Patent ID: 7190769

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling operation of a recording device with a telephone instrument; said telephone instrument being configured for orientation in a first state and a second state; the apparatus comprising: (a) an information conveying section for conveying information from said telephone instrument to a recording locus in said recording device; said information conveying section being coupled with said telephone instrument and coupled with said recording locus; (b) an indicating section coupled with said telephone instrument; said indicating section receiving an operating voltage from said recording device and receiving a monitor signal from said telephone instrument; said monitor signal being at a first value when said telephone instrument is in said first state; said monitor signal being at a second value when said telephone instrument is in said second state; said indicating section employing a single fixed bias to generate a first indicating signal when said telephone instrument is in said first state and to generate a second indicating signal when said telephone instrument is in said second state regardless of value of said operating voltage; and (c) an engaging section coupled with said indicating section and coupled with a voltage control locus in said recording device; said engaging section responding to said first indicating signal to orient said voltage control locus to configure said recording device for recording said information received at said recording locus; said engaging section responding to said second indicating signal to orient said voltage control locus to configure said recording device for not recording.