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:
Sep. 30, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1999
Joseph M. Cannon, Harleysville, PA (US);
James A. Johanson, Macungie, PA (US);
Philip D. Mooney, North Wales, PA (US);
Richard M. Ubowski, Harleysville, PA (US);
Agere Systems, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
An audible signal associated with an event is provided as part of the audio path of a telephone. In particular, a telephone according to one embodiment of the invention includes a microphone adapted to receive audible signals from a user and to convert the audible signals to electrical signals for transmission to a distant party, and a speaker adapted to receive electrical signals associated with input from the distant party and to convert the electrical signals to audible signals. According to the invention, the telephone also includes a processor adapted to produce electrical signals associated with an external event, and to integrate these electrical signals with the received electrical signals. In an alternative embodiment according to the invention, a method of alerting a party to a telephone conversation of an external event includes the step of providing an indication of the external event to the party from a speaker of the telephone during the telephone conversation. The external event can be a time of day, for example, and the indication can be a distinctive chime or an announcement of the time.