Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Michael A Bromberg

Glen R Dash

Lee D Weinstein

P Bradley Rosen

Benjamin Chigier

Thomas C Purcell

James A Goldstein

John A Kowalonek

George Favaloro

David E Winston

A telephone system having a telephone network line for connection to an external phone line. The telephone system also includes a computer system and a telephone coupled to the telephone network line, and the telephone is taken off-hook to enter a voice command. A transmitter communicates the voice command from the telephone to the computer system without the telephone seizing the external phone line. A computer interface unit is connected to the computer system to receive the voice transmitted from the telephone and to transmit voice signals transmitted by the computer system to the telephone. A phone interface unit is connected between the telephone and telephone network line, and the phone interface unit is selectable between a first mode and a second mode. The phone interface unit connects the telephone to the telephone network line if it is in the first mode, and isolates the telephone from the telephone network line if it is in the second mode. If an external phone call is detected from the external phone line, the phone interface unit can be selected to be in the first mode if the external call is present. The computer system includes communication software for controlling communication in the telephone system, including receiving a voice command transmitted from the telephone when the telephone is off-hook, and controlling the phone interface unit to isolate the telephone from the external phone line when receiving the voice command from the telephone line.

Communication with a computer using telephones

A method and apparatus provide communication in a telephone system connected to an external phone line, wherein the telephone system has a telephone line, a telephone, a phone interface unit coupled to the telephone and the telephone line, a computer system, and a computer interface unit coupled to the computer system and the telephone line. A bias voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if the telephone is on-hook or off-hook, a ringing voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if an external call is incoming, and a first carrier transmitted by the phone interface unit is detected. A second carrier is transmitted using the computer interface unit under control of the computer system. Detection of the bias voltage, ringing voltage, and/or first carrier is communicated to the computer system. An off-hook condition is indicated if the line bias voltage is less than an off-hook bias threshold voltage. An incoming ring is indicated if the ringing voltage has an amplitude greater than a first voltage and a frequency in the range of a ring frequency. The first carrier is indicated as being present if a signal is detected at a first carrier center frequency and having an amplitude greater than a first carrier threshold voltage. The second carrier is indicated as being present if a signal is detected at a second carrier center frequency and having an amplitude greater than a second carrier threshold voltage.

Communication between a telephone and a computer system

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Mason, NH, United States of America

Michael A Bromberg