voltage detector and detecting changes in the voltage on the simulated telephone line to determine on-hook, off-hook and ringing conditions of the simulated telephone line, said microprocessor further receiving said dialed digit signals from said DTMF detector and storing dialed DTMF digits in said memory, said microprocessor reading said real-time clock at transitions between said on-hook and off--hook conditions and storing information based on said clock signal indicative of usage of the telephone device in said memory; and a stationary unit having: a computer with a memory and an evaluation program, said evaluation program being operative to evaluate said information indicative of usage of the telephone device and said dialed DTMF digits; and a communications interface which transfers said information indicative of usage of the telephone device and said dialed DTMF digits from said memory in said mobile unit to said stationary unit for evaluation by said computer and said evaluation program.

Claim 8

The system of claim wherein said voltage detector is a voltage divider and an analog-to-digital converter.

Claim 9

The system of claim wherein said communications interface is a serial communications link.

Claim 12

The system of claim wherein said communications interface is a radio link.

Claim 27

A method of providing evaluation of the usage of a cellular transceiver having an adaptor which provides a simulated telephone line for connection to a conventional telephone device, said method comprising: providing a mobile unit having a voltage detector, a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) detector, a real-time clock, a memory, and a microprocessor; detecting the voltage on the simulated telephone line so as to determine on-hook, off-hook and ringing conditions; recording the time at which a transition from an on-hook to an off-hook condition is made in said memory, and further recording the time at which a transition from an off-hook to an on-hook condition is made in said memory; determining if a transition from an on-hook to an off-hook condition was preceded by a ringing condition, and recording an indication based thereon that a particular telephone call is incoming or outbound in said memory; detecting any dialed dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) digits from the simulated telephone line during an outbound call; recording any dialed DTMF digits during an outbound call in said memory ; providing a stationary unit having a computer with a memory, and an evaluation program; providing a communications interface to transfer information between said mobile unit and said stationary unit; transferring said times of transitions from an on-hook to an off-hook state or from an off-hook to an on-hook state, said indication that a particular telephone call is incoming or outbound, and said dialed DTMF digits from said memory in said mobile unit into said memory of said computer so as to create call detail record information in said memory of said computer, said call detail record information relating to the usage of the telephone device; and evaluating said call detail record information in said memory of said computer.

Claim 28

A method of providing evaluation of the usage of a cellular transceiver having an adaptor which provides a simulated telephone line for connection to a conventional telephone device, said method comprising: providing a mobile unit having a voltage detector, a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) detector, a real-time clock, a memory, and a microprocessor; detecting the voltage on the simulated telephone line so as to determine on-hook, off-hook and ringing conditions; recording the time at which a transition from an on-hook to an off-hook condition is made in said memory, and further recording the time at which a transition from an off-hook to an on-hook condition is made in said memory; determining if a transition from an on-hook to an off-hook condition was preceded by a ringing condition, and recording an indication based thereon that a particular telephone call is incoming or outbound in said memory; detecting any dialed dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) digits from the simulated telephone line during an outbound call; recording any dialed DTMF digits during an outbound call in said memory ; providing a stationary unit having a computer with a memory, and an evaluation program; providing a communications interface to transfer information between said mobile unit and said stationary unit; transferring said times of transitions from an on-hook to an off-hook state or from an off-hook to an on-hook state, said indication that a particular telephone call is incoming or outbound, and said dialed DTMF digits from said memory in said mobile unit into said memory of said computer so as to create call detail record information in said memory of said computer, said call detail record information relating to the usage of the telephone device; and evaluating said call detail record information in said memory of said computer.