Patent ID: 6373934
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically monitoring and recording incoming and outgoing telephone call parameters and forming a call record in response thereto, the calls occurring within a telephone system connected at terminal points to telephone sets by telephone lines, the telephone sets utilizing DTMF signaling tones and said telephone lines comprising either of a â€œoff-hookâ€  or an â€œon-hookâ€  status, said â€œoff-hookâ€  status being indicative of a call in progress and said â€œon-hookâ€  status representing a standby status wherein calls may be received, the transition from on-hook to off- hook and off-hook to on-hook representing the initiation and termination of a call respectively, the apparatus adapted for connection to the telephone line and comprising:signal conditioning means connected to said telephone line; an outgoing call decoder means having an input connected to said signal conditioning means and an output, said output call decoder means operative to output data responsive to outgoing calls, said output data comprising an output call record; line status detector means having an input connected to said signal conditioning means and an output, said line status detector means operative to output a signal indicative of whether said telephone line is in an off-hook status; incoming call decoder means having an input connected to said signal conditioning means and an output, said incoming call decoder means operative to output an incoming call data signal responsive to an incoming call, said data being used to form an incoming call record; clock means for determining the date, time of day, and duration of said incoming and outgoing calls; and a computation means connected to said incoming and outgoing call decoder means, said clock means, and said line status detector means, said computation means being operative to form incoming and outgoing call records comprising data received therefrom, said incoming call record comprising said incoming call data, said call start and end times, said call duration, and account number, said outgoing call record comprising said outgoing call data, said call start and end times, said call duration, and account number said computation means further comprising means for displaying said records.