Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for 'hands off' control of a Voice Mail System over a telephone line by a user to allow the user to simultaneously perform other functions such as manually processing the 'oral mail' to take notes, do data entry or the like. The apparatus includes a foot pedal that is wired with switches. The foot pedal switches are connected through an interface circuit to a DTMF tone generator or a generator of digital signals corresponding to VMS functions. The interconnection is such that depending upon the pedal activated a different tone or digital signal will be generated. The user can readily reconnect the interface to vary the signal to pedal correspondence for changes in Voice Mail Systems or to implement other Voice Mail System commands. The DTMF tone generator is connected in series between the hand set and base set of a telephone so that system can be readily connected to an existing telephone and so that the tones can be sent over the phone line to a Voice Mail System. An alternate embodiment includes a microcontroller for sensing switch closures and responding with DTMF tones or sequences of DTMF tones and pauses. User programmable softkeys enable the user to preprogram DTMF sequences which are repeatedly used to control the VMS. The user progammable features of the alternate embodiment provide a more flexible device capable of interfacing with and controlling a variety of VMS devices wherein the VMS devices respond to different DTMF control signal tones or sequences of tones and pauses.

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First Claim