US5317626A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wake-up and reminder system for a telephone
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1991-05-13
•
Granted: 1994-05-31
•
Expires: 2011-05-13
Abstract
Abstract A wake-up and reminder system for a telephone takes advantage of the attention-drawing characteristics of the telephone ringer to awaken and/or remind a person of various tasks or appointments. The wake-up and reminder system for a telephone is provided with modular jacks for connecting between the telephone and the wall jack. A timer is provided for establishing an alarm time, and a relay responsive to the timer is provided for disconnecting the telephone temporarily from the telephone line. The system includes a ringing device for ringing the telephone at a predetermined rate and an off-hook detection circuit for detecting when the telephone has been taken off the hook. In addition, a second relay is provided responsive to the off-hook detection circuit for disconnecting the telephone from the ringing device and connecting the telephone to a recorder which plays a pre-recorded message. Lastly, a reset device is included which is responsive to the off-hook detection circuit for resetting the system when the telephone has been hung up.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Jaynes
- 👤 Steven Slowikowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/432; H04M1/00; H04M1/64
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A wake-up and reminder system for a telephone comprising: means for connecting the system to the Central Office via a telephone line; means for connecting the system to the telephone; timer means for establishing an alarm time; first relay means responsive to said timer means for disconnecting the telephone temporarily from the Central Office; means for energizing a telephone ring line upon establishment of an alarm time by said timer means so that the telephone will ring at a predetermined rate upon reaching the alarm time; off-hook detection means for detecting when the telephone has been taken off the hook; and second relay means responsive to said off-hook detection means for disconnecting the telephone from the ring line and connecting the telephone to an internal recorder means disposed within the system for playing a prerecorded message.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A wake-up and reminder system for a telephone comprising: means for connecting the system to the Central Office via a telephone line; means for connecting the system to the telephone; timer means for establishing an alarm time; first relay means responsive to said timer means for disconnecting the telephone temporarily from the Central Office; means for energizing a telephone ring line upon establishment of an alarm time by said timer means so that the telephone will ring at a predetermined rate upon reaching the alarm time; off-hook detection means for detecting when the telephone has been taken off the hook; and second relay means responsive to said off-hook detection means for disconnecting the telephone from the ring line and connecting the telephone to an internal recorder means disposed within the system for playing a prerecorded message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising reset means for resetting the system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for prerecording messages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising display means connected to said timer means for displaying current time and alarm time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising automatic reset means for automatically resetting the system after the telephone has been rung a predetermined number of times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising automatic reset means for automatically resetting the system after the telephone has been rung a predetermined number of times.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system, comprising: means for connecting the telephone to a telephone line; timer means for establishing an alarm time; first relay means responsive to said timer means for disconnecting the telephone temporarily from the Central Office; means for energizing a telephone ring line upon establishment of an alarm time by said timer means so that the telephone will ring at a predetermined rate upon reaching the alarm time; off-hook detection means for detecting when the telephone has been taken off the hook; and second relay means responsive to said off-hook detection means for disconnecting the telephone from the ring line and connecting the telephone to an internal recorder and means disposed within the system for playing a prerecorded message; and reset means for resetting the system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
132 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system, comprising: means for connecting the telephone to a telephone line; timer means for establishing an alarm time; first relay means responsive to said timer means for disconnecting the telephone temporarily from the Central Office; means for energizing a telephone ring line upon establishment of an alarm time by said timer means so that the telephone will ring at a predetermined rate upon reaching the alarm time; off-hook detection means for detecting when the telephone has been taken off the hook; and second relay means responsive to said off-hook detection means for disconnecting the telephone from the ring line and connecting the telephone to an internal recorder and means disposed within the system for playing a prerecorded message; and reset means for resetting the system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising reset bypass means independent of said off-hook detection means for resetting the system regardless of whether the telephone has been taken off the hook.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means for prerecording messages.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising display means connected to said timer means for displaying current time and alarm time.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising automatic reset means for automatically resetting the system after the telephone has been rung a predetermined number of times.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A telephone including a wake-up and reminder system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising automatic reset means for automatically resetting the system after the telephone has been rung a predetermined number of times.
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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) | 1997-05-30 | 1997-11-29 | 1998-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-05-30 | 2001-11-29 | 2002-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-05-30 | 2005-11-29 | 2006-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |