Modular telephone

Abstract

An electronic system such as a modular telephone which includes one or more module slots used to add features. The module slots are configured to receive modules adding the software and hardware necessary to provide the desired features.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A modular telephone, comprising: 
 one or more module slots, including a first module slot, wherein each module slot is configured to receive a module adding a feature to the modular telephone;    a processing unit, wherein the processing unit includes a module slot interface and memory, wherein the module slot interface is connected to each module slot and is adapted to read information from a module installed in the first module slot;    a data entry device; and    a telephone subsystem connected to the processing unit and the data entry device, wherein the telephone module operates in cooperation with the processing unit and the data entry device to provide a feature based on information read from a module installed in the first module slot, wherein the telephone module includes: 
 a telephone circuit connected to the data entry device;  
 service connecting means for connecting the telephone circuit to a telephone service;  
 a receiver; and  
 a microphone.  
   
     
     
         2 . The telephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the service connecting means includes a tip and ring interface.  
     
     
         3 . The telephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the first module slot includes circuitry which reads application code stored in a module installed in the first module slot.  
     
     
         4 . The telephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the first module slot includes circuitry which reads operating system code stored in a module installed in the first module slot, wherein the operating system code is used to update operation of the processing unit.  
     
     
         5 . The telephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the memory includes a plurality of distinctive ring locations, wherein each distinctive ring location contains data representative of a distinctive ring signal.  
     
     
         6 . The modular telephone according to  claim 1  wherein the modular telephone further comprises a display screen.  
     
     
         7 . The modular telephone according to  claim 6  wherein the modular telephone further comprises soft keys displayed on the display screen.  
     
     
         8 . A module for installing a new feature in an electronic system, wherein the electronic system includes a module connection configured to connect the module to the electronic system, the module comprising: 
 an enclosure;    a connector mounted in the enclosure and configured to connect to the module connection when the enclosure is placed in proximity to the electronic system;    a user interface mounted on the enclosure, wherein the user interface is mounted such that it is accessible when the module is connected to the electronic system; and    memory, wherein the memory includes a plurality of memory locations and wherein one or more of the plurality of memory locations contains information specific to the feature being installed.    
     
     
         9 . The module according to  claim 8 , wherein the memory locations also contain application code.  
     
     
         10 . The module according to  claim 8 , wherein the memory locations also contain operating system code used to update operation of a processing unit in the electronic system.  
     
     
         11 . The module according to  claim 8 , wherein the user interface includes a display screen.  
     
     
         12 . A module for installing a new feature in an electronic system, wherein the electronic system includes a module connection configured to connect the module to the electronic system, the module comprising: 
 an enclosure;    a connector mounted in the enclosure and configured to connect to the module connection when the enclosure is placed in proximity to the electronic system; and    memory, wherein the memory includes a plurality of memory locations, wherein the memory locations contains information specific to the feature being installed and wherein the memory locations also include operating system code used to update operation of a processing unit in the electronic system.    
     
     
         13 . The module according to  claim 12 , wherein the module further includes an interface, mounted on one or more sides of the module, wherein the interface is used to control aspects of the feature being installed.  
     
     
         14 . The module according to  claim 13 , wherein the interface includes a display screen.  
     
     
         15 . A method of installing a feature in an electronic system, wherein the electronic system includes a processing unit, comprising: 
 providing a module having memory;    storing information relevant to the feature into the module memory; and    transferring the relevant information to the electronic system, wherein transferring includes reading operating system code from the module memory, wherein the operating system code is used to update operation of the processing unit.    
     
     
         16 . A method of executing an added feature in an electronic system, wherein the electronic system includes a processing unit, comprising: 
 providing a module having memory and a user interface;    storing information relevant to the feature into the module memory;    transferring the relevant information to the electronic system; and    accessing the feature, wherein accessing includes entering instructions via the user interface.    
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the user interface is a pushbutton and wherein entering instructions includes depressing the pushbutton.  
     
     
         18 . A peripheral device which operates in conjunction with a telephone to add features to the telephone, comprising: 
 one or more module slots, including a first module slot, wherein each module slot is configured to receive a module adding features to the telephone;    a processing unit, wherein the processing unit includes a module slot interface and memory, wherein the module slot interface is connected to each module slot and is adapted to read information from a module installed in the first module slot; and    a telephone interface which operates in cooperation with the processing unit to provide a feature based on information read from a module installed in the first module slot, wherein the telephone interface includes a relay for disconnecting the telephone from a central office.    
     
