Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in conjunction with a telephone or with equipment in telecommunication with a remote telephone are disclosed. The apparatus provides an indication as to whether a remote party using the remote telephone has performed a specific act causing the generation of a hook flash-type signal which is detected by the apparatus. The apparatus includes a low pass filter for passing energy having frequencies below about 500 Hz, and energy detector for detecting a specific electrical energy pulse having been filtered by the low pass filter and having a predetermined minimum magnitude. The apparatus also includes software for cooperating with the energy detector to detect a specific event(s) occurring on the telephone line during a predetermined maximum time window following the detection of a specific pulse. The detection of the specific event(s) provides an indication as to whether the remote party has performed a specific act such as attempting to initiate a 3-way conference call.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 29, 1992
Date of Patent:
June 7, 1994
Assignee:
Tele-Matic Corporation
Inventors:
Dwight W. Kitchin, Terry D. Johnson, Alan K. Schott, Scott D. Passe