GB1560672A

GB1560672A - Telephone answering apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1560672A
Application number: GB3347876A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Theis P F
Current assignee: Theis P F
Priority date: 1975-08-18
Filing date: 1976-08-11
Publication date: 1980-02-06
Also published as: DE2636964A1; JPS5224406A

Description

(54) TELEPHONE ANSWERING APPARATUS (71) I, PETER F. THEIS, a citizen of United States of America, of 3203 Bayview Lane, McHenry, Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to answering apparatus and in particular to apparatus for recording telephone calls.

In a conventional telephone exchange one or more operators are provided to perform the primary function of servicing calls arriving on a group of lines. The number of operators normally depends upon the number of lines to be served and the expected traffic volume. Generally, it is not feasible to provide sufficient operators to handle all calls live, during peak periods, and it is customary to provide machine assistance for putting calls on hold.

Using such a system. there are significant drawbacks which can frequently lead to alienation of the caller. For example, the caller may be put on hold for an extended period with no recourse other than to hang up, thereby losing one's place in the sequence so that on the next call the caller is likely to be put on hold and the extended period will be as long or longer as on the first call. In other instances, the systems are such that a call is simply not answered for an extended period of time and this is equally undesirable. In some of the current systems where a call is answered because the system shows that the call has been either on hold for too long or has been ringing for too long, the system arrangement is such that the operator can afford no more time than that required to take down the name and number of the caller, thus requiring a call-back at a later time.

There is, thus, a need for a more efficient machine supported telephone answering system and this requires greater flexibility and options available to the operators in their interfacing with the machine portion of the system.

The present invention provides telephone answering apparatus comprising a plurality of incoming phone lines, an automatic answering machine for interrogating a caller and recording the caller's responses, and a concentrator comprising a plurality of latching means for connecting one of said incoming lines to said machine and line selection means for selecting which of the plurality of incoming lines is to be connected to said machine, said line selection means comprising generating means for generating strobe signals and means for sequentially applying said strobe signals to each of said latching means, whereby said latching means is responsive to said strobe signals to enable connection between an incoming line having an unanswered call thereon and said answering machine when said answering machine is in an available state.

The present invention further provides a method of connecting an automatic answering machine to a plurality of incoming phone lines for interrogating a caller and recording the caller's responses comprising connecting each of said incoming lines to the answering machine through a respective selectably actuable latch, selecting which of the latches is to be actuated by generating and sequentially applying strobe signals to each of the latches thereby to connect an incoming line having an unanswered call thereon to said answering machine when said answering machine is in an available state.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides apparatus for a telephone exchange having a multiplicity of incoming telephone lines arranged to be serviced by one or more operator stations for normally handling calls live, the operators being supplemented by one of more automatic answering machines for handling overflow calls by automatically interrogating a caller and recording the caller's response.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the concentrator controls connection of the answering machine or machines to the incoming phone lines by continuously sweeping the phone lines to select any line having an unanswered incoming call thereon for longer than a predetermined delay period and automatically connecting the selected line to any available answering machine.

Where a number of answering machines are used, the concentrator continuously sweeps the machines to select one that is available for connection to the selected incoming line.

According to another aspect of the embodiment, a separate monitor/intercept means is connected to each answering machine and is located at the operator station to play responses being recorded on such machine to enable live monitoring thereof by the operator. The monitor/intercept means is responsive upon pick-up by the operator for automatically completing a live connection to the incoming line being serviced by the answering machine and for disconnecting the answering machine from that line to free the machine for automatically servicing other incoming calls.

Since the automatic machines are primarily to supplement an operator, the machines store recorded responses and provide a signal to the operator that a recorded call is available for playback and servicing. A delay alarm is provided to signal the operator when such a stored response has remained unserviced for more than a reasonable time.

The concentrator which controls selection of incoming lines and available machines is in the form of a matrix having a separate row for each incoming line and a separate column for each answering machine. Clock circuitry sequentially pulses the matrix intersections to effect connections between a selected line and a selected machine without duplications. Upon termination of any machine handled call, the matrix effects release of the phone line and/or disconnect and recycling of the machine.

Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show structure embodying preferred features of the present invention and the principles thereof, and what is now considered to be the best mode in which to apply these principles.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: Figure I is a diagram of a continuous tape loop provided with an outgoing message program; Figure 2 is a block diagram of an automatic answering machine suitable for use in telephone answering apparatus in accordance with this invention; Figure 3 is a generalized block diagram of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of part of the embodiment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a detailed connection diagram of the monitor/intercept means of the embodiment shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a diagram of a matrix type concentrator circuit for controlling connection of any incoming line having an unanswered call to any answering machine that is available; and Figure 7 is an enlarged diagram showing the circuitry of one of the intersections of the matrix circuit shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings, a conventional telephone system to which the present invention is applicable is shown in Figure 3 wherein a central office system 40 is connected to feed a set of trunk lines TL-1, TL-2, etc. that supply the subscriber's phone system 41. The conventional subscriber phone system has lines L-1, L-2, etc.

leading to each of a plurality of operator stations S-1, S-2, etc.

In the typical case, the automatic answering apparatus 42 of this embodiment is connected in parallel with the subscriber phone system as shown in Figure 3, however, the concepts of the invention are equally applicable, for example, to automatic call distributor systems, key equipment and Centrex (Registered Trade Mark) systems.

In a typical telephone answering system, as illustrated herein, the automatic answering apparatus 42 includes one or more automatic answering machines connected to handle overflow calls on several phone lines. Normally, each call is handled live but during peak periods or when staffing is light, the answering machine handles overflow calls in order to co-ordinate with the functions required to be performed by the live operators.

An answering machine for use in the apparatus disclosed herein is preferably of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2. Specific details of the arrangement and operation of that machine being more fully described in our copending application No. 33477/76 Serial No. 1551791. Any other suitable type of automatic answering machine may also be employed.

Figure 1 shows a continuous loop tape on which outgoing message sections and control signals are stored and Figure 2 shows the components which perform the automa tic answering and recording function. Figures 1 and 2 will not be described here in detail and attention is directed to the aforementioned patent application for a fuller understanding thereof.

Certain additional connections for such an answering machine are also illustrated in Figure 2 to better illustrate the specific connection of the answering machine in the embodiment to be described. Thus, the unit 19 which is disclosed as a tape deck for recording of incoming messages is shown connected through an indicator line 19A that actuates an indicator unit 19L, or call waiting, light to indicate that there is a message which has been received and recorded; and is shown connected through a line 19B for transmitting voice to a playback unit 19P. The record and playback equipment may be of any suitable type such as the continuous loop recording systems sold under the Registered Trade Marks Dictaphone "Thought Tank" or Lanier "Nyematic". On Figure 2 an indicator line 19L', a voice line 19V and a monitor line 19M are also shown and are described hereinafter.

In addition, a machine available line 15L such as conventionally is incorporated in a cycle start unit 15 is shown in Figure 2 because its connection to other components of the total system is shown in other figures of the drawings. The line 15L, when functioning in connection with a telephone interface arrangement such as an RDM-ZR in a conventional telephone answering system responds to energization of the cycle start unit to signal the RDM-ZR to seize and hold the phone line. The signal continuously acts on the RDM-ZR while the answering machine is in its cycle. At the end of the answering machine's cycle, release of the cycle start unit changes the condition on the machine available line and allows the RDM-ZR to release the phone line.

For purposes of the present telephone answering apparatus, the machine available line 15L serves primarily to signal that the cycle start unit 15 is in its released state such that the particular answering machine is available to handle any incoming call that requires immediate attention.

As shown in Figure 4, the input connections to the automatic answering system components are made through a recorder coupler or RDM-ZR for each incoming trunk line. The incoming trunk lines TL-1, TL-2, etc. are shown connected to a matrix type concentrator unit 43 and outgoing lines OL-1, OL-2, etc. from the concentrator unit 43 go to a plurality of separate automatic answering machines M-1, M-2, etc. such as are shown in Figure 2 hereof.

