Telephone paging system and method

摘要

An improved telephone paging system and method are disclosed. The sytem interfaces with a conventional telephone branching system, such as a PBX, and remote pager devices which are worn by subscribers to the system. A plurality of PBX extension telephone lines are connected to the system via a subscriber line interface, and one PBX extension line is connected to this system via a control line interface. The subscriber line interface is used to detect ring signals on the selected extension lines. When a ring signal has been detected on a selected line, the microprocessor-based system sends command signals to the PBX to place the incoming call on hold. The system identifies a paging code signal distinctively corresponding to the subscriber line on which the ring signal was detected. The identified paging code signal is sent to a transmitter which transmits the paging code signal to all pagers within its range. The pager which distincitvely corresponds to the paging code signal will be activated and produce a paging signal. The subscriber may then retrieve the parked call from the PBX via any PBX extension line. To perform these functions, the subscriber to the disclosed telephone paging system may also enable or disable his pager, test his pager, or directly page another subscriber via the dedicated command line. To perform these functions, a subscriber calls the extension phone number corresponding to the command line and depresses the telephone keys which represent certain instruction in response to command signals sent by the microprocessor. Other embodiments of the telephone paging system are disclosed that interface with a PBX with a directed-call-pickup feature and that permit additional extension lines to be connected to the system.