KR20010040294A - Multi-line telephone system for handling incoming caller id messages - Google Patents

Abstract

The telephone system includes a plurality of hand sets and a base unit connectable to a local office via one or more external telephone lines for communicating with each of the plurality of hand sets. The base unit detects, confirms and receives an incoming caller ID message from the local station, which does not interrupt communication with multiple hand sets. The base unit notifies a plurality of hand sets of caller ID messages and sends the caller ID messages to selected hand sets.

Description

Multi-line telephone system for handling incoming caller ID messages {MULTI-LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEM FOR HANDLING INCOMING CALLER ID MESSAGES}

Existing telephone systems often use various forms of so-called "caller ID" (where ID represents proof of identity). The ID allows a user of a given phone to receive information about an incoming call, such as the caller's phone number, city, and identity. A type I caller ID message is a message provided to a telephone that is properly configured in an "on hook" state. For example, if an on-hook phone rings, caller ID information or a message sent by a remote trunk line or local office may be displayed on the device or display connected to or embedded in the phone. .

A type II caller ID message is a message provided to a properly configured telephone in an " off hook " or active state, i. For example, while the user is using the telephone, caller ID information may be displayed on the telephone device display to indicate the caller identity for the second incoming call. The user may then decide whether to accept or not accept the second call, for example via a call-waiting service.

Caller ID services can be complex or difficult to implement in wired and wireless multi-line telephone systems. Such systems are becoming more and more common. For example, in a multi-line wireless telephone system, such as a digital 900 MHz system, a wireless telephone hand set unit communicates with the base unit via an analog or digital wireless signal, which base unit is generally one or more standard telephone lines ( It is connected to an external telephone network through the plain old telephone service (POTS). In this way, a user may use a wireless handset to make phone calls with other users via the base unit and the telephone network.

Multi-line wireless telephone systems are also used in a variety of conditions, such as, for example, doing business with multiple telephone users. Such systems typically use hand sets that communicate simultaneously with up to N hand sets in a digital communication structure such as time division multiple access (TDMA). In a TDMA system, a single RF channel is used, and each handset transmits and receives data during the entire time period or during the allotted time slice within a particular interval. It is also desirable to incorporate current private branch exchange (PBX) features into multi-line wireless telephone systems.

The present invention relates to a multi-line telephone system, and more particularly, to a multi-line wireless digital telephone system for receiving type (I or II) caller ID messages from an external central office.

1 is a block diagram of a TDMA multi-line wireless telephone system, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

2 shows a data format for a type I caller ID message.

3 shows a data format for a type (II) caller ID message.

4 illustrates a signaling protocol for exchanging caller ID information between the base unit and streamline of the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating the base unit of the system of FIG. 1 in processing an incoming caller ID message, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

The telephone system includes a plurality of hand sets and a base unit, which base unit is for communicating with each of the plurality of hand sets and is connectable to a local line via one or more external telephone lines. The base unit detects, confirms, and receives a caller ID message coming from the local station, but communication with multiple hand sets is not interrupted. The base unit notifies a plurality of hand sets of caller ID messages and sends the caller ID messages to selected hand sets.

The present invention detects a type (II) caller ID message from a central office (CO) or a stored-program control switching system (SPCS) at a base station of a multi-line multi-hand set telephone system. And provide mechanisms for coordination. This mechanism is applicable to both wired and wireless telephone systems, as long as only one telephone is attached to each incoming line from the CO. Type I caller IDs are also automatically supported.

1, a block diagram of a spread spectrum TDMA multi-line digital radiotelephone system 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The TDMA system 100 includes a base unit 110 that includes a receiver unit 112 and a transmitter unit 111, respectively, and is connected to an external telephone network 116 via telephone line (s) 115. As described in more detail below, the base unit 110 implements the present invention. The system 100 also includes N wireless hand sets 120 ₁ , 120 ₂ ,... 120 _N. Each hand set has a transmitter and receiver unit (transceiver), for example, like the transmitter 121 and receiver 122 of the hand set 120 ₁ . In one embodiment, the receiver unit 112 includes N logical receivers and the transmitter unit 111 includes N logical transmitters, where the receiver unit 112 and the transmitter unit 111 comprise N logical transceiver units. That is, to provide one for each of the N wireless handset. At any given time, M hand sets (0 ≦ M ≦ N) are either active or in an active state (i.e., during the process of making a phone call).