As is shown in Figure 4, a number of stations S-1, S-2, for live operators are provided, each operator station being a console which typically includes a headset 44H, a foot pedal 44P and a transcribe unit 44T, all of which are conventional commercially available equipment. In addition, in a complete system in accordance with the preferred embodiment, the system includes a remote access unit 44R at each operator station and a common distribution panel 45 for completing connections from the message storage and playback section of any one of the answering machines to any one of the operator stations.The remote access unit 44R includes operator controlled switching facilities connected to the distribution panel 45 to allow each operator to receive a stored message indication from any of lines 17L' and to select the corresponding answering machine for the purpose of transcribing or otherwise servicing the recorded message present on such machine.

Generally, when an answering machine handles a call and records incoming message material for storage, an indication is transmitted over line 19L' to each operator's console. Normally, one of the operators will promptly play back the machine's recorded message and process the information or call back if that should be necessary. The indicator lines 19L' that lead from the message playback section of each of the answering machines are connected through delay alarm units 46 located in the distributor panel 45. After a recorded call indication has been on an operator's console for a certain period of time, the delay alarm unit provides a warning signal by a flashing indication, or otherwise, that the reasonable time limit for servicing such recorded message has been exceeded.

Each telephone answering machine is also shown connected to corresponding monitor/ intercept unit 47 which is basically a conventional telephone modified in that it has an amplifier and speaker that are cut off when its telephone is off hook.

The monitor/intercept unit 47 incorporates two distinct control sections 47M, 47I.

Section 47M serves to monitor responses being recorded in the telephone answering machine, it being connected through monitor line 19M to the record section 19 of the answering machine and section 47I serves to permit an operator to intercept any call currently being handled on the associated answering machine without having to make any line selection operation.

To explain the monitor/intercept function in detail, reference is made to Figure 5 wherein the outgoing lines from the concen trator 43 to one of the answering machines are shown and identified. Thus, line 48M is a machine available line corresponding to line 15L of Figure 2; line 48D is a disconnect line corresponding to line 15D of Figure 2; line 48S is a startup line corresponding to line 15S of Figure 2; and line 48V is a voice line corresponding to line L of Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 5 for purposes of illustrative disclosure, the intercept section has a disconnect line 47D tied directly to the disconnect line 48D between the concentrator 43 and the answering machine M-1 and it has a voice line 47V connected to a terminal of a two position switch 49 which is provided in the main voice line between the concentrator 43 and the answering machine. The switch 49 is controlled by a switching circuit in the intercept section 47I. It will be apparent that other connections for achieving the same monitor/intercept functions may be employed.

Normally, the speaker of the monitor section 47M plays the incoming messages of each conversation being recorded by the corresponding answering machine so that the operator can decide whether to intercept the call being recorded in order to handle the same live. The operator merely picks up the monitor phone and is immediately connected into the voice line 48 so that the operator can intercept the call without having to perform any line selection operations.

When the monitor phone of a monitor/ intercept unit is picked up by the operator for any reason. the disconnect line 47D signals the corresponding answering machine to drop off the line to avoid recording the operator's line conversation with the caller and recycle so that the machine will recycle to be able to answer other incoming calls when the intercept has been concluded.

Normally, one monitor/intercept is located at each operator station but when there are more answering machines than operators, it is feasible to provide more than one monitor at an operator station, The concentrator 43 serves as a selector between a multiplicity of incoming lines and one or more automatic answering machines.

As previously described, the concentrator 43 is employed in a system that typically contemplates having most incoming calls answered live by the operators. Thus, the automatic answering machines M-1, M-2, ..... M-N, are intended to handle overflow calls whether due to a busy period or due to light staffing. Typically, in such a system, if the incoming call has not been answered live within a pre-determined reasonable time, the concentrator will connect it to any available automatic answering machine.

