US6418198B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for verification of the presence of a remote user
Assignee: HP Inc
•
Filing: 1998-05-27
•
Granted: 2002-07-09
•
Expires: 2018-05-27
Abstract
Abstract A telephone answering apparatus for verification of the presence of a remote user includes a detector, and a controller operatively connected to the detector and to a timer, wherein the controller restarts the timer upon detection of a telephone signal from the remote user and terminates a telephone connection if the telephone signal is not detected within a set period of time.
Inventors
- 👤 Milos Brablec
- 👤 Abhay Vikram Munshi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:49
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/64; H04M1/65; H04M1/654
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of verifying the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on a telephone answering apparatus comprising: providing a timer, a detector, and a controller; establishing a telephone connection between a remote user and the telephone answering apparatus; initiating a timer sequence in response to initiating the playback of the message; detecting at least one telephone signal inputted by the remote user during the playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus; restarting the timer sequence in response to the detection of the at least one telephone signal to prevent terminating the playback of the message; ending the timer sequence; terminating the playback of the message; and terminating the telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of verifying the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on a telephone answering apparatus comprising: providing a timer, a detector, and a controller; establishing a telephone connection between a remote user and the telephone answering apparatus; initiating a timer sequence in response to initiating the playback of the message; detecting at least one telephone signal inputted by the remote user during the playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus; restarting the timer sequence in response to the detection of the at least one telephone signal to prevent terminating the playback of the message; ending the timer sequence; terminating the playback of the message; and terminating the telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of verifying the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on a telephone answering apparatus comprising: providing a timer, a detector, an audio player, and a controller; establishing a telephone line connection between a remote user and the telephone answering apparatus; playing the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus and initiating a timer sequence in response to playing the message; detecting at least one telephone signal inputted by the remote user during playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus; restarting the timer sequence in response to the detection of the at least one telephone signal to prevent terminating the playback of the message; ending the timer sequence; stopping the playing of the message; and terminating the telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of verifying the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on a telephone answering apparatus comprising: providing a timer, a detector, an audio player, and a controller; establishing a telephone line connection between a remote user and the telephone answering apparatus; playing the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus and initiating a timer sequence in response to playing the message; detecting at least one telephone signal inputted by the remote user during playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus; restarting the timer sequence in response to the detection of the at least one telephone signal to prevent terminating the playback of the message; ending the timer sequence; stopping the playing of the message; and terminating the telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the telephone signal comprises a Dual Tone Multi Frequency signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
A telephone answering apparatus for verification of the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on the telephone answering apparatus comprising: a detector, and a controller operatively connected to the detector and to a timer, wherein the controller initiates a timer sequence in response to an initial playback of the message and restarts the timer upon detection of a telephone signal inputted by the remote user during the playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus to prevent terminating the playback of the message and wherein the controller terminates the playback of the message and disconnects a telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus if the telephone signal is not detected within a set period of time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
A telephone answering apparatus for verification of the presence of a remote user during playback of a message for the remote user stored on the telephone answering apparatus comprising: a detector, and a controller operatively connected to the detector and to a timer, wherein the controller initiates a timer sequence in response to an initial playback of the message and restarts the timer upon detection of a telephone signal inputted by the remote user during the playback of the message stored on the telephone answering apparatus to prevent terminating the playback of the message and wherein the controller terminates the playback of the message and disconnects a telephone connection between the remote user and the telephone answering apparatus if the telephone signal is not detected within a set period of time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the telephone signal comprises an audio signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the audio signal comprises a Dual Tone Multi Frequency signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the detector is a telephone signal detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an audio player operatively connected to the controller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a 2-wire to 4-wire network circuit is operatively connected to the detector.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a switch operatively connected to the 2-wire to 4-wire network circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the telephone signal comprises a Dual Tone Multi Frequency signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3962546A
Cited
US4314103A
Cited
US4471489A
Cited
US4885763A
Cited
US5572576A
Cited
US5822406A
Cited
US5761271A
Cited
US5768349A
Cited
US5867560A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-08 | 2006-01-07 | 2006-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-08 | 2010-01-07 | 2010-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-08 | 2014-01-07 | 2014-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |