The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1997
Al Hartmann, Round Rock, TX (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention comprises an improved telephone system and method for terminating a telephone call after simulating a telephone connection failure. After establishing a telephone connection, a user can terminate the telephone call by depressing a switch on the telephone. The telephone then receives a signal that the switch has been depressed, generates a sound in the telephone line, and then terminates the telephone call. In one embodiment, the user terminates the telephone call because the user no longer wishes to continue conversing with the caller. In another embodiment, the caller terminates the telephone call before the user answers the telephone call after the user determines the identity of the caller. The generated sound simulates a failure in the telephone connection. For example, the sound could be noise to attempt to persuade the caller that the telephone connection is unusable. Thus, a user can terminate a telephone call without the user giving any explanation to the caller of why the user needs to terminate the telephone call.