David B Keefe

US Patent:

60059214, Dec 21, 1999

Filed:

Aug 28, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/919511

Inventors:

David W. Keefe - Simi Valley CA
Joseph E. Barron - Newbury Park CA
Jeffrey W. Hearsey - Brooksville FL
Michael Kennedy - Ventura CA
Roy L. Soto - Moorpark CA

Assignee:

Harris Corporation - Melbourne FL

International Classification:

H04M 124
H04M 1700

US Classification:

379 27

Abstract:

A device and method for testing a telephone circuit in which a caller takes advantage of available caller identification information to complete a ringback test without resort to potentially costly and overused toll trunks. The ringback test device is accessed by a caller (subscriber or craftsperson) who may not be aware of the telephone number from which he is calling when the caller completes a call to a telephone number assigned to the device. As the caller is accessing the test device, the test device detects the caller identification available between the first and second rings to identify the caller's telephone number, and answers the call after the second ring. The test device presents the telephone number to the caller, and the test device may thereafter be used to complete a ringback test to the identified telephone number. The caller ID information may also be display-formatted at the test device and provided to a caller's visual display.