GB2297012A

GB2297012A - Automatic access code telephone

Info

Publication number: GB2297012A
Application number: GB9600395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Ronald Mccarthy
Original assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc
Current assignee: Technicolor USA Inc
Priority date: 1995-01-11
Filing date: 1996-01-09
Publication date: 1996-07-17
Also published as: KR960030611A; MXPA96000179A; GB9600395D0; CN1135131A; TW285801B

Abstract

In a telephone instrument (200; 300; 400), actuation of a long distance service key causes an access code for a particular long distance service provider to be dialed before the dialing of the desired telephone number by a user. A post-dialing code is added after the dialing of the telephone number, if necessary. In a first embodiment, the telephone instrument is preprogrammed with the proper code to select a particular long distance provider upon actuation of the long distance service key (215). In a second embodiment, the telephone instrument includes a plurality of long distance service provider keys (315), each of which is preprogrammed to select a corresponding long distance service provider. In yet another embodiment, the dialing tones for the access code of the long distance service provider and any post-dialing code tones are prevented from being reproduced by the receiver of the telephone instrument.

Description

AUTOMATIC ACCESS CODE ThLPHONE The subject application generally concerns the field of telephones, cordless telephones and autodialers, and specifically concerns telephones having the capability of automatically dialing certain telephone access codes.

Currently, telephone service in the United States is divided into approximately 180 service areas, each having a unique three-digit "area code". Calling between area codes usually involves incurring an extra fee for "long distance service". In the United States, at the present time, there are at least three competing major long distance telephone service providers. A person who wants to place a long distance telephone call from a public phone selects a particular long distance service provider by entering an access code identifying the desired long distance service provider before entering the telephone number of the person to be called. In some instances, an authorization code also must be entered after the telephone number.

Normally, to place a long distance telephone call, a user enters the digit 1 to indicate that long distance service is desired, followed by a three digit area code, followed by a seven digit telephone number, for a total of eleven digits. The general public has become accustomed to this dialing pattern, and has little, or no, difficulty using it. However, the confusion builds rapidly when one is required to enter an access code, a telephone number, and an authorization code, totaling from thirty-one to thirty-three digits.

Many commercially-available telephones include memory circuitry for storing telephone numbers entered by a user. Typically, each telephone number storage location has a corresponding key associated with it. The telephone automatically reads and dials the entire stored sequence of numbers from a given location in response to activation of the corresponding key by a user. One would think that this is a solution to the problem of entering long strings of digits, but it only works for the limited number (n) of telephone numbers which the system can retain in memory. Unfortunately, there is no way to interrupt the automatic dialing of the entire sequence of access code, area code and telephone number, and authorization code in order to substitute a different desired telephone number so that the user may dial an additional telephone number (n+l).With respect to public telephones, a user must dial the entire sequence, because he does not have the ability to store any data in a public telephone.

In a telephone instrument, actuation of a long distance service key causes an access code for a particular long distance service provider to be dialed before the dialing of the desired telephone number by a user. A post-dialing code is added after the dialing of the telephone number, if necessary. In a first embodiment, the telephone instrument is preprogrammed with the proper code to select a particular long distance provider upon actuation of the long distance service key. In a second embodiment, the telephone instrument includes a plurality of long distance service provider keys, each of which is preprogrammed to select a corresponding long distance service provider. In a third embodiment, a single long distance service key is provided.

The particular code generated by its actuation is selectable by a multiposition switch. In yet another embodiment, the dialing tones for the access code of the long distance service provider and any post-dialing code tones are prevented from being reproduced by the receiver of the telephone instrument.

FIGURE 1 shows, in schematic form, a telephone instrument in accordance with the subject invention.

FIGURE 2 shows, in pictorial form, a telephone instrument in accordance with the subject invention.

FIGURE 3 shows, in pictorial form, a telephone instrument in accordance another embodiment of the subject invention.

FIGURE 4 shqws, in pictorial form, a telephone instrument in accordance yet another embodiment of the subject invention.

FIGURE 5 is an illustration of a flowchart of the control program for the controller of FIGURE 1, and is helpful for understanding the invention.

The invention described as follows is deemed particularly useful in public telephones and in business telephones for the following reasons. Public telephones can be somewhat intimidating and confusing to a user who wants to access a particular long distance service provider. A dedicated key for that purpose would provide the solution. A business telephone often requires both pre and post-dialing codes. In addition, an employee wishing to make a personal telephone call, can, via the dedicated key access his own choice of long distance providers and automatically enter his personal authorization code.

It is envisioned that a user may enter the access and authorization codes for his choice of long distance carrier in order program his telephone instrument for automatic dialing of those codes. Alternatively, the telephone instrument may be preprogrammed with all of the necessary codes to access any of the long distance service providers. It is also envisioned that in the case of preprogrammed codes, a user entered authorization code (i.e., post-dialing code) may be stored and automatically added to the dialed number. To program the memory, the user would press a STORE key, then enter the access code, then press an LD (long distance) key. To store a post-dialing code, an additional STORE key may be used, or the same STORE may be pressed a second time.

FIGURE 1 is a simplified illustration of a telephone instrument comprising a body 100 and a receiver 105. The telephone instrument is coupled to a telephone system via a telephone interface unit 110. Telephone interface unit 110 is connected to the telephone system via two terminals traditionally known as tip (T) and ring (R). Telephone interface unit 110 receives audio signals, canveyed by the telephone system and applies them to an audio processor unit 120 for amplification and ultimate reproduction in speaker 130 of receiver 105. Receiver 105 receives audio signals via a mouthpiece 140 and conveys them to the telephone system via telephone interface unit 110.

Controller 160 is coupled to a keyboard 150 for receiving keystroke commands from a user. Controller 112 also has two output lines 161 and 162 for controlling audio processor 120 and telephone interface unit 110, respectively. As shown in FIGURE 1, controller 160 may include the RAM (random access memory) needed to store access codes, telephone numbers and post-dialing authorization codes. Telephone interface unit 110 may also include tone generation circuitry, for generating DTMF (dual tone multifrequency) tones for touch-tone dialing.

Telephone instrument 100 also includes a second keyboard 170 which includes one or more long distance service keys for actuation by a user. Actuation of a key of keyboard 170 is detected by controller 160, and causes the dialing of the access code of a particular long distance provider. A multiposition switch 175 is shown in phantom and is used in the embodiment FIGURE 4. For simplicity, switch 175 is shown as a single-pole-threethrow (SP3T) switch coupled to controller 160. One skilled in the art will realize that switch 175 alternatively may be digitally encoded to convey information regarding its three states.

FIGURE 2 shows a telephone instrument 200 having a receiver 205 and a keyboard 210. Telephone instrument 200 also has a key 215, labelled LD (i.e., long distance). Key 215 corresponds to a key of keyboard 170, the actuation of which is detectable by controller 160. A STORE key 217 is provided for the storing of access and post-dialing codes by a user.

Preprogrammed models may not need this key.

FIGURE 3 shows a telephone instrument 300 having a receiver 305 and a keyboard 310. Telephone instrument 300 also has a keyboard 315, having keys labelled LDl, LD2, and LD3 each of which correspond to a particular long distance service provider.

Keyboard 315 corresponds to keyboard 170, the actuation of keys of which is detectable by controller 160. A STORE key 317 is provided for the storing of access and post-dialing codes by a user. Preprogrammed models may not need this key.

FIGURE 4 shows a telephone instrument 400 having a receiver 405 and a keyboard 410. Telephone instrument 400 also has a key 415, labelled LD (i.e., long distance). Key 415 corresponds to a key of keyboard 170, the actuation of which is detectable by controller 160. Telephone instrument 400 also includes a multiposition switch 420 which corresponds to switch 175 of FIGURE 1 which is coupled to controller 160. The position of switch 175 determines which long distance service provider access code is read from memory in response to the actuation of switch 415. A STORE key 417 is provided for the storing of access and post-dialing codes by a user. Preprogrammed models may not need this key.

FIGURE 5 is a flowchart of a portion of the control program for controller 160, which may be a microcomputer, microprocessor, or a custom integrated circuit. The routine is entered at step 500 upon actuation of a key. A determination is made at step 510 as to whether or not an LD (i.e., long distance) key was pressed. If so, the program advances to step 520 where the access tones are muted from the speaker of receiver 205, 305 or 405, and the long distance access code is read from memory and dialed. The program then advances to step 530. If at step 510, an LD key were not pressed, then the program advances directly to step 530 where, dialing tones are allowed to be reproduced by the speaker of receiver 205, 305, or 405, and the telephone number is dialed as it is entered by the user, in normal fashion.The program then advances to step 440 to determine if a post-dialing code should be sent. If an LD key was not pressed then a post dialing code is not to be used, also in certain long distance systems no post-dialing code is needed. If no postdialing code is required the program exits at step 570. If a post dialing code is required, then the program advances to step 450.