In one embodiment, the system 100 includes four handsets, and the trunk line or by way of four POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) lines (eg, via the external network 116) or It is connected to a stream line, which contains incoming calls from the trunk line or stream line, and associated caller ID messages. The telephone system provided by the system 100 preferably provides features similar to a small PBX and preferably operates in the unlicensed band of 900 MHz.

In one embodiment, system 100 uses a combination of time division multiplexing (TDM) and frequency band selection, such as TDMA, to overcome interference sources and maintain a reliable link between the base station and the handset. In a digital TDMA structure, each handset only transmits or receives data during its "time slice" or slot. The system 100 provides a wireless network between the base station 110 and each hand set 120 _i (1 ≦ _i ≦ N).

As mentioned above, the "caller ID" has the property of allowing the so-called customer premises equipment (CPE) to be connected to or associated with the telephone unit to detect and display information about incoming calls. Various standards allow such information to be exchanged between the CO or SPCS and the CPE of the phone. Two common types standardized include type (I) and type (II).

Referring to FIG. 2, a data format 200 for a type I caller ID message is shown. In this mode of operation, the call in the CPE is on-hook. When a power tone is applied, the caller ID information is conveyed to the CPE as frequency shift key (FSK) modulated information by the SPCS. The format and timing of such type (I) caller ID information is shown in FIG. 2, and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) (Telecommunications Industry Association, http://www.tiaonline.org/) standard {December 1, 1997]. It is based on the Bellcore paper SR-TSV-002476 published in the literature. The first power beep 201 lasts for about 2 seconds, followed by the second power beep 203 after about 4 seconds. FSK data 202 is transmitted for four seconds between power beep 201 and beep 203. This mode does not directly support the concept of off-hook signaling protocols.

Referring to FIG. 3, a data format 300 for a type II caller ID message is shown. This mode is a superset of the type I operating modes. Therefore, in addition to supporting a type 1 signal, such a type II mode of operation supports an off-hook caller ID feature with respect to the call waiting feature. The format and timing of type I caller ID information is shown in FIG. First, the CO carries a CPE Alerting Signal (CAS) 301, which must be confirmed by the CPE. Since the call is in progress, the voice signal must be temporarily muted to not only send the caller ID message back to the CPE but also to send the confirmation back to the CO. Therefore, after the CPE confirms the CAS 301 with an acknowledgment message 302, an FSK data burst 303 consisting of a single message or multiple messages according to some specific format is transmitted during a period of reduced voice. . Thus, the voice sound does not become small, and the conversation can continue. At this point the telephone user may decide to select the second incoming call, for example, via call waiting based on the displayed caller ID message.

Referring to FIG. 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a signaling protocol is shown for exchanging caller ID information between base unit 110 and streamline 401 of system 100. The signaling protocol of the present invention allows a base station of a multiple hand set system to process a response to an incoming caller ID signal of type (II). This allows the base unit 110 to detect and adjust the incoming caller ID signal and also to send a meaningful response back to the sender of {city station 401}. For the following discussion, assume that there is only one physical line connection from local station 401 to each incoming line, with some hand sets off-hook and in voice conversation.

Referring to FIG. 4, the CAS signal tone 301 arrives from the local station 401 to the base unit 110. The base unit 110 responds with an ACK message 302. The FSK data 303 is then delivered in the form of a single message or multiple messages. Base station 110 includes a CPU or processor 422, which is coupled to base station memory 421 _i for each hand set 120 _i , and to transmitter 111 and receiver 112. . After the base station 110 receives the FSK data 303, the data is stored by the processor 422 in the base memory for each hand set, i.e. in each memory 421 ₁ through 421 ₄ . On the other hand, the hand sets 120 ₁ to 120 _{4 in the} off-hook state may not detect such an event and may keep the phone call sound in the state not to decrease. The caller ID information stored in each memory 421 _i is then retrieved by the processor 422 and transmitted to the corresponding hand set 120 _i at the next data transfer time slice for that hand set.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a flow diagram 500 illustrating a method of operation of the base unit 110 in processing incoming caller ID messages, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First, as described above, the received FSK data 303 including the incoming caller ID message is stored in the nonvolatile memory 421 _i for all hand sets (step 501). As can be appreciated, some hand sets are in "sleep" mode and some hand sets are in active mode. In "sleep" mode, the handset is on hook and only periodically turns on or "wakes up" to check and synchronize state changes. Therefore, base 110 then establishes a secure link with each hand set (step 502). This step 502 involves establishing or reestablishing a connection (for a hand set in sleep mode) with each hand set. In step 502, the base unit 110 sends a message (on a data channel) to each hand set and notifies the handset of an incoming caller ID call. If the hand set is off hook, the indication for the hand set is in the form of an indication of call waiting type. If the hand set is on-hook, a power tone or some other appropriate indication is displayed. Then, if the hand set wants a caller ID message, the hand set may respond with the appropriate message, which message may differ depending on whether the hand set is on-hook or off-hook.

