US Patent No: 5,727,045
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
System and method for avoiding undesired incoming telephone calls
Stats
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Mar 10, 1998
Issued date -
Dec 7, 1995
filing date -
08/568,768
serial no -
Expired
status
Importance
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Abstract
A method for avoiding undesired incoming calls provides a called party with an aural message indicating the telephone number of a calling party. The method includes the steps of: enabling the called party's telephone to ring in response to input of a ring signal during execution of a selective calling mode; connecting a signal path between the calling party's telephone and the called party's telephone; transmitting a voice message to the calling party requesting that the calling party input his or her telephone number and then input a predetermined key; determining whether a busy tone indicating that the calling party has hung up is detected; stopping the called party's telephone from ringing and disconnecting the signal path when the busy tone is detected; waiting for an input of a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal representative of the calling party's telephone number during a predetermined time period when the busy tone is not detected; storing the dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal and then reading the dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal upon completion of the input; providing the called party with an aural voice message representative of the calling party's telephone number; checking for an off-hook state of the called party's telephone; and stopping the called party's telephone from ringing and enabling execution of a conversation between the calling party and the called party when the off-hook state of the called party's telephone is detected.
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First Claim
Related Publications
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International Classification(s)
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Cited Art
| Patent Info | (Count) | # Cites | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 4,672,660 Method and system for identifying telephone callers | 67 | 1985 | |
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| 5,029,200 Voice message system using synthetic speech | 64 | 1989 | |
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| 5,434,906 Method and apparatus for processing an incoming call in a communication system | 97 | 1993 | |
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| 5,526,406 Calling party announcement apparatus | 110 | 1994 | |
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| 5,428,662 Detecting make-break clicks on a telephone line | 13 | 1993 | |
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| 4,803,717 Automatic answering telephone with memory storage having storage indication and an alarm | 17 | 1985 | |
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| 5,349,638 Universal calling/originating number identification | 172 | 1993 | |
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| 5,274,699 Method for providing caller identification to a call recipient | 105 | 1992 | |
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| 5,070,521 Method and apparatus for call source identification | 29 | 1991 | |
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| 5,263,084 Spontaneous caller identification with call-waiting | 198 | 1991 | |
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| 5,329,578 Personal communication service with mobility manager | 701 | 1992 | |
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| 4,817,133 Party selecting circuit arrangement | 57 | 1987 | |
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| 5,452,346 Telephone apparatus with caller identification | 94 | 1994 | |
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| 4,241,238 Telephone number memory and indicator system | 25 | 1979 | |
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| 5,388,150 Automatic incoming telephone call identification and disposition system | 199 | 1992 | |
| 5,394,445 Telephone call screening and answering device | 99 | 1993 | |
| 5,467,385 Calling number display and recording system | 134 | 1994 | |