At step 450, the tones of post-dialing codes are muted from the receiver so as not to confuse the user, the codes are read from memory and sent. The routine is then exited at step 570.

Although the embodiments were described with respect to a telephone instrument which dials the telephone number as it is entered, it is also envisioned that the telephone number may be stored, the access codes added ahead of it in a string of digits, and the authorization code appended at the end of the string before any dialing occurs. In this case, because dialing occurs later, it may be necessary to synthesize dialing tones to provide feedback to the user as he enters the telephone number to be called.

The above-described system is advantageous in that a dedicated key is used to access the long distance provider. If the "1" digit were to be used, 1-800 and 1-900 numbers would have to be detected, and treated as a special case, in which the long distance service provider is not accessed. Unlike a system which uses the digit "1" to determine if long distance service is desired, the subject apparatus will not have to be modified if in the future a 1-400 service is implemented.

Claims

1. A telephone instrument, comprising: a keyboard having a plurality of keys for entering digits of a telephone number; a receiver, including a speaker and a mouthpiece; an interface unit for coupling said telephone instrument to a telephone system; a memory circuit for storing data; a controller for controlling functions of said telephone instrument; and a service key for selecting a service provider upon actuation; said controller detecting said actuation of said service key and causing an access code for a particular service provider to be read from said memory and dialled and thereafter causing the dialling of a telephone number entered by a user and causing a post-dialling code to be transmitted after the dialling of said telephone number.

2. The telephone instrument of claim 1 wherein said controller prevents dialling tones for said access code of said service provider and postdialling code tones from being reproduced by said receiver of the telephone instrument.

3. The telephone instrument of claim 1 or 2 wherein said access code of said provider is programmed by the user.

4. The telephone instrument of claim l or 2 wherein said access code of said service provider is preprogrammed into said telephone instrument and not modifiable by a user.

5. A telephone instrument, comprising: a keyboard having a plurality of keys for entering digits of a telephone number; a receiver, including a speaker and a mouthpiece; an interface unit for coupling said telephone instrument to a telephone system; a memory circuit for storing data; a controller for controlling functions of said telephone instrument; and a plurality of service provider keys, each of which selects a corresponding particular service provider upon actuation; said controller detecting said actuation of one of said service provider keys and causing an access code for said particular service provider to be read from said memory and dialled and thereafter causing the dialling of a telephone number entered by a user and causing a post-dialling code to be transmitted after the dialling of said telephone number.

6. The telephone instrument of claim 5 wherein said controller prevents dialling tones for said access code of said service provider and postdialling code tones from being reproduced by said receiver of the telephone instrument.

7. The telephone instrument of claim 5 or 6 wherein said access codes of each of said service providers is programmed by the user.

8. The telephone instrument of claim 5 or 6 wherein each of said access codes of said service providers is preprogrammed into said telephone instrument and is not modifiable by a user.

9. A telephone instrument, comprising: means for entering a telephone number; means for reproducing an incoming audio signal and means for receiving an outgoing audio signal; interface means for coupling said telephone instrument to a telephone system; memory means for storing data; control means for controlling functions of said telephone instrument; and means for initiating selection of a particular service provider; said control means detecting said initiation and causing an access code for said particular service provider to be read from said memory means and dialled and thereafter causing the dialling of a telephone number entered by a user and causing a post-dialling code to be transmitted after the dialling of said telephone number.

10. The telephone instrument of claim 9 wherein said control means prevents dialling tones for said access code of said service provider and postdialling code tones from being reproduced by said reproducing means of said telephone instrument.

11. The telephone instrument of claim 9 or 10 wherein access codes for a plurality of service providers are programmed by said user.

12. The telephone instrument of claim 9 or 10 wherein access codes of a plurality of service providers are preprogrammed into said telephone instrument and are not modifiable by a user.

13. A telephone instrument substantially as herein described with reference to each of the accompanying drawings.