US5664008A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Message waiting adjunct device
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-11
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Granted: 1997-09-02
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Expires: 2015-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A telephone adjunct interface for use with a network-based voice and/or data message storage and delivery service detects and alerts the subscriber to the existence of waiting messages. The interface device utilizes a combination of AC ring detection and outcall polling of the network to determine whether a visual and/or audible notification should be provided to the subscriber. That is, if the subscriber phone is not answered after a selected number of rings, the interface polls the network after a suitable delay to determine if any messages were left. If the subscriber line is busy or on call-forward while a calling party is seeking to leave a message, the network service platform stores the message and waits a selected interval before seeking to alert the subscriber. Advantageously, the device is configured as a small, portable and inexpensive consumer premise unit which connects easily to all standard analog telephone systems that use modular connectors.
Inventors
- 👤 Burt Joseph Bossi
- 👤 William Alan Hewitt
- 👤 Stephen Dale Hoskins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 04:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/537; H04M1/00; H04M1/64; H04M1/65; H04M1/654; H04M1/82
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator light disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a tone generating circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator light disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a tone generating circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The telephone call management device of claim 1, further including a ring counting circuit associated with said ring detector circuit and said tone generating circuit, said tone generating circuit being operable to establish said interface upon an incoming call reaching a selected number of rings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The telephone call management device of claim 2, wherein said tone generating circuit is operable to establish said interface upon the expiration of a time delay after detection of the selected number of rings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The telephone call management device of claim 2, wherein the selected number of rings is at least three.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
162 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a signaling circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber; and a display circuit, responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for displaying how many waiting messages are stored for the subscriber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
162 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a signaling circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber; and a display circuit, responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for displaying how many waiting messages are stored for the subscriber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
167 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a signaling circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber, wherein the alerting circuit is responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service to display a number of waiting messages for each of a plurality of subscribers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
167 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a signaling circuit, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call is not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber, wherein the alerting circuit is responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service to display a number of waiting messages for each of a plurality of subscribers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) generator, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call ii not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
140 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator disposed on a surface of said housing; a ring detector circuit responsive to a ringing signal at the termination node; an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether the subscriber has answered an incoming call; a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) generator, responsive to detection of a ringing signal by said ring detector circuit and to said on/off hook detection circuit, for establishing an interface with a network-based message storage and delivery service when an incoming call ii not answered; and an alerting circuit responsive to status signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, for at least one of energizing and de-energizing an indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The telephone call management device of claim 1, further including an audio circuit responsive to a signal receive from the network-based message storage and delivery service to audibly reproduce a message waiting status message to the subscriber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The telephone call management device of claim 1, further including a low amplitude tone decoder for detecting the status signals receive from the network-based message storage and delivery service.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
123 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator on said housing that visually alerts a subscriber to the storage of at least one of data and voice messages for that subscriber by a network-based message storing and delivery service; a tone generating means for establishing an interface with the network-based message storage and delivery service that is responsive to the detection of an unanswered incoming call; and an energizer operatively associated with said message waiting indicator and responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, that selectively energizes and de-energizes said message waiting indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
123 words
A telephone call management device connectable to a telephone network termination node in a subscriber premise, comprising: a housing; a message waiting indicator on said housing that visually alerts a subscriber to the storage of at least one of data and voice messages for that subscriber by a network-based message storing and delivery service; a tone generating means for establishing an interface with the network-based message storage and delivery service that is responsive to the detection of an unanswered incoming call; and an energizer operatively associated with said message waiting indicator and responsive to signals received from the network-based message storage and delivery service, that selectively energizes and de-energizes said message waiting indicator in accordance with a message waiting status of the subscriber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
The telephone call management device of claim 10, wherein said tone generating means for establishing said interface with the network-based message and delivery service includes a ring detector and counting circuit for counting a number of rings associated with each incoming call and a tone generator circuit for establishing the interface after a selected number of rings have been detected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The telephone call management device of claim 11, wherein said tone generating means for establishing said interface with the network-based message and delivery service further includes an on/off hook detection circuit for determining whether an incoming call is unanswered.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-01 | 2001-03-03 | 2001-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-01 | 2005-03-03 | 2005-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-01 | 2009-03-03 | 2009-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |