Operating surface for class functions in a telephone

Details Operating surface for class functions in a telephone Operating surface for class functions in a telephone

2000-07-10

2004-12-28

Mei, Xu (Department: 2644)

Telephonic communications

Supervisory or control line signaling

Substation originated

C379S207110, C379S165000, C379S354000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06836543

ABSTRACT:

The present invention is directed to an operating surface for CLASS functions in a telephone terminal device. In particular, the present invention is directed to an operating surface for CLASS functions in an analog telephone of an analog network and to a telephone device having such an operating surface.
What are referred to as CLASS functions are being currently introduced into analog telephone networks. These are ISDN-like functions such as call forwarding, brokering, call waiting, etc. The employment of such CLASS functions in an analog telephone network harbors the difficulty that the network generally does: not supply an answerback that can be interpreted by the terminal device. Only a spoken message or an acknowledge tone, which the user but not the terminal device can interpret, is sent via the voice channel. In other words, the desired CLASS function is available given a positive acknowledge signal of the network—which is referred to below as positive feedback—, whereas the requested CLASS function is not available given a negative acknowledge signal—referred to below as negative feedback. Since the answerback of the network cannot be interpreted by the terminal: device, the terminal device, accordingly, generally does not know whether the requested performance feature of the CLASS function is available or not, i.e. the terminal device has no knowledge about the network status relating to it. It is therefore difficult to visually present the corresponding network function, CLASS function in the terminal device, for example with a text or icon, in a dependable way, this presenting no difficulty given a terminal device for an ISDN network.
In traditional operating surfaces of an enhanced-feature telephone device, the CLASS functions are usually controlled via menu entries. In normal telephone devices, dedicated keys or speed dialing keys that can be programmed by the user are employed for this purpose. Such a solution is disadvantageous since keys of the telephone device must be offered for the CLASS functions, which the user rarely uses: under certain circumstances. Over and above this, the user would like to have as many speed dialing keys as possible available, so that a conflict of objectives arises due to the limited space available on the telephone device, namely as many speed dialing keys as possible, on the one hand, and special keys for CLASS functions, on the other hand. Further, a dependable visualization of the network status cannot be undertaken on the telephone device since the device has no reliable information about the network status. Since the device information cannot be matched with the network status, incorrect displays can therefore occur at all terminal devices.
European Patent Application No. 0 19 948 is directed to a method for the initiation of switching-oriented functions and services with keys of telephone stations having a main memory and alphanumerical an display. After actuation of a first special key, all functions and services are thereby successively called and presented on the display. By actuating a second special key, the functions or, services indicated on the display are realized.
European Patent Application No. 0 503 257 is directed to a device for the operation of a telephone apparatus comprising a selection key and an implementation key that are both connected to an evaluation means. Specific functions are selected from a memory area with the selection key, these being subsequently implemented with the implementation key.
Andreasen et al., “ADSI: THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE OF INTERACTIVE SERVICES”, TELESIS, Vol. 30, No. 97, 1 Dec. 1993, pp. 3550, describes CLASS functions in analog networks (ADSI: Analog Display Services interface).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating an operating surface for CLASS functions of a telephone device of an analog network and a telephone device having such an operating surface with which simple operation is enabled and that resolves the conflict between the highest possible number of speed dialing keys and the necessary keys for the CLASS functions.
This object is inventively achieved in accordance with the present invention in an operating surface for CLASS functions of a telephone device of an analog network, said operating surface comprising: an activation function selection for enabling a command sequence following selection of the activation function selection to be interpreted as a CLASS function until disabled; and a deactivation function selection for disabling interpretation of a command sequence as a CLASS function following selection of the deactivation function selection.
Inventively, an operating surface for CLASS functions of a telephone device of an analog network comprises the two functions “activate” and “deactivate”, so that the command sequence following the function “activate” is interpreted as CLASS function and the following “CLASS function” is turned off with the function “deactivate”.
In an embodiment the “activate” function is employed for controlling the executive function sequence of a complex “CLASS function”.
In an embodiment, the “activate” and “deactivate” functions are employed by the user for signalling the network status to the telephone device, so that the telephone device can correctly visualize the network status, for example via a text display or an icon.
In an embodiment, the “activate” and “deactivate” functions are preferably realized by fixed keys of the telephone device; however, the functions can also be realized as display elements of a picture screen that are activated via a corresponding selection with a cursor, for example a mouse. A selection via a voice input is also possible.
In an embodiment, the CLASS functions of the operating surface are preferably formed by programmable keys. In an embodiment, the keys of the CLASS functions are employed as speed dialing keys when the “activate” or, “deactivate” function is not turned on.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, present two fixed keys are employed in the operating surface for the “activate” and “deactivate” functions and up to 14 programmable keys are employed for the CLASS functions, so that a total of 16 keys are employed.
In an embodiment, the operating surface preferably comprises a display for the presentation of the icons, the numbers of calling parties (CLIP functionality), speed dialing occupation of the programmable keys, etc. The display of the telephone device is preferably employed as display. Further, the operating surface can comprise an active field. The active field can likewise be designed as an electronic display.
In an embodiment list of the incoming is preferably be maintained in the operating surface, whereby the list is preferably organized as FIFO. Direct calls can be placed proceeding from the list.
In an embodiment the list of operating calls is maintained in a memory.
This object is also achieved in accordance with the present invention in a telephone device for an analog network comprising: an operating surface for CLASS functions of a telephone device of an analog network, said operating surface having: an activation function selection for enabling a command sequence following selection of said activation function selection to be interpreted as a CLASS function until disabled; and a deactivation function selection for disabling interpretation of a command sequence as a CLASS function following selection of said deactivation function selection.
These and other features of the invention(s) will become clearer with reference to the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and accompanied drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4453040 (1984-06-01), Wolf et al.
patent: 5054058 (1991-10-01), Kakizawa
patent: 0 419 948 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 0 503 257 (1992-09-01), None
Andreasen, et al., “ADSI: The Dawn of a New Age of Interactive Services”, Telesis, vol. 30, No. 97, Dec. 1, 1993, pp. 35-50.

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