The concentrator circuit of Figure 6 is disclosed herein in an embodiment suited for use with a typical RDM-ZR voice connecting arrangement. The invention could be embodied in various other ways in the event the interface specifications should change or be eliminated as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The RDM-ZR corresponding to each incoming trunk line, as shown in Figure 6 conventionally includes a start-up line 50S, a voice line 50V, a line seizure and line drop circuit 50L, and a disconnect line 50D.

The line seizure and line drop circuit 50L actually consists of two separate wires for controlling two different pulse circuits within each of the latch circuit 53 in the concentrator 43 to achieve line seizure and line drop functions as specified in A.T. & T.

Technical Reference Manuals for the RDM ZR.

As indicated generally in Figure 4, and more specifically in Figure 6, the concentrator 43 functions as a matrix having a row corresponding to each incoming phone line and a column for each answering unit. The line selection means includes a strobe generator and means for sequentially applying the strobe signals from the generator to each matrix intersection in a pre-determined sequence to effect continuous sweeping of the machine available lines 48M from the answering machines and to effect continuous sweeping of the start-up lines 50S of the multiplicity of phone lines through a delay circuit 51. The delay circuit 51 requires repeated pulsing from the start-up line 50S to continue a service request. There is a time slot for each intersection at a discrete time, thereby avoiding simultaneous latching.Thus, the concentrator 43 can effect a connection only when a call has remained unanswered for a pre-determined amount of time. Typically, the delay period is in a range between six and sixty seconds, e.g., from one ring to ten rings.

A typical matrix intersection is shown enlarged in Figure 7 as including an AND gate 52 which is strobed from the line selection means via a line ST, a latching circuit 53 which is latched under the control of the AND gate and an OR gate 54 which controls unlatching of the latch circuit. The inputs to the AND gate are applied from the start-up line 50S, from its variable delay element 51 to apply a service request signal after a pre-determined delay period has occurred and from a machine available line 48M which leads from the cycle start unit 15 of the answering machine to apply a signal whenever that machine is available in a re-cycled conditioned for answering a call.

Thus, when both conditions of a service request and a machine available are met, the AND gate 52 will actuate the latch circuit 53, upon being strobed via line ST by the line selection means. At the time of seizure, the latch circuit will complete a connection from the voice line 50V associ ated with the incoming call to the voice line 48V of the associated answering machine; it will also generate a signal on the cycle start input line 48S to the answering machine; it will also generate a signal on the line seizure and drop circuit 50L to the RDM-ZR to cause it to seize the telephone line.

The OR gate 54 will respond to unlatch the latched circuit 53 upon receiving a signal either over the disconnect line 48D or the disconnect line 50D. At the time the latch circuit unlatches, it generates a signal which is applied over the line seizure and drop circuit 50L to the RDM-ZR to cause the incoming line on which the call was handled to be released.

