Patents Assigned to CIDCO Incorporated
  • Patent number: 6122353
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying that a CAS (Customer Premises Equipment Alerting Signal) detect signal, which indicates the presence of a CAS on a transmission channel, is a valid detect signal, includes structure and process steps for suppressing a signal originating at a local telephone in response to the CAS detect signal. A determination is made whether the CAS detect signal remains in a predetermined condition at a predetermined time after the local telephone signal is suppressed. A validity signal is output when the CAS detect signal remains in the predetermined condition at the predetermined time. False detections are thereby minimized by ignoring detections caused by a signal originating at the local telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Cidco Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert H. Brady, David Zielski, William L. Nutter, Alexander J. Marra
  • Patent number: 5862212
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting a customer premises equipment alerting signal (CAS) tone in a telephone system which has both caller identification and call waiting. The present invention distinguishes between valid CAS tones transmitted by the telephone company central office and invalid CAS tones which are caused by music or a human voice. The present invention samples detected tone during a plurality of sample periods. The change of frequency, as well as the direction of frequency change, between successive sample periods is calculated. The number of transitions in the direction of frequency change are counted and used to determine whether the detected tone corresponds to a valid CAS tone or an invalid CAS tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael T. Mathews
  • Patent number: 5836009
    Abstract: A telephony call waiting feature is provided wherein a caller ID information related to a third party wishing to converse with a first party already engaged in a conversation with a second party is provided to the first party. When the local office sends an alerting tone (e.g., CAS) to the first party, the first party telephone set responds by attenuating signals going to the first party handset. The local office then transmits the caller ID information relating to the third party and the first party apparatus receives and displays to the first party the caller ID information related to the third party thereby allowing the first party to either accept or reject the waiting call based on the displayed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Diamond, Paul Locklin, Ron Anglikowski, Steve Landry
  • Patent number: 5745557
    Abstract: A system is disclosed allowing a plurality of conforming customer premise equipment ("CCPEs") on a single telephone line to display a third party's caller information while users are communicating with a second party. Through a self-arbitration process, one CCPE of the plurality of CCPEs is a primary CCPE, whereas the remaining CCPE(s) are secondary CCPE(s). While the users are communicating with the second party using any one or more of the CCPEs, each CCPE detects whether a CPE alerting signal ("CAS") tone has been transmitted by the central office, thereby detecting when the third party is calling. Each CCPE responds by disconnecting the CCPE's telephone from the telephone line. After all of the CCPEs are on-hook, the primary CCPE then goes off-hook and transmits a CAS acknowledgement ("CAS ACK") signal to the central office. All of the CCPEs then wait for the central office to transmit the CID information in response to the CAS ACK signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventor: Ron Anglikowski
  • Patent number: 5699417
    Abstract: A method and system for transmitting text information using multifrequency signals is provided. A switching center transmits a first multifrequency signal indicating the start of a text transmission. A receiver unit receives the first multifrequency signal and prepares to receive text information. The switching center transmits to the receiver unit a second and third multifrequency signals after the first multifrequency signal. The second and third multifrequency signals contain information corresponding to a text character. The receiver unit receives the second and third multifrequency signals and determines the text character transmitted. The switching center transmits a fourth multifrequency signal to the receiver unit indicating the end of the text transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Cidco Incorporated
    Inventor: Kamran Khojasteh
  • Patent number: 5583924
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, provided is a system allowing a plurality of conforming customer premise equipment ("CCPEs") on a single telephone line to display a third party's caller information while users are communicating with a second party. One CCPE of the plurality of CCPEs is a primary CCPE, whereas the remaining CCPE(s) are secondary CCPE(s). While the users are communicating with the second party using any one or more of the CCPEs, each CCPE detects whether a CPE alerting signal ("CAS") tone has been transmitted by the central office, thereby detecting when the third party is calling. Each CCPE responds by disconnecting the CCPE's telephone from the telephone line. After all of the CCPEs are on-hook, the primary CCPE then goes off-hook and transmits a CAS acknowledgement ("CAS ACK") signal to the central office. All of the CCPEs then wait for the central office to transmit the CID information in response to the CAS ACK signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventor: Harry W. Lewis
  • Patent number: 5574777
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, provided is a system allowing a plurality of conforming customer premise equipment ("CCPEs") on a single telephone line to display a third party's caller information while users are communicating with a second party. One CCPE of the plurality of CCPEs is a primary CCPE, whereas the remaining CCPE(s) are secondary CCPE(s). While the users are communicating with the second party using any one or more of the CCPEs, each CCPE detects whether a CPE alerting signal ("CAS") tone has been transmitted by the central office, thereby detecting when the third party is calling. Each CCPE responds by disconnecting the CCPE's telephone from the telephone line. After all of the CCPEs are on-hook, the primary CCPE then goes off-hook and transmits a CAS acknowledgement ("CAS ACK") signal to the central office. All of the CCPEs then wait for the central office to transmit the CID information in response to the CAS ACK signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventor: Harry W. Lewis
  • Patent number: D397112
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventors: Paul G. Locklin, Michael P. Zambelli, James C. Patton, Kathleen M. Hurley, Steven M. Wheatley
  • Patent number: D405447
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven L. Landry, Paul G. Locklin, Robert A. Wilk, Ed Lucey
  • Patent number: D410005
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: CIDCO Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven L. Landry, Paul G. Locklin, Robert A. Wilk, Ed Lucey