Ring-tone muting device and processing method

Claim 2

A ring-tone muting device for use with a telephone having a telephone ringer, comprising a gate for selectively conducting a ring signal to the telephone ringer, wherein said gate has at least two states, said states including a conductive state and a non-conductive state; sensing means for determining when an incoming ring signal arrives; at least one delay timing means, responsive to said sensing means, for beginning a delay sequence being a predetermined period of time after a ring signal is sensed, said delay timing means having at least one mode of operation; at least one window timing means, responsive to said delay timing means, for beginning a window sequence being a predetermined period of time after said delay sequence is completed; gate controlling means responsive to said window timing means such that said state of said gate is conductive; and, means for connecting said gate in series between a telephone line and telephone; whereby a telephone ringer is disabled while the gate is in a non-conductive state and enabled while the gate is in a conductive state; whereby further, said non-conductive state is coincident with the activation of said delay sequence of said delay timing means; and, whereby further, said conductive state is controlled by the deactivation of said delay sequence and coincident with the activation of said window sequence of said window timing means.

Claim 3

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, wherein said gate is responsive to said delay timing means such that said state of said gate is non-conductive.

Claim 4

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising power means for supplying a direct current power source to said ring-muting device.

Claim 5

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising off-hook connection means for connecting the telephone line to the telephone when a hookswitch of the telephone is closed, wherein said off-hook connection means is connected in parallel to said gate so that the telephone may be selectively connected to the telephone line without regard to said state of said gate.

Claim 6

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, wherein said delay timing means includes at least a first ring mode of operation, further comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is maintained unaffected by subsequent ring signals while said delay sequence is maintained.

Claim 7

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 5, wherein said delay timing means includes a last ring mode of operation, further comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is restarted by each subsequent ring signal until said window sequence is provided by said window timing means; and, a mode selection means for selecting alternatively said last ring mode and said first ring mode.

Claim 8

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, wherein said delay timing means includes a last ring mode of operation comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is restarted by each subsequent ring signal until said window sequence is provided by said window timing means.

Claim 9

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising user input means for setting said delay sequence of said delay timing means.

Claim 10

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising user input means for setting window sequence parameters for said window timing means.

Claim 11

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising a visual ring signal indicator responsive to said sensing means for indicating that a ring signal is sensed.

Claim 12

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator responsive to said delay timing means for indicating that the delay timing means is providing a delay sequence.

Claim 13

The ring-tone muting device according to claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator responsive to said window timing means for indicating that the window timing means is providing a window sequence.

Claim 14

A ring-tone muting device for use with a telephone having a telephone ringer, comprising a gate for selectively conducting a ring signal to the telephone ringer, wherein said gate has at least two states, said states including a conductive state and a non-conductive state; sensing means for determining when an incoming ring signal arrives and a visual ring signal indicator responsive to said sensing means for indicating that a ring signal is sensed; at least one delay timing means, responsive to said sensing means, for beginning a delay sequence, being a predetermined period of time after a ring signal is sensed, and a visual indicator responsive to said delay timing means for indicating that the delay timing means is providing said delay sequence, said delay timing means having at least one mode of operation including a first ring mode of operation, comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is maintained unaffected by subsequent ring signals while said delay sequence is maintained, and further including a last ring mode of operation, comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is restarted by each subsequent ring signal until said window sequence is provided by said window timing means; a mode selection means for selecting alternatively said last ring mode and said first ring mode; user input means for setting said delay sequence of said delay timing means; at least one window timing means, responsive to said delay timing means, for beginning a window sequence, being a predetermined period of time after said delay sequence is completed, and a visual indicator responsive to said window timing means for indicating that the window timing means is providing a window sequence; user input means for setting window sequence parameters for said window timing means; gate controlling means, responsive to said delay timing means such that said state of said gate is non-conductive, and further responsive to said window timing means such that said state of said gate is conductive; means for connecting said gate in series between a telephone line and telephone; power means for supplying a direct current power source to operate said ring-muting device; off-hook connection means for connecting the telephone line to the telephone when a hookswitch of the telephone is closed, wherein said off-hook connection means is connected in parallel to said gate so that the telephone may be selectively connected to the telephone line without regard to said state of said gate; whereby a telephone ringer is disabled while the gate is in a non-conductive state and enabled while the gate is in a conductive state; whereby further, said non-conductive state is coincident with the activation of said delay sequence of said delay timing means; and, whereby further, said conductive state is controlled by the deactivation of said delay sequence and coincident with the activation of said window sequence of said window timing means.

Claim 15

A ring-tone muting device for use with a telephone having a telephone ringer, comprising a gate for selectively conducting a ring signal to the telephone ringer, wherein said gate has at least two states, said states including a conductive state and a non-conductive state; sensing means for determining when an incoming ring signal arrives and a visual ring signal indicator responsive to said sensing means for indicating that a ring signal is sensed; at least one delay timing means, responsive to said sensing means, for beginning a delay sequence, being a predetermined period of time after a ring signal is sensed, and a visual indicator responsive to said delay timing means for indicating that the delay timing means is providing said delay sequence, said delay timing means having at least one mode of operation including a first ring mode of operation, comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is maintained unaffected by subsequent ring signals while said delay sequence is maintained, and further including a last ring mode of operation, comprising means by which said delay sequence is begun after the first ring signal is sensed and said delay sequence is restarted by each subsequent ring signal until said window sequence is provided by said window timing means; a mode selection means for selecting alternatively said last ring mode and said first ring mode; user input means for setting said delay sequence of said delay timing means; at least one window timing means, responsive to said delay timing means, for beginning a window sequence, being a predetermined period of time after said delay sequence is completed, and a visual indicator responsive to said window timing means for indicating that the window timing means is providing a window sequence; user input means for setting window sequence parameters for said window timing means; gate controlling means, responsive to said delay timing means such that said state of said gate is non-conductive, and further responsive to said window timing means such that said state of said gate is conductive; means for connecting said gate in series between a telephone line and telephone; power means for supplying a direct current power source to operate said ring-muting device; off-hook connection means for connecting the telephone line to the telephone when a hookswitch of the telephone is closed, wherein said off-hook connection means is connected in parallel to said gate so that the telephone may be selectively connected to the telephone line without regard to said state of said gate; whereby a telephone ringer is disabled while the gate is in a non-conductive state and enabled while the gate is in a conductive state; whereby further, said non-conductive state is coincident with the activation of said delay sequence of said delay timing means; and, whereby further, said conductive state is controlled by the deactivation of said delay sequence and coincident with the activation of said window sequence of said window timing means.

Claim 18

A method for muting a ring signal according to claim 14, further including the step of selecting a time interval parameter for the start and end of each first periodic interval and second periodic interval.

Claim 19

A method for muting a ring signal according to claim 14, further including the step of restarting the first periodic time interval upon detecting each ring-signal.