Michael D Bromberg

US Patent:

58504362, Dec 15, 1998

Filed:

Aug 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/702151

Inventors:

P. Bradley Rosen - Weston MA
Lee D. Weinstein - Somerville NH
Michael A. Bromberg - Mason NH
Glen R. Dash - Concord MA

Assignee:

Compaq Computer Corporation - Houston TX

International Classification:

H04M 902

US Classification:

379377

Abstract:

A method and apparatus provide communication in a telephone system connected to an external phone line, wherein the telephone system has a telephone line, a telephone, a phone interface unit coupled to the telephone and the telephone line, a computer system, and a computer interface unit coupled to the computer system and the telephone line. A bias voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if the telephone is on-hook or off-hook, a ringing voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if an external call is incoming, and a first carrier transmitted by the phone interface unit is detected. A second carrier is transmitted using the computer interface unit under control of the computer system. Detection of the bias voltage, ringing voltage, and/or first carrier is communicated to the computer system. An off-hook condition is indicated if the line bias voltage is less than an off-hook bias threshold voltage.

US Patent:

40074439, Feb 8, 1977

Filed:

May 6, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/467283

Inventors:

Michael Arnold Bromberg - Boston MA
William E. Fletcher - Nashua NH
Richard E. Morley - Greenville NH
George G. Schwenk - Nashua NH

Assignee:

Termiflex Corporation - Nashua NH

International Classification:

G06F 300
H04M 1100

US Classification:

3401725

Abstract:

An interactive terminal which is capable of complete hand-held operation with total freedom of position and location is provided. The terminal incorporates a self contained full 128-character keyboard, a 20-character alphanumeric readout, and a 1000-character memory. The terminal allows the generation of all 128 ASCII characters plus "break. " In order to assure review of any message, a conveniently positioned scroll switch is incorporated to advance or roll back any messsage in the memory for presentation on the display. When previous messages are displayed and incoming information is being received by the terminal, the light intensity of the displayed messages modulates to indicate to the operator that information is being received but not displayed. The unique, totally portable, hand-held interactive terminal is provided with a 20 key keyboard which is operated with one hand, while the other hand selects one of four different information levels for each key. Consequently, each of the 20 keys is capable of transmitting four different characters or other information thereby assuring easy, compact transmission of all numeric, alphabetic, and punctuation characters, and command information to an interconnected device.

US Patent:

58646078, Jan 26, 1999

Filed:

Aug 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/702899

Inventors:

P. Bradley Rosen - Weston MA
Lee D. Weinstein - Somerville MA
George Favaloro - Houston TX
John A. Kowalonek - Westborough MA
Benjamin Chigier - Brookline MA
James A. Goldstein - Charlestown MA
Thomas C. Purcell - Northwood NH
Glen R. Dash - Concord MA
David E. Winston - Arlington MA
Michael A. Bromberg - Mason NH

Assignee:

Compaq Computer Corp. - Houston TX

International Classification:

H04M 1100

US Classification:

379 9001

Abstract:

A telephone system having a telephone network line for connection to an external phone line. The telephone system also includes a computer system and a telephone coupled to the telephone network line, and the telephone is taken off-hook to enter a voice command. A transmitter communicates the voice command from the telephone to the computer system without the telephone seizing the external phone line. A computer interface unit is connected to the computer system to receive the voice transmitted from the telephone and to transmit voice signals transmitted by the computer system to the telephone. A phone interface unit is connected between the telephone and telephone network line, and the phone interface unit is selectable between a first mode and a second mode. The phone interface unit connects the telephone to the telephone network line if it is in the first mode, and isolates the telephone from the telephone network line if it is in the second mode. If an external phone call is detected from the external phone line, the phone interface unit can be selected to be in the first mode if the external call is present.