Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Message signal analysis
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-02
2001-03-27
Tsang, Fan (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Message signal analysis
C379S067100, C379S068000, C379S088120, C379S088260, C379S102020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208716
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of automatic telephone answering systems and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for determining the time of message reception.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are various types of systems which automatically answer an incoming call and maintain a telephone line connection which are broadly defined as automatic telephone answering devices. These devices include, for example, automatic telephone message recording equipment, message recording systems having remote access message playback, automatic telephone call forwarding equipment, automatic dial-up alarm receiving equipment, automatic answering data entry systems, and other telephone devices used in association with modem equipment.
Messages which are received and stored in a telephone answering device typically include a time stamp which displays the date and time the message was received. The time stamp may include detailed information such as, for example, the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second the message was received by the telephone answering device. However, in order for the telephone answering device to be able to provide all of this information on the time stamp, a substantial amount of code is required which results in the need for increased memory storage capacity within the device.
These telephone answering devices may be connected to a computer which retrieves stored messages in the telephone answering device. A typical computer has its own internal clock and a substantial amount of memory. These computers are also capable of executing complex programs and therefore are able to provide detailed time stamp information. As a result, providing a telephone answering device that has detailed time stamp capabilities in combination with a computer that also has those capabilities is redundant and thus results in unnecessary system costs to perform the desired function. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a simple and cost effective telephone answering device having minimal memory space and program requirements which communicates with a computer to determine the time of message reception of a telephone message.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention provides a telephone answering apparatus for determining the time of message reception. A host computer includes a host clock operatively connected to an application running on the host computer. A telephone answering device includes a controller operatively connected to a device clock, and a memory device operatively connected to the controller to store a message. The application is operatively connected to the controller. The application resets the device clock, stores a host clock value on the host computer, and adds an incremented device clock value assigned to the stored message to the host clock value to determine the actual time of message reception. An application interface may be operatively connected to the controller and the application, and a ring detector may be operatively connected to the controller. A receiver may be operatively connected to the controller, and a 2-wire to 4-wire network circuit operatively connected to the receiver. A loop holding circuit may be operatively connected to the 2-wire to 4-wire network circuit, and a switch may be operatively connected to the 2-wire to 4-wire network circuit.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method for determining the time of reception of message reception. A host computer including a host clock operatively connected to an application running on the host computer is provided. A telephone answering device includes a controller operatively connected to a device clock, and a memory device operatively connected to the controller. The application is operatively connected to the controller. The device clock is reset to a start-time device clock value, and a host clock value is stored in the host computer. The device clock is incremented and a message is received. The message is stored with an incremented device clock value. The message is retrieved with the incremented value, and the incremented device clock value is added to the host clock value to ascertain the actual time of message reception. The termination of the application by a user of the host computer may be requested. The resetting of the device clock to the start-time device clock value may also be requested. The telephone answering device may be enabled to store incoming messages. The application may be closed and opened. The telephone answering device may be prevented from storing the message while the application is opened. An incoming call may be detected, and a telephone connection between a caller and the telephone answering device may be established. The retrieved message may be marked as old.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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3Com Corporation
Baniak Pine & Gannon
Hoosain Allan
Tsang Fan
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