Remote telephone signaling circuitry and device

A remote personalized telephone signaling device comprising a signaling means preferably in the shape of a toy, animal or human figure with movable and sound-producing mechanisms, and an electronic circuit which transmits electromagnetic waves in response to signals in a telephone line to an electronic circuit which receives the waves and activates the signaling means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to a remote personalized telephone 
signaling circuitry and device, and methods of constructing and utilizing 
same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remote 
personalized telephone signaling portion of the device designed for use in 
addition to, yet physically independent of, a telephone, and the means 
required to electronically connect the activating portion of the device to 
a telephone, or alternatively, between a telephone and a telephone outlet. 
2. Description of the Relevant Art 
The relevant art is exemplified by: U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,153 issued in 1984 
to Festa; U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,210 issued in 1983 to Sparber; U.S. Pat. No. 
2,929,883 issued in 1960 to Durbin et al.; "Technology Illustrated," Oct. 
20, 1983; and United States Statutory Invention Registration H118 
published in 1986 and invented by Biggs et al. The cited art, however, 
fails to teach or suggest features of the present invention. 
Beyond these references, the present inventors are unaware of any 
personalized telephone signaling devices similar to the claimed invention. 
However, there is a battery-operated toy available which is not a 
telephone signaling device but which has the external appearance of FIG. 1 
herein. Such toy is marketed as "Chubby Bear" by the Alps Company. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a remote telephone signaling device 
comprising a wave receiving-signaling portion, a ring detecting-wave 
transmitting circuit which transmits signals to the wave 
receiving-signaling portion in response to electrical signals and a 
telephone line and which is electronically connected to the telephone 
line. The ring detecting-wave transmitting circuit is extrinsic from the 
telephone. 
The remote telephone signaling device comprises connecting means for 
connecting the ring detecting-wave transmitting circuit to a telephone 
line, a signal detecting means for detecting ring-activating signals in a 
telephone line, for detecting if a receiving party has answered the phone, 
and for detecting if a calling party has hung up, and a remote 
receiving-signaling portion comprised of a wave receiving-signaling 
circuit interconnected with a signaling means activated in response to 
detected signals. 
The signaling means is preferably, although not necessarily, a toy figure 
with movable and/or sound-producing and/or light-producing features. 
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a personalized 
alternative to the signaling system associated with phone systems, i.e., 
loud ringing or buzzing. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a remote telephone 
signaling device for connecting remote personalized telephone signaling 
circuitry and device to a telephone. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a remote telephone 
signaling device which includes in its wave receiving-signaling portion a 
wave receiving-signaling circuit which activates a signaling means in 
response to waves transmitted by the ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a remote 
personalized telephone signaling device which quickly connects to any 
standard telephone and any telephone outlet. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remote 
personalized telephone signaling device in the shape of a toy, animal or 
human figure with movable and sound producing and/or light producing 
features. 
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention 
will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, when 
taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings discloses preferred 
embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a remote personalized telephone 
signaling device indicated generally as 2. Preferably, but not 
necessarily, the telephone signaling device is in the shape of a toy, 
animal or human figure having movable and sound-producing and/or 
light-producing features. The telephone signaling device 2 is preferably, 
but not necessarily, a complete device having mechanical, aesthetic and 
electrical features. 
Mechanical features of the telephone signaling device may include, but not 
exclusively, a central frame and moving members such as arms, legs, feet, 
head, doors, wheels, etc. Also included among the mechanical features are 
sound-producing instruments or mechanisms, such as whistles, bells, drums, 
horns, music boxes, record or tape playing means, etc. 
Electrical features may include, but not exclusively, a power source, motor 
or driving means, light-producing elements, appropriate connecting means 
and a remote wave receiving-signaling circuit generally indicated by 40 
(see FIG. 3). 
Preferably, but not exclusively, power sources for both the ring 
detecting-wave transmitting circuit, generally indicated by 20 (see FIG. 
2) and wave receiving-signaling circuit 40 (see FIG. 3) are batteries, 
solar cells, transformers and electrical adaptors for electrical outlets. 
Aesthetic features may include, but not exclusively, a soft grippable 
exterior, bright attractive colors, etc. 
Referring back to FIG. 1, the remote personalized telephone signaling 
device shown is a toy bear. External features of this bear include a 
whistle 4, a drum 6, drumsticks 8, moving arms 10, moving head 12, moving 
feet 14, and a soft, fuzzy covering material. 
The internal features of this bear include a central frame, wave 
receiving-signaling circuit 40 (see FIG. 3), a motor or driving means 46 
(FIG. 3) including appropriate electrical connecting means, appropriate 
mechanical connecting means allowing movement of the above-discussed 
parts, and wave receiving-signaling circuit 40 interfaced or otherwise 
electronically connected with driving means 46. 
