System for coordination of electronic devices

Details System for coordination of electronic devices System for coordination of electronic devices

1998-07-13

2001-11-27

Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2743)

Telephonic communications

Reception of calling information at substation in wireline...

Blocking caller id transmission

C379S172000, C379S088210, C379S093230, C379S102030

Reexamination Certificate

active

06324270

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for coordinating electronic devices, and in particular, to providing the coordination through the use of telecommunications devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Phone lines are currently capable of carrying many types of information which include data and voice transmissions. In recent times, both of these types of information can be incorporated into a single transmission over a phone line. Currently, when a phone call is placed, the call may include information about the phone number of the phone from which the call is being placed, as well as the name of person who is listed with that phone number. Many telephone service providers and other businesses now provide caller ID boxes which translate the non-voice information included in the phone call and present it to the receiver of the phone call prior to the phone being taken off-hook. Through use of this box, the receiver of the phone call can tell in advance who is calling and whether or not to take that phone call. In the situation where the person receiving the phone call is not present, the caller ID box will store this non-voice information in memory. At a later time, the information may be retrieved and reviewed. As the log of received calls is being reviewed, selected calls may be deleted through activation of user interface control.
In many homes and businesses, multiple caller ID boxes may be connected to the same telephone line. Just as multiple phones can be on the same line, these boxes will each receive the incoming telephone calls and display and store the caller ID information. Because the only connection between these caller ID boxes is a common telephone line, any manual update of one caller ID box will not be reflected in any of the other caller ID boxes. Further, in some cases the devices can get out of synchronization with one device showing a new call has arrived and another indicating that calls have been answered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Described herein is a system which provides for the coordination and control of remotely located electronic devices. In one aspect of the invention, coordination is provided between caller ID devices connected to a common telephone line. The caller ID devices may include a broad class of devices that display caller and other information, and manage this information. This class of devices includes “display telephones” (e.g., ADSI telephones) and other similar devices. A caller ID device connected to the telephone line displays information about a phone call being received. This information may include the phone number and name of the person listed at the phone number from which the call is being placed. The caller ID device receives electrical energy from a power line to which at least one other caller ID device on the same telephone line is connected. Each of the caller ID devices includes a display and a long term memory. The display presents all the incoming call information in a readable form and the memory stores this information for retrieval at a later time. The caller ID devices also include external user input controls which allow the person receiving the telephone calls to check through a log of received phone calls and delete selected ones.
In the case where caller information is deleted from one caller ID device connected to the common line, the present invention provides a system which automatically updates the other caller ID devices connected to the same phone line. At the time a particular call is manually deleted from one caller ID device, the processor notes identifying information for that call and generates a command signal for deleting the message. The processor transmits the command for deleting a particular message to a converter/transmitter included in the caller ID device. Using a predetermined protocol, the converter/transmitter converts and then transmits the deletion command signal over the power lines so that it is received at the other caller ID devices. Each caller ID unit includes a converter/transmitter and decodes the signal upon receipt. The translated command signal is then provided to the processor which in turn deletes the identified call from memory. These functions may be performed from any of the caller ID devices attached to the common telephone line and which are receiving electrical energy over the power lines.
In one aspect of the invention, a number of common household appliances, which may include a television, audio equipment, and environmental controls, may receive and respond to control signals received from the caller ID device. Connected between each appliance and the power lines is a receiver which translates signals transmitted over the power lines. The receivers affect the operating status of the appliances in response to the control signals. The processor in the caller ID device may generate a command signal which orders the performance of a number of functions in response to the detection of an incoming phone call. One function may be turning on of lights in the vicinity of phones located throughout the home or business when an incoming call is detected. Once a phone is answered, the home controller may turn off the lights in the vicinity of the phones that were not used to answer the call. When the phone call is completed, the processor may then turn off lights around the phone which was used.
Another function that the processor may perform is changing of the operational status of appliances located in the vicinity of a telephone once it is answered. The receiver for each appliance has a specific address and will only respond when a specially coded signal is received. When an incoming phone call is answered, the caller ID device connected to the phone which is used to answer the call may transmit a control signal addressed to particular appliances to turn off or otherwise change their operational status. For example, if the phone that is answered is near a television set, the processor in the caller ID device may turn off the television set in the vicinity or possibly mute or turn down the volume in accordance with preprogrammed instructions.
In another aspect of the invention, the timing information associated with the incoming calls (e.g., timing information sent as part of signals from the incoming calls or timing tracked in the device itself) may be used to update clocks receiving energy from the power lines. These clocks may be stand alone electric clocks, or they may be clocks incorporated into other appliances. The processor in the caller ID device may convert time information into command signals which then are transmitted over the power lines. Receivers located between the clocks and the power lines translate this timing information and provide command signals for updating the time.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the caller ID devices may communicate with each other through a hard wired circuit or over a wireless network. With the hard wire circuit, the home controller responds to an incoming phone call and sends commands out over the hard circuit. Each appliance has a receiver which translates the command signals. Command signal may also be sent out by a wireless transmitter to remotely located receivers. In this aspect of the invention, the receivers translate the command signals and vary the operation of the electronic appliances accordingly.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a home controller may also be connected to the phone and power lines and may provide control of the electronic appliances from a remote location. The home controller includes a processor, memory, and a translator/transmitter which converts command signals to the appropriate protocol and transmits them over the power lines. A phone call to the home controller may be placed from the remote location. It can be established that if none of the phones within the house are answered within a predetermined amount of time, the home controller will answer. Through transmission of telephony signals such as ADSI-protocol or touch-tone, the homeowner may enter a

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