Importance

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Abstract

A telephone electronic answering device (TEAD), interfaced to the standard telephone mechanism, resembles a pocket calculator in size and shape and receives and records messages sent to it from a caller's telephone. It receives either dual tone frequencies or rotary dial pulses fed from the caller's telephone, converts such signals into the caller's telephone number, searches for the caller's name indicated by the same phone number stored in memory and records the caller's name, telephone number and time of call in memory. The TEAD comprises a case containing telephone signal conversion means for converting dual tone frequencies or rotary dial pulses into phone numbers, memory circuit means for storing a list of phone numbers with their respective names, additional memory circuit means for recording messages consisting of such phone numbers, names and times of messages, read only memory circuit means for programming the operation of the instrument, microprocessor circuit means for controlling the operation of the circuitry and timekeeping means for noting the time at which telephone signals are received by the unit. An alphanumeric display means having a capacity of 10 and preferably at least 12 letters or numbers is provided for displaying phone numbers and names as they are input by the user to be stored in memory list and for displaying retrieved recorded messages sequentially. A keyboard on the case of the TEAD comprises alphanumeric keys for numerals 1 through 10 and letters A through Z together with function keys.

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First Claim