Auxiliary baseband telephone interface for an answering machine

Abstract

An auxiliary baseband telephone instrument interface is provided in an answering machine to which any auxiliary telephone instrument, whether corded or cordless, can be connected and can control the answering machine functionality by use of in-band control signals. More specifically, a controllable switch arrangement is employed to connect outputs of an auxiliary instrument jack to outputs of a telephone line jack to which the answering machine is connected, or to the answering machine functionality itself and to disconnect the outputs of the auxiliary jack from the outputs of the telephone line jack or the answering machine functionality. Use of unidirectional paths controlled by a plurality of switching elements allows the user of an auxiliary telephone instrument connected to the auxiliary instrument jack to privately screen incoming calls on a telephone line connected to the telephone line jack, which the answering machine has answered and to controllably access other remote features of the answering machine. During the private screening of a call, a user of the auxiliary telephone instrument can interrupt the answering machine operations by entering an in-band control signal and thereby intercept the answered call. Additionally, use of the controllable switch array enables a user of the auxiliary telephone instrument to answer incoming calls, if desired, or to make outgoing calls, if desired.