     
         19 . The peripheral device according to  claim 18  wherein the peripheral device receives a modulated signal, digitizes the modulated signal to form an incoming digitized signal and saves the incoming digital signal to memory.  
     
     
         20 . The peripheral device according to  claim 18  wherein the peripheral device reads a message from memory, converts the message to an analog signal and drives the analog signal out through the telephone interface.  
     
     
         21 . The peripheral device according to  claim 18  wherein the peripheral device further comprises a data entry device connected to the processing unit and the telephone subsystem.  
     
     
         22 . The peripheral device according to  claim 21  wherein the data entry device comprises a display screen.  
     
     
         23 . A numeric data entry device which operates under a first method to transfer information over a telephone connection and which operates under a second method to transfer information to a microprocessor, the data entry device comprising: 
 a user interface; and    a DTMF disable feature for disabling DTMF tones while permitting transfer of data from the user interface to the microprocessor.    
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein the user interface is a keypad.  
     
     
         25 . A method of generating a distinctive call signal for a telephone, comprising: 
 storing data representative of a plurality of distinctive call signals in memory;    associating one or more of the distinctive call signals with caller identifiers, wherein associating includes associating a first distinctive call signal with a first caller identifier;    receiving an incoming signal including the first caller identifier;    accessing the data as a function of the first caller identifier; and    generating the first distinctive incoming call signal from the accessed data.    
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the caller identifier is a sequence of DTMF tones.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the caller identifier is an identification received from voice recognition apparatus.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the caller identifier is caller ID.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the signal is an audible representation of the caller ID.  
     
     
         30 . A method of diverting a telephone call, comprising: 
 storing data representative of a plurality of messages in memory;    associating one or more of the messages with caller identifiers, wherein associating includes associating a first message with a first caller identifier;    receiving a signal including the first caller identifier;    accessing the data as a function of the first caller identifier; and    playing a message as a function of the accessed data.    
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein accessing the data includes: 
 requesting a security code;    determining if the security code matches an expected security code;    if the security code matches an expected security code, accessing data associated with the first message; and    if the security code does not match an expected security code, accessing data associated with a second message.    
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the caller identifiers are sequences of DTMF tones.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the caller identifiers are identifications received from voice recognition apparatus.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the caller identifiers are caller IDs.  
     
     
         35 . A method of diverting a telephone call, comprising: 
 storing data representative of a plurality of telephone numbers in memory;    associating one or more of the telephone numbers with caller identifiers, wherein associating includes associating a first telephone number with a first caller identifier;    receiving a signal including the first caller identifier;    accessing the data as a function of the first caller identifier; and    transferring the call as a function of the accessed data.    
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the caller identifiers are sequences of DTMF tones.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the caller identifiers are identifications received from voice recognition apparatus.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the caller identifiers are caller IDs.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein accessing the data includes: 
 requesting a security code;    determining if the security code matches an expected security code;    if the security code matches an expected security code, accessing data associated with the first telephone number; and    if the security code does not match an expected security code, accessing data associated with a second telephone number.    
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein accessing the data includes: 
 requesting a security code;    determining if the security code matches an expected security code;    if the security code matches an expected security code, accessing data associated with the first telephone number; and    if the security code does not match an expected security code, accessing data associated with a predefined message.    
     
     
         41 . A method of diverting a telephone call, comprising: 
 providing one or more buttons;    storing data representative of a plurality of messages in memory;    associating one or more of the messages with one or more of the buttons, wherein associating includes associating a first message with a first button;    receiving a call;    pressing the first button; and    playing the first message.    
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the method further comprises terminating the call after playing the first message.  
     
     
         43 . A method of speed dialing, comprising: 
 storing data representative of a plurality of area codes in memory;    associating each of the plurality of the area codes with a button, wherein associating includes associating a first area code with a button;    depressing the first button; and    driving a signal representative of the first area code on the telephone line.    
     
     
         44 . A method of speed dialing, comprising: 
 storing data representative of a plurality of telephone numbers in memory;    entering a string of numbers;    comparing the string of numbers against the telephone numbers stored in memory;    listing on a display a list of telephone numbers which match the string of numbers; and    dialing one of the listed telephone numbers.