Handset or speaker message retrieval system

Abstract

A telephone answering machine with a built in telephone that incorporates a mechanism for retrieving messages under a variety of operating conditions has the ability to access messages through the telephone handset to ensure privacy, while not interfering with normal telephone usage. The messages can also be played back through the speaker of the unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A telephone answering machine having a telephone portion for communication between called and calling parties and an answering portion for message recording and playback, said telephone answering machine comprising: a telephone handset;   message storage means for storing a message from a caller and playing back said message to said called party, said message storage means coupled to said telephone handset;   a speaker coupled to said message storage means, said speaker .Iadd., when message playback is initiated and with said telephone handset being on hook, .Iaddend.audibly broadcasting a recorded message from said message storage means;   switching means coupled to said telephone handset, said switching means switchably selecting either said telephone handset or said speaker for audible broadcast of a recorded message from said message storage means; and   control means coupled to said message storage means, said control means suspending and activating operation of said message storage means in response to coincident use of said telephone handset, thereby preserving message transmission order from said message storage means.   
     
     
       2. The telephone answering machine of claim 1 in which said switching means switches output of said message storage means to said telephone handset when said telephone handset is .[.absent from said telephone answering machine.]. .Iadd.off hook. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       3. The telephone answering machine of claim 1 in which said switching means switches output of said message storage means to said speaker when said handset is .[.present upon said telephone answering machine.]. .Iadd.placed on hook .Iaddend.. .Iadd.4. A telephone answering machine having (a) a telephone portion including a telephone handset with means for communication between called and calling parties when the handset is off hook, (b) an answering portion including means for message recording and playback, and (c) speaker means to audibly reproduce a recorded message being played back on said message recording and playback means, comprising: switching means for selectively coupling the message recording and playback means to either said telephone handset or said speaker means at any given time and, when the handset is on hook, being set to couple the message recording and playback means to said speaker means upon initiation of message playback; and   control means to, after the handset has been taken off hook, automatically change over the switching means so as to couple the message recording and   
     
     
        playback means to said handset. .Iaddend. .Iadd.5.  The telephone answering machine of claim 4, wherein if said message recording and playback means is in an idle state when the handset is taken off-hook, said control means automatically actuates said switching means to couple the message recording and playback means to said handset for, upon such playback being initiated, audibly reproducing the recorded message therethrough. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. The telephone answering machine of claim 4, wherein if audible reproduction by the speaker means of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress when said handset is taken off hook, said control means automatically changes over the switching means to continue such audible reproduction on said handset. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The telephone answering machine of claim 4, wherein said control means responds to said handset being placed on hook while said message recording and playback means is coupled to the handset by changing over the switching means to couple said message recording and 
     
     
        playback means to said speaker means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8.  A telephone answering machine connected to a telephone line and having (a) a telephone portion including a telephone handset with means for communication between called and calling parties when the handset is off hook, (b) an answering portion including means for message recording and playback, and (c) speaker means to audibly reproduce a recorded message being played back on said message recording and playback means, comprising: switching means for (a) selectively coupling the message recording and playback means to either one of said telephone handset and said speaker means at any given time and (b) coupling the handset to the telephone line;   ring detect means for sensing an incoming ring on said telephone line and for generating a ring detect signal in response thereto; and   control means for, when audible reproduction by the speaker means of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress, responding to the handset being taken off hook after occurrence of said ring detect signal to automatically actuate the switching means so   
     
     
        as to couple the handset to the telephone line. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9.  The telephone answering machine of claim 8, wherein said control means stops further playback of the recorded message when the switching means is actuated in response to said ring detect signal and the handset being 
     
     
        taken off hook. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10.  The telephone answering machine of claim 9, wherein said control means pauses said message recording and playback means at that point where message playback was stopped to enable 
     
     
        subsequent continuation of playback from such point. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A telephone answering machine connected to a telephone line and having (a) a telephone portion including a telephone handset with means for communication between called and calling parties when the handset is off hook, (b) an answering portion including means for message recording and playback, and (c) speaker means to audibly reproduce a recorded message on said message recording and playback means, comprising: switching means for (a) coupling the message recording and playback means to either one of said telephone handset and said speaker means to any given time, and (b) coupling the handset to the telephone line; .Iaddend.   ring detect means for sensing an incoming ring on said telephone line and for generating a ring detect signal in response thereto; and   control means for, when audible reproduction by the handset of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress, responding to said ring signal and a flashing signal to actuate the switching means so as to couple the handset to the telephone line. .Iadd.12. The telephone answering machine of claim 11, wherein said control means stops further playback of the recorded message when the switching means is actuated in response to said ring detect signal and   
     
     
        said flashing signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  The telephone answering machine of claim 12, wherein said control means pauses said message recording and playback means at that point where message playback was stopped to enable subsequent continuation of playback from such point. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A telephone answering machine connected to a telephone line and having (a) a telephone portion including a telephone handset with means for communication between called and calling parties when the handset is off hook, (b) an answering portion including means for message recording and playback, and (c) speaker means to audibly reproduce a recorded message on said message recording and playback means, comprising: switching means for (a) selectively coupling the message recording and playback means to either one of said telephone handset and said speaker means at any given time, and (b) selectively coupling the handset to the telephone line; .Iaddend.   ring detect means for sensing an incoming ring on said telephone line and for generating a ring detect signal in response thereto;   control means for, when audible reproduction by one of the speaker means and handset of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress, (a) actuating said switching means to couple the handset to said telephone line after occurrence of said ring detect signal, and (b) stopping playback of the recorded message when the switching means is actuated in response to said ring detect signal. .Iadd.15. The telephone answering machine of claim 14, wherein said control means pauses said message recording and playback means at that point where message playback was stopped to enable subsequent continuation of playback from such point. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The telephone answering machine of claim 14, wherein when audible reproduction by the handset of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress, said control means stops playback of the recorded message in response to said ring detect signal and a flash signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The telephone answering machine of claim 14, wherein when audible reproduction by the speaker means of a message recorded by said message recording and playback means is in progress, said control means stops playback of a recorded message in response to said ring detect signal and the handset going off hook. .Iaddend.