CA2234660A1 - Call screening system - Google Patents
Call screening system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2234660A1 CA2234660A1 CA 2234660 CA2234660A CA2234660A1 CA 2234660 A1 CA2234660 A1 CA 2234660A1 CA 2234660 CA2234660 CA 2234660 CA 2234660 A CA2234660 A CA 2234660A CA 2234660 A1 CA2234660 A1 CA 2234660A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- telephone
- message
- recording
- link
- call
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/66—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling
- H04M1/663—Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/66—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling
- H04M1/663—Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
- H04M1/665—Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set by checking the validity of a code
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Telephone Function (AREA)
- Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
Abstract
A call rejection apparatus is connected to a subscriber's telephone line to allow the subscriber to reject calls on a call by call basis. The apparatus includes a message recording mechanism for recording and playing back a message and an on/off hook switch for disconnecting the caller when the message has been completed. The apparatus is actuated when the subscriber determines that a call is to be rejected. This may be done by entering an appropriate Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signal from the telephone keypad, which actuates the call rejection apparatus.
Description
CALL SCREENING SYSTEM
The present invention relates to telephone systems and more particularly to a call rejection apparatus for telephones.
Recently a rapidly growing industry of telephone solicitation has evolved. High pressure telephone sales persons are employed to telephone homes or businesses for the purpose of selling goods or services. Most people answering a telephone by to be polite while refusing this type of sales. Seasoned sales persons will however, go to great lengths to pressure the consumer causing considerable annoyance. The present invention relates to an on-line telephone apparatus designed for business or home use in screening and rejecting unauthorized callers, for example telemarketing companies.
According to the present invention there is provided a call rejection apparatus for a telephone subscriber link to a telephone, the apparatus comprising:
message recording means for recording a message;
playback means for playing back a recorded message onto the link;
disconnect means for disconnecting the link to the telephone; and control means for sequentially actuating the playback means and then the disconnect means.
When an incoming unauthorized call is received, the consumer answers the call in the normal way. If the call is one which the consumer wishes to accept, it can be accepted as usual. However, if the call is from an unauthorized caller with which the consumer does not wish to converse, the apparatus may be actuated to play back the recorded message onto the telephone link and then to restore the link to an "on hook" condition. The unit does not rely on the user hanging up on the caller by replacing the handset to disconnect the call. It maintains the link open until the message is played out and then disconnects automatically.
The present invention relates to telephone systems and more particularly to a call rejection apparatus for telephones.
Recently a rapidly growing industry of telephone solicitation has evolved. High pressure telephone sales persons are employed to telephone homes or businesses for the purpose of selling goods or services. Most people answering a telephone by to be polite while refusing this type of sales. Seasoned sales persons will however, go to great lengths to pressure the consumer causing considerable annoyance. The present invention relates to an on-line telephone apparatus designed for business or home use in screening and rejecting unauthorized callers, for example telemarketing companies.
According to the present invention there is provided a call rejection apparatus for a telephone subscriber link to a telephone, the apparatus comprising:
message recording means for recording a message;
playback means for playing back a recorded message onto the link;
disconnect means for disconnecting the link to the telephone; and control means for sequentially actuating the playback means and then the disconnect means.
When an incoming unauthorized call is received, the consumer answers the call in the normal way. If the call is one which the consumer wishes to accept, it can be accepted as usual. However, if the call is from an unauthorized caller with which the consumer does not wish to converse, the apparatus may be actuated to play back the recorded message onto the telephone link and then to restore the link to an "on hook" condition. The unit does not rely on the user hanging up on the caller by replacing the handset to disconnect the call. It maintains the link open until the message is played out and then disconnects automatically.
In preferred embodiments, the apparatus may be actuated using a Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal entered at the telephone keypad using, for example, the asterisk key and a cambination of number keys such as " * 44 "
The apparatus may record plural messages which may be selected for playback according to selected codes entered at the keypad.