In use, the ring detecting-wave transmitting circuit 20 (see FIG. 2) would 
be connected between a telephone 38 (FIG. 2) and a telephone outlet using 
preferably, but not necessarily, conventional plug-in telephone adaptors. 
Telephone signaling device 2 is positioned within a predetermined radius 
of the transmitter's output signal. 
Upon receiving a ring-activating signal, ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit 20 (see FIG. 2) transmits a signal to wave receiving-signaling 
circuit 40 (see FIG. 3) which activates driving means 46 (FIG. 3) whereby 
head 12 would rock back and forth forcing air through whistle 4, arms 8 
would move up and down thereby contacting drumsticks 8 with drum 6, and 
feet 14 would turn the device from side to side. A combination of such 
movements and sound created thereby would pleasantly inform a receiving 
party that he or she should answer telephone 38 (FIG. 2). 
Once the receiving party has answered telephone 38(see FIG. 2), ring 
detecting-wave transmitting circuit 20 (FIG. 2) stops transmitting a 
signal to receiving-signaling circuit 40 (FIG. 3), deactivating driving 
means 46 (FIG. 3) whereby signaling device 2 stops signaling. 
Similarly, if the receiving party is not present to answer telephone 38 
(see FIG. 2) and the calling party hangs up, ring detecting-wave 
transmitting circuit 20 (FIG. 2) stops transmitting its signal to 
receiving circuit 40 (FIG. 3) which deactivates driving means 46 (FIG. 3) 
and turns off signaling device 2. 
If the electrical power source fails, i.e., if batteries die, a short 
circuit occurs in the electrical connecting means, etc., the connection 
between telephone 38 (see FIG. 2) and the telephone outlet will not be 
affected because this connection is through the ring detecting-wave 
transmitting circuit 20 (FIG. 2). 
Similarly, a sounding mechanism integrally included with the telephone is 
not affected by the presence of the ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit 20 (see FIG. 2) or the wave receiving-signaling circuit 40 (FIG. 
3). The integral sounding mechanism may be used in addition to the 
signaling device 2, or if desired may be turned off so that only the 
signaling device 2 is operative. 
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit 20 which may include, but not exclusively, connecting means 22 for 
connecting ring detecting-wave transmitting circuit 20 to the telephone 
line outlet in telephone 38, respectively, and means for activating and 
deactivating transmitter driving means 28 which activates or deactivates 
transmitting means 34. 
Means for activating and deactivating transmitter driving means 28 may 
include, but not exclusively, a signal detecting portion generally 
indicated by 21 and an activating portion generally indicated by 25. 
Preferably, but not exclusively, signal detecting portion 21 includes a 
ring-activating signal detecting component 23 which may, but not 
necessarily, be an integrated circuit. 
Preferably, but not exclusively, activating portion 25 includes timing 
means 24, transmitter driving means 28 and transmitting means 34. 
Transmitter driving means 28 and transmitting means 34 are powered by 
rechargeable batteries 30 which receive a continuous charge from trickle 
charger 26. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown remote wave receiving-signaling 
circuit 40 which may include, but not exclusively, an electromagnetic wave 
receiving portion generally indicated by 43 and a driving portion 
generally indicated by 47. 
Preferably, but not exclusively, electromagnetic wave receiving portion 43 
includes receiving antenna 42 and receiving means 44. Preferably, but not 
exclusively, driving portion 47 includes driving means 46. Remote wave 
receiving-signaling circuit 40, operatively interconnected with signaling 
device 2 (see FIG. 1), is powered by and includes a power supply means 
which may be one or more dry-cells, photovoltaic units, etc. According to 
the preferred embodiment, circuit 40 is powered by conventional dry cells 
48. 
In use of the preferred embodiment depicted by Figures 2 and 3, a 
ring-activating signal comes through connecting means 22 to the 
ring-activating signal detecting component 23 and to the telephone 38. The 
detecting component 23 then generates a series of electrical pulses which 
activate transmitter driving means 28 to cause the radiation of 
appropriate electromagnetic waves from transmitting means 34 via 
transmitting antenna 36. 
The electromagnetic waves radiated from ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit 20 are received by receiving antenna 42 of receiving-signaling 
circuit 40 which activates driving means 46 to animate and illuminate 
signaling device 2 (see FIG. 1). 
When a user lifts the receiver (not shown) of telephone 38, off-hook 
detection means 32 detects the lifting of the receiver and signals timing 
means 24 to stop its signal to driving means 28, which in turn stops the 
signal transmitted from transmitting means 34. With the discontinued 
emission of electromagnetic waves from ring detecting-wave transmitting 
circuit 20, receiving means 44 stops sending generating pulses to driving 
means 46, which in turn stops sending driving signals to signaling device 
2 (see FIG. 1). 
Although various advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate 
the invention, it would be understood that those skilled in the art that 
various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended 
claims.