Key telephone system transfer arrangement

Claim 2

In a key telephone system having a telephone station, a plurality of telephone lines associated with said telephone station, means for directing communication connections from any of said telephone lines to said telephone station, and means at said telephone station for selectively enabling a communication connection between said telephone station and an exclusive one of said telephone lines, the combination comprising transfer control means associates with said telephone station operable in response to a first signal from said station for marking a first line upon which a communication connection is selectively enabled at the time of said first signal, a bridge circuit having an input and an output, said bridge circuit operable for establishing communication connections between said input and said output, means for selectively connecting any said line either to said input or to said output of said bridge circuit, means operable in response to said marking of said first line for enabling said selectively connecting means to connect said marked first line to said input of said bridge circuit, and means responsive to said connection to said input of said bridge circuit for rendering said selectively enabling means operable for establishing a communication connection between any selected idle one of said lines and said station.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1 further comprising means operative in response to the selective enabling of a connection to a second line from said station for marking said second line, and means operable in response to said marking of said second line for enabling said selectively connecting means to connect said marked second line to said output of said bridge circuit.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2 further comprising means responsive to a second signal from said station for enabling said bridge circuit to establish a communication connection between said first line and said second line.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 3 wherein said selective connecting means includes at least one multiposition sequential selector, each position of which is associated with a unique one of said lines.

Claim 6

The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein said marking means includes means for establishing a voltage potential on a lead associated with said marked line and wherein said selector is adapted to hunt from one position to the next position sequentially until a position is detected having thereon said marking voltage potential.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 1 further comprising an overflow key at said station, means jointly responsive to an operated condition of said overflow key, to an enabled communication connection between a first one of said lines and said station, and to a communication connection directed from a second one of said lines to said station for marking said second line, a communication transmission circuit, means for selectively connecting any said line to said communication transmission circuit, and means operable in response to said marking of said second line for enabling said selectively connecting means to connect said marked second line to said communication transmisssion circuit.

Claim 8

The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said selectively connecting means includes a multiposition sequential selector, each position of which is associated with a unique one of said lines.

Claim 9

The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein said marking means includes means for establishing a voltage potential on a lead associated with said marked line and wherein said selector is adapted to hunt from one position to the next position sequentially until a position is detected having thereon said marking voltage potential.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 1 further comprising a night service key at said station, means jointly responsive to an operated condition of said night service key and to a communication connection directed from a first one of said lines to said station for marking said first lines, a communication transmission circuit, means for selectively connecting any said line to said communication transmisssion circuit, and means operable in response to said marking of said first line under control of said night service key for enabling said selectively connecting means to connect said marked night service key controlled first line to said communication transmission circuit.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said selectively connecting means includes a multiposition sequential selector, each position of which is associated with a unique one of said lines.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 10 wherein said marking means includes means for establishing a voltage potential on a lead associated with said marked line and wherein said selector is adapted to hunt from one position to the next position sequentially until a position is detected having thereon said marking voltage potential.

Claim 13

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein communication connections may be established from any one a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying signals over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including means for establishing transfEr control signals, said transfer circuit comprising means responsive to receipt of a said transfer control signal from said station for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of a currently operative pickup key a marking signal potential, a bridge circuit having an input and an output, means controlled by said marking signal potential for establishing a communication connection from said telephone line associated with said marking potential to said input of said bridge circuit, means controlled by said last-mentioned means for establishing a hold condition with respect to said marked telepnone line, means responsive to the operation of a pickup key associated with a called telephone line while said marked line is in said hold condition for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of said called line marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal on said called line ''''A'''' for establishing a communication connection from said called line to said output of said bridge circuit.

Claim 14

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein communication connections may be established from any one a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying signals over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including means for establishing transfEr control signals, said transfer circuit comprising means responsive to receipt of a said transfer control signal from said station for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of a currently operative pickup key a marking signal potential, a bridge circuit having an input and an output, means controlled by said marking signal potential for establishing a communication connection from said telephone line associated with said marking potential to said input of said bridge circuit, means controlled by said last-mentioned means for establishing a hold condition with respect to said marked telepnone line, means responsive to the operation of a pickup key associated with a called telephone line while said marked line is in said hold condition for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of said called line marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal on said called line ''''A'''' for establishing a communication connection from said called line to said output of said bridge circuit.

Claim 15

The invention set forth in claim 12 further comprising means concurrently operative with said last-mentioned means for releasing said hold condition.

Claim 16

The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein said bridge input communication connection establishing means includes a first miltiposition selector, each said telephone line uniquely associated with one of said selector positions.

Claim 17

The invention set forth in claim 14 wherein said bridge output communication connection establishing means includes a second multiposition selector, each said telephone line uniquely associated with one of said selector positions.

Claim 18

The invention set forth in claim 12 wherein said station further comprises an overflow key and wherein said transfer circuit further comprises a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of a pickup key associated with a first telephone line at said station, and by the operated condition of said overflow key at said station, and by an incoming connection over a second one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming second line and marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said second line for establishing a communication connection from said second line to said communication circuit.

Claim 19

The invention set forth in claim 16 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a first multiposition selector, each position of said selector uniquely associated with one of said telephone lines.

Claim 20

The invention set forth in claim 12 wherein said station further comprises a night service key and wherein said transfer circuit further comprises a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of said night service key and by an incoming connection over any one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of a telephone line associated with said incoming connection said marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming line for establishing a communication connection from said incoming line to said communication circuit.

Claim 21

The invention set forth in claim 18 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a first miltiposition selector, each position of said selector uniquely associated with one of said telephone lines.

Claim 22

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein communication connections may be established from any one of a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying marking signal potentials over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including an overflow key, said traNsfer circuit comprising a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of a pickup key associated with a first telephone line at said station, and by the operated condition of said overflow key at said station, and by an incoming connection over a second one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming second line, and marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said second line for establishing a communication connection from said second line to said communication circuit.

Claim 23

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein communication connections may be established from any one of a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying marking signal potentials over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including an overflow key, said traNsfer circuit comprising a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of a pickup key associated with a first telephone line at said station, and by the operated condition of said overflow key at said station, and by an incoming connection over a second one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming second line, and marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said second line for establishing a communication connection from said second line to said communication circuit.

Claim 24

The invention as set forth in claim 20 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a first multiposition selector, each position of said selector uniquely associated with one of said telephone lines.

Claim 25

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein commmunication connections may be established from any one of a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of a pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying marking signal potentials over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including a night service key, said transfer circuit comprising a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of said night service key and by an incoming connection over any one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of a telephone line associated with said incoming connection said marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming line for establishing a communication connection from said incoming line to said communication circuit.

Claim 26

A transfer circuit for use in a key telephone system wherein commmunication connections may be established from any one of a number of telephone lines to at least one key station under control of a pickup keys at said station, each said pickup key being associated with a unique one of said telephone lines and operable for supplying marking signal potentials over an ''''A'''' lead for controlling communication connections over said associated line, said station including a night service key, said transfer circuit comprising a communication circuit, means controlled jointly by the operated condition of said night service key and by an incoming connection over any one of said telephone lines for transmitting over said ''''A'''' lead of a telephone line associated with said incoming connection said marking signal potential, and means controlled by said marking signal potential on said ''''A'''' lead of said incoming line for establishing a communication connection from said incoming line to said communication circuit.

Claim 27

The invention as set forth in claim 22 wherein said last-mentioned means includes a first multiposition selector, each position of said selector uniquely associated with one of said telephone lines.