Security telephone

Abstract

A telephone security device is built into a telephone unit. The device includes a sensor to detect an intrusion into the area in which the telephone is located. Upon detection of an event, the device places the telephone off hook, and triggers the redial feature of the telephone. This causes the telephone to redial the last number that had been called. The telephone then remains in the off hook condition for a delay interval to allow the recipient of the call to listen, via the telephone, for any sounds indication that an actual intrusion has occurred. In order to arm the security deice, the user simply dials the number that is the intended recipient of the call, hang up, and switch on the sensor. Detection of a security event will then cause the last dialed number to be redialed

1 . A telephone security device, comprising: 
 a telephone having a housing, and capable of being used by a user to place telephone calls to any desired number over a telephone line;    an electronic controller within the telephone housing, such controller having an off-hook input that, when activated, places the telephone handset in an off-hook condition, and further having a redial input that, when activated, causes the telephone to dial out, over an external telephone line, a last number previously dialed from the telephone;    a sensor within the telephone housing for detecting an event in an area near the telephone handset;    a switch on the telephone housing, having a first position and a second position, wherein the switch places the device into a security active state when in the first position, and in a security disabled state when in the second position;    a control circuit, within the housing and connected to the switch, and connected to the sensor and to the electronic controller for, when the sensor detects an event while the device is in the security active state, activating the off-hook input, and activating the redial input while the telephone handset is in an off-hook condition;    wherein the off-hook input and redial input are not activated when the device is in the security disabled state.    
     
     
         2 . (canceled)  
     
     
         3 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an infrared motion sensor.  
     
     
         4 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a sound detector.  
     
     
         5 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a smoke detector.  
     
     
         6 - 9 . (canceled)  
     
     
         10 . (canceled)  
     
     
         11 - 18 . (canceled)  
     
     
         19 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller comprises an integrated circuit chip, and wherein the control circuit is incorporated into the integrated circuit chip.  
     
     
         20 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller comprises an integrated circuit chip, and wherein the control circuit is a separate circuit external to the integrated circuit chip.  
     
     
         21 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein the off-hook input is activated for a selected time period.  
     
     
         22 . The telephone security device of  claim 1 , wherein moving the switch from the second position to the first position places the device into the security active state only after a delay period.