Telephone answering system with line detector

Abstract

A telephone answering system for use in conjunction with a PBX/CENTREX system for answering incoming calls directed to any of the extension lines within the system. The telephone answering system includes an operator control station and a line detection system. The line detection system monitors the telephone lines within the PBX/CENTREX system. This detection system includes a plurality of ring/hook interfaces each of which is connected in parallel across one of the telephone lines in the PBX/CENTREX system being monitored. Each of the interfaces has a ring detector for detecting a ring signal on the associated telephone line for providing a ring count when there is an incoming call and a hook detector for detecting the on/off hook condition on the associated telephone line. A coupling mechanism couples the ring detector and the hook detector to the operator control station for providing information to the operator control station indicative of the ring count and hook conditions of the telephone lines being monitored. The operator control station is coupled to the detector and provides a signal for causing the PBX/CENTREX system to carry out a directed call pick-up when the ring count on a monitored telephone line has exceeded a preselected limit without the incoming call being answered and for transferring such incoming call to said operator control station for answering by an operator.