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US5490214A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for selectively generating control signals in a telephone system

Assignee: Dialogic Corp Canada
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Filing: 1994-07-08
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Granted: 1996-02-06
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Expires: 2014-07-08
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Abstract

Abstract An improvement to a telephone system (10) having a first signal generator (21) which outputs a control signal only when it receives a certain request signal generated by the telephone system's client telephone (12). The invention contemplates a method and apparatus to generate a desired control signal when a request signal incapable of activating the first signal generator is produced by a client telephone (12).

Inventors

  • 👤 David M. Straitiff
  • 👤 Robert R. Drzewiecki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 11:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/26; H04M1/53

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
In a telephone system comprising a request means capable of outputting a request signal to a plurality of logic means, a first logic means, a first signal generator for selectively generating a desired control signal, a first device located at a first destination, and a second device located at a second destination, said first and second devices adapted to utilize said control signal; said first logic means specially configured to receive said request signal and to enable said first signal generator to produce said control signal only when said received request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said first destination, the improvement comprising: a second signal generator for selectively generating said control signal; and a second logic means specially configured to receive said request signal and to enable said second signal generator to output said control signal only when said received request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said second destination.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
In a telephone system comprising a request means capable of outputting a request signal to a plurality of logic means, a first logic means, a first signal generator for selectively generating a desired control signal, a first device located at a first destination, and a second device located at a second destination, said first and second devices adapted to utilize said control signal; said first logic means specially configured to receive said request signal and to enable said first signal generator to produce said control signal only when said received request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said first destination, the improvement comprising: a second signal generator for selectively generating said control signal; and a second logic means specially configured to receive said request signal and to enable said second signal generator to output said control signal only when said received request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said second destination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said request means is a client telephone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control signal is a dual-tone multi-frequency signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said telephone system is a hybrid telephone system having a pair of analog lines and a pair of digital lines.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said control signal is carried by the analog pair of lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second signal generators are operated on a mutually-exclusive basis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 39 words
The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said request means is a client telephone, said first destination is an external communication line, said second destination is an internal communication line and said second device is an adjunct processor.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 225 words
A method of operating a telephone system, comprising the steps of: providing said telephone system with a first signal generator adapted to output a control signal; providing said telephone system with a first logic means adapted to control the output of said control signal by said first signal generator; providing said telephone system with a first device at a first destination, said first device configured to utilize said control signal; providing said telephone system with a second signal generator adapted to output said control signal; providing said telephone system with a second logic means adapted to control the output of said control signal by said second signal generator; providing said telephone system with a second device at a second destination, said second device configured to utilize said control signal; providing said telephone system with a request means adapted to output a request signal to said first and second logic means; said first logic means causing said first signal generator to selectively output said control signal only when said request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said first destination; and said second logic means causing said second signal generator to selectively output said control signal only when said request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said second destination.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 225 words
A method of operating a telephone system, comprising the steps of: providing said telephone system with a first signal generator adapted to output a control signal; providing said telephone system with a first logic means adapted to control the output of said control signal by said first signal generator; providing said telephone system with a first device at a first destination, said first device configured to utilize said control signal; providing said telephone system with a second signal generator adapted to output said control signal; providing said telephone system with a second logic means adapted to control the output of said control signal by said second signal generator; providing said telephone system with a second device at a second destination, said second device configured to utilize said control signal; providing said telephone system with a request means adapted to output a request signal to said first and second logic means; said first logic means causing said first signal generator to selectively output said control signal only when said request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said first destination; and said second logic means causing said second signal generator to selectively output said control signal only when said request signal is a request for said first signal generator to output said control signal to said second destination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said request means is a client telephone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said control signal is a dual-tone multi-frequency signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said telephone system is a hybrid telephone system having a pair of analog lines and a pair of digital lines.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control signal is carried by the analog pair of lines.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second signal generators are operated on a mutually-exclusive basis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method set forth in claim 8 wherein said request means is a client telephone, said first destination is an external communication line, said second destination is an internal communication line and said second device is an adjunct processor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4107477A Cited
US4771450A Cited
US4974253A Cited
US5023903A Cited
US4922527A Cited
US5228079A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-02-05 1999-08-07 2000-02-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-02-05 2003-08-07 2004-02-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-02-05 2007-08-07 2008-02-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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