Computer system utilizing a telephone as an input device

Claim 1

A system comprising: a tone-generating telephone set having a number of actuatable members thereon, said telephone set producing tone signals having different frequency characteristics in dependence upon the actuation of said actuatable members either singly or simultaneously in groups; logic circuit means coupled with said telephone set, said logic circuit means being responsive to the actuation of said actuatable members on said telephone set either singly or simultaneously in groups for producing a number of discrete signals, said logic circuit means including tone-to-digital converter means for converting said tone signals produced by said telephone set into digital information, translator means responsive to said digital information for producing said number of discrete signals; said tone-to-digital converter means comprising means effecting selective connection of a plurality of output circuits, selected pairs of said plurality of output circuits being connected upon single actuation of various ones of said actuatable members on said telephone set, selected single ones of said plurality of output circuits being connected upon simultaneous actuation of various groups of said actuatable members on said telephone set; said translator means being responsive to said selective circuit connections to produce said number of discrete signals; said translator means including decoder means comprising a plurality of input conductors connected with said plurality of output circuits of said tone-to-digital converter means, a plurality of discrete decoder output lines; and selective logic circuit means coupled to said plurality of discrete input conductors for selecting various ones of said plurality of discrete decoder output lines in response to said selective connection of said plurality of output circuits of said toneto-digital converter means, and inhibit means for inhibiting the response to said discrete signals until a depressed single actuable member on said telephone set is released.

Claim 2

A system comprising: a tone-generating telephone set having a number of actuatable members thereon, said telephone set producing tone signals having different frequency characteristics in dependence upon the actuation of said actuatable members either singly or simultaneously in groups; logic circuit means coupled with said telephone set, said logic circuit means being responsive to the actuation of said actuatable members on said telephone set either singly or simultaneously in groups for producing a number of discrete signals, said logic circuit means including tone-to-digital converter means for converting said tone signals produced by said telephone set into digital information, translator means responsive to said digital information for producing said number of discrete signals; said tone-to-digital converter means comprising means effecting selective connection of a plurality of output circuits, selected pairs of said plurality of output circuits being connected upon single actuation of various ones of said actuatable members on said telephone set, selected single ones of said plurality of output circuits being connected upon simultaneous actuation of various groups of said actuatable members on said telephone set; said translator means being responsive to said selective circuit connections to produce said number of discrete signals; said translator means including decoder means comprising a plurality of input conductors connected with said plurality of output circuits of said tone-to-digital converter means, a plurality of discrete decoder output lines; and selective logic circuit means coupled to said plurality of discrete input conductors for selecting various ones of said plurality of discrete decoder output lines in response to said selective connection of said plurality of output circuits of said toneto-digital converter means, and inhibit means for inhibiting the response to said discrete signals until a depressed single actuable member on said telephone set is released.

Claim 4

A method of feeding data and command information so a computer mechanism adapted to process data information in accordance with command information, by means of a tone-generating telephone handset having a plurality of keys thereon operative when actuated individually to produce single signals having different frequency characteristics corresponding to the particular key depressed and operative when actuated simultaneously in groups to produce single signals having still different frequency characteristics corresponding to the particular group of keys simultaneously actuated, said method comprising the steps of: a. actuating the keys individually to develop single signals representing one form of said information; b. actuating the keys simultaneously in groups to develop single signals representing the other form of said information; c. translating said single signals into computer command and date control signals; d. feeding said computer command and data control signals to the computer mechanism in sequence to cause said computer mechanism to process said data information in accordance with said command information; e. monitoring the computer mechanism by sending audio tones to said telephone handset indicative of the operation of said computer mechanism in response to said computer command and data control signals; and f. inhibiting the response to said developed signals until a depressed single key on said telephone set is rEleased.

Claim 5

A method of feeding data and command information so a computer mechanism adapted to process data information in accordance with command information, by means of a tone-generating telephone handset having a plurality of keys thereon operative when actuated individually to produce single signals having different frequency characteristics corresponding to the particular key depressed and operative when actuated simultaneously in groups to produce single signals having still different frequency characteristics corresponding to the particular group of keys simultaneously actuated, said method comprising the steps of: a. actuating the keys individually to develop single signals representing one form of said information; b. actuating the keys simultaneously in groups to develop single signals representing the other form of said information; c. translating said single signals into computer command and date control signals; d. feeding said computer command and data control signals to the computer mechanism in sequence to cause said computer mechanism to process said data information in accordance with said command information; e. monitoring the computer mechanism by sending audio tones to said telephone handset indicative of the operation of said computer mechanism in response to said computer command and data control signals; and f. inhibiting the response to said developed signals until a depressed single key on said telephone set is rEleased.

Claim 6

A system for controlling the operation of a computer device means in response to the actuation of keys on a tone-generating telephone set having a plurality of keys thereon, said computer device means being responsive to signals having at least first and second different signal or frequency characteristics, said system comprising: signal-producing means responsive to the actuation of keys on said telephone set to selectively produce said signals having said at least first and second different characteristics, said signal-producing means selectively producing signals having said first different characteristics when in a first condition, said signal-producing means selectively producing signals having said second different characteristics when in a second condition; shifting means responsive to the simultaneous actuation of selected groups of keys on said telephone set to selectively shift said signal-producing means into at least said first and second condition; and inhibit means for inhibiting the response of said computer device means to said signals having at least first and second different signal or frequency characteristics until a depressed single key on said telephone set is released.

Claim 7

A system for controlling the operation of a computer device means in response to the actuation of keys on a tone-generating telephone set having a plurality of keys thereon, said computer device means being responsive to signals having at least first and second different signal or frequency characteristics, said system comprising: signal-producing means responsive to the actuation of keys on said telephone set to selectively produce said signals having said at least first and second different characteristics, said signal-producing means selectively producing signals having said first different characteristics when in a first condition, said signal-producing means selectively producing signals having said second different characteristics when in a second condition; shifting means responsive to the simultaneous actuation of selected groups of keys on said telephone set to selectively shift said signal-producing means into at least said first and second condition; and inhibit means for inhibiting the response of said computer device means to said signals having at least first and second different signal or frequency characteristics until a depressed single key on said telephone set is released.