The line selection means provides the time slots and preferably includes two synchronized electronic counter circuits (not shown) which sweep the AND gates 52 via corresponding lines ST of each matrix intersection. These counters constitute the means for sequentially applying the strobe signals.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Telephone answering apparatus comprising a plurality of incoming phone lines, an automatic answering machine for interrogating a caller and recording the caller's responses, and a concentrator comprising a plurality of latching means for connecting one of said incoming lines to said machine and line selection means for selecting which of the plurality of incoming lines is to be connected to said machine, said line selection means comprising generating means for generating strobe signals and means for sequentially applying said strobe signals to each of said latching means, whereby said latching means is responsive to said strobe signals to enable connection between an incoming line having an unanswered call thereon and said answering machine when said answering machine is in an available state.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising at least one further answering machine and wherein each of said latching means is arranged to selectively connect one of said incoming lines to one of said answering machines in response to strobe signals from said line selection means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising an operator station and monitor-intercept means connected to the or each said answering machine to reproduce the caller's responses being recorded on said answering machine thereby to en able line monitoring thereof, said monitor intercept means including an override means for completing a connection between the respective line and said operator station and for disabling recording by the answering machine.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said concentrator further com prises delay means connected to said incoming phone lines, said delay means being operative to inhibit said latching means from connecting one of said incoming lines to the or a said answering machine until an unanswered incoming call has been present on said incoming line for a predetermined delay period.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each incoming phone line includes a start line, a voice line and a line seizure and drop circuit, wherein each said answering machine includes a start-up line, a voice line, a disconnect line and a machine-available line, and wherein said concentrator includes matrix intersections, there being one matrix intersection corresponding to each combination of incoming line and answering machine, each matrix intersection including one of said latching means having an AND gate with inputs connected to said start line and to said machine-available line, said latching means further comprising a latch circuit responsive to the corresponding AND gate to connect said incoming voice line to said machine voice line and to trigger said start-up line and said line seizure and drop circuit, each intersection further including means responsive to said disconnect line to unlatch the latch circuit and trigger said line seizure and drop circuit.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 as dependent on claim 4 wherein said delay means comprises a delay circuit connected to said start line of each said incoming phone line, the output of said delay circuit being connected to further inputs of the corresponding AND gates of said matrix intersections.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said delay circuit includes means for adjusting said delay period.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, 6 or 7 as dependent on claim 3 wherein each monitor-intercept means includes a voice line, a disconnect line connected to terminate recording by the corresponding answering machine in response to said override means, and switching means to intercept the answering machine voice line and to complete a connection between the incoming line being monitored and the voice line of the monitor-intercept means in response to the override means.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each said answering machine includes playback means and indicating means for signalling the presence of a recorded incoming call, the apparatus further comprising means for actuating the playback means and delay alarm means for providing an alarm indication after the indicating means has been activated for a predetermined length of time.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. will also generate a signal on the cycle start input line 48S to the answering machine; it will also generate a signal on the line seizure and drop circuit 50L to the RDM-ZR to cause it to seize the telephone line. The OR gate 54 will respond to unlatch the latched circuit 53 upon receiving a signal either over the disconnect line 48D or the disconnect line 50D. At the time the latch circuit unlatches, it generates a signal which is applied over the line seizure and drop circuit 50L to the RDM-ZR to cause the incoming line on which the call was handled to be released. The line selection means provides the time slots and preferably includes two synchronized electronic counter circuits (not shown) which sweep the AND gates 52 via corresponding lines ST of each matrix intersection. These counters constitute the means for sequentially applying the strobe signals. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Telephone answering apparatus comprising a plurality of incoming phone lines, an automatic answering machine for interrogating a caller and recording the caller's responses, and a concentrator comprising a plurality of latching means for connecting one of said incoming lines to said machine and line selection means for selecting which of the plurality of incoming lines is to be connected to said machine, said line selection means comprising generating means for generating strobe signals and means for sequentially applying said strobe signals to each of said latching means, whereby said latching means is responsive to said strobe signals to enable connection between an incoming line having an unanswered call thereon and said answering machine when said answering machine is in an available state.

10. Telephone answering apparatus sub

stantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. Method of connecting an automatic answering machine to a plurality of incoming phone lines for interrogating a caller and recording the caller's responses comprising connecting each of said incoming lines to the answering machine through a respective selectably actuable latch, selecting which of the latches is to be actuated by generating and sequentially applying strobe signals to each of the latches thereby to connect an incoming line having an unanswered call thereon to said answering machine when said answering machine is in an available state.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein at least one further answering machine is provided and the connecting step comprises connecting each of said incoming lines to each of said answering machines through a respective selectably actuable latch.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12 further comprising the step of delaying actuation of a latch until an unanswered incoming call has been present on the respective incoming line for a predetermined delay period.

14. A method according to claim 11, 12 or 13 further including the steps of signalling the presence of a recorded incoming call and providing an alarm indication a predetermined length of time after initiation of the signalling step.

15. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 14 further including monitoring the caller's responses, and optionally disabling recording by the answering machine and connecting the respective line to an operator station.

16. A method of connecting an automatic answering machine to a plurality of incoming phone lines substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.