For a hand set that requires caller ID information (step 503), the base unit 110 sends the caller ID information to this hand set (step 510). {If the hand set does not require caller ID information within a certain time, the base unit exits from caller ID mode (steps 521 through 523). This information is then displayed on the appropriate display device of the handset requesting the information (step 511). The hand set selected to receive the call responds at step 512.

If multiple hand sets have responded (step 513), the base determines which hand set to control for call waiting response (step 514). The control decision is communicated in the form of an indication beep to only one hand set to be responsible for responding to the incoming caller ID call (step 515). That particular handset can then signal the line and choose to establish a connection as a normal single line connection (step 516). If only one hand set answered, the hand set receives an indication that it may receive a call (steps 513 and 515).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the wireless system described above may be a cellular system, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, within which the base unit 110 represents a base station serving as one of the cells in the cellular telephone network. Will be understood.

Various modifications in the details, material, and arrangement of the parts shown and described above to illustrate the features of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims. It will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims (10)

In the telephone system, (a) multiple hand sets; (b) Transceiver for communicating with each of the plurality of handsets, incoming caller ID information associated with an incoming call received from a local office without interrupting communication with the plurality of handsets. A processor for detecting, verifying, and receiving, and a transmitter of a transceiver for notifying said plurality of handsets of said caller ID message and for transmitting said caller ID message to a selected handset of said plurality of handsets; A telephone system comprising a base unit connectable to a local station via the above external telephone line. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein the caller ID message is sent only to a handset that substantially responds to the caller ID message notification. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein if one or more of the selected handset attempts to receive an incoming call, the base unit determines which handset has control and notifies the handset having the control of the decision. , Phone system. The plurality of memory locations of claim 1 wherein the base unit is one for each hand set: A processor for storing the received caller ID message in the plurality of memory locations; And And a transmitter for transmitting the caller ID message from the stored caller ID message stored in a memory location corresponding to the selected hand set to a hand set selected from the plurality of hand sets. 2. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein the incoming caller ID message is a type II caller ID message. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein each hand set is off hook. 2. The telephone system of claim 1, wherein the telephone system is a wireless telephone system in which the base unit communicates with each handset over a wireless network on an RF channel. 8. The handset of claim 7, wherein the base unit comprises a base transceiver and a hand set transceiver for establishing a time-division multiple access (TDMA) link on a channel shared with the base unit via the base transceiver. Wherein each hand set communicates during an exclusive time slice of a TDMA structure that allocates a time slice to the hand set. A method for processing incoming caller ID messages in a base unit capable of connecting to a local station via one or more external telephones and for communicating with a plurality of handsets, the method comprising: (a) detecting, confirming and receiving a caller ID message coming from the local station without interrupting communication with the plurality of handsets; (b) notifying the caller ID message to the plurality of handsets; And (c) sending the caller ID message to a hand set selected from the plurality of hand sets. A base unit of a telephone system for processing incoming caller ID messages, (a) a transceiver for communicating with each of a plurality of handsets in a telephone system in which the base unit is connectable with a local station via one or more external telephone lines; (b) a processor for a base unit to notify the plurality of handsets of the caller ID messages and to detect, confirm, and receive a caller ID message coming from the local station without interrupting communication with the plurality of handsets; And (c) a base unit of a telephone system for processing an incoming caller ID message, comprising a transmitter of the transceiver for sending the caller ID message to a selected handset among the plurality of hand sets.