Embodiments of the invention may also include a calling number decoder for detecting selected calling number information from the telephone line and actuating the apparatus where the calling number is identified as a number that is to be rejected. This automatic system requires the subscriber to subscribe to the telephone company's name and number display service.
This apparatus is particularly suited for use as a stand alone unit at a subscriber': premise. It may however, be incorporated into a telephone company switching system and offered as a call screening subscription feature.
The accompanying drawing is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to the accompanying drawing a subscriber link 10 from a telephone company switching system 12 leads to a subscriber telephone 14. A
call rejection apparatus 16 is connected to the telephone link as well. This includes a DTMF decoder 18 which receives a DTMF signal from the keypad of the subscriber telephone 14. The decoder decades this analogue signal and sends it as a digital signal to a micro-controller 20. The micro-controller reads the signal and, when the signal matclhes a signal in a memory 22 of the micro-controller, sends a signal to a voice play chip 24. The chip records messages to be played back onto the telephone link. When actuated by the microprocessor, the chip sends a voice recording to the telephone link to be transmitted to the caller. When the message is played out, the micro-controller disconnects the call using on hook switch 26.
The apparatus may record plural messages which may be selected for playback according to selected codes entered at the keypad.
Embodiments of the invention may also include a calling number decoder for detecting selected calling number information from the telephone line and actuating the apparatus where the calling number is identified as a number that is to be rejected. This automatic system requires the subscriber to subscribe to the telephone company's name and number display service.
This apparatus is particularly suited for use as a stand alone unit at a subscriber': premise. It may however, be incorporated into a telephone company switching system and offered as a call screening subscription feature.
The accompanying drawing is a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to the accompanying drawing a subscriber link 10 from a telephone company switching system 12 leads to a subscriber telephone 14. A
call rejection apparatus 16 is connected to the telephone link as well. This includes a DTMF decoder 18 which receives a DTMF signal from the keypad of the subscriber telephone 14. The decoder decades this analogue signal and sends it as a digital signal to a micro-controller 20. The micro-controller reads the signal and, when the signal matclhes a signal in a memory 22 of the micro-controller, sends a signal to a voice play chip 24. The chip records messages to be played back onto the telephone link. When actuated by the microprocessor, the chip sends a voice recording to the telephone link to be transmitted to the caller. When the message is played out, the micro-controller disconnects the call using on hook switch 26.
As discussed above, the voice play chip may record plural messages which are actuated according to the signal received from the micro-processor.
The micro-processor is then responsive to an appropriate number of DTMF signals on the telephone link.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
The micro-processor is then responsive to an appropriate number of DTMF signals on the telephone link.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (5)
1. A call rejection apparatus for a telephone subscriber link to a telephone, the apparatus comprising:
message recording means for recording a message;
playback means for playing back a recorded message onto the link;
disconnect means for disconnecting the link to the telephone; and control means for sequentially actuating the playback means and then the disconnect means.
message recording means for recording a message;
playback means for playing back a recorded message onto the link;
disconnect means for disconnecting the link to the telephone; and control means for sequentially actuating the playback means and then the disconnect means.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the control means comprise a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decoder coupled to the line for detecting selected DTMF signals on the line and actuating the control means in response thereto.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the message recording means comprise means for recording plural messages and the control actuator means comprise means responsive to plural selected DTMF signals for actuating the playback means to play back respective ones of the plural messages.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the control means comprise a number decoder for detecting selected calling number information signals on the link and actuating the control means in response thereto.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the control means includes memory means for recording the selected calling number information.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2234660 CA2234660A1 (en) | 1998-04-14 | 1998-04-14 | Call screening system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2234660 CA2234660A1 (en) | 1998-04-14 | 1998-04-14 | Call screening system |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2234660A1 true CA2234660A1 (en) | 1999-10-14 |
Family
ID=29275546
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2234660 Abandoned CA2234660A1 (en) | 1998-04-14 | 1998-04-14 | Call screening system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2234660A1 (en) |
-
1998
- 1998-04-14 CA CA 2234660 patent/CA2234660A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |