TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:: ELECTRICITY
Class:: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
Subclass:: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION

Description

H04M covers telephonic communication systems and equipment, encompassing the technical means for transmitting voice and related signals over telecommunication networks. This includes telephone handsets, switching systems, transmission apparatus, signaling methods, and network infrastructure for establishing and maintaining voice calls. The classification extends to both wired and wireless telephone technologies, such as conventional landline systems, mobile phones, and voice-over-internet protocols, as well as associated features like call routing, billing, and subscriber management. Adjacent classes H04L (digital information transmission) and H04W (wireless communication networks) address data transmission and radio-based aspects respectively, while H04M focuses specifically on the telephonic communication function itself.

Additional Content

Glossary

Subscriber subscribers General term for a user of terminal equipment, e.g. for the user of a telephone set, or for any equipment used by subscribers, e.g. telephones for public use. Substation substations Subscriber or monitoring equipment which may connect a single subscriber to a line without choice as to subscriber. Satellite satellites A kind of exchange the operation of which depends upon control signals received from a supervisory exchange. Switching centres switching centre Include exchanges and satellites. Exchange exchanges Synonym for telephone switch Voice mail system Voice mail systems A centralised system for managing telephone messages for a large group of users.

Limiting references

Circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus , ,

Related Keywords

CALLING-ARRANGEMENTS in telephonic systemsCIRCUITS for telephony, other than route selectiontelephone EXCHANGEStelephonic RECEIVERStelephone sets for SUBSCRIBERStelephone SUBSTATIONStelephony in generalTELEPHONE(S)TELEPHONYtelephonic TERMINAL(S) equipmenttelephonic TRANSMITTERS

11 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
H04M 13/00 Party-line systems
H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time-indication
H04M 17/00 Prepayment telephone systems
H04M 19/00 Current supply arrangements for telephone systems
H04M 3/00 Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
H04M 5/00 Manual exchanges
H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
H04M 9/00 Arrangements for interconnection not involving centralised switching
H04M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class H04, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

QUALCOMM US 97,396
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY CN 96,502
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 86,981
TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL) SE 55,869
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY 55,349
LG ELECTRONICS KR 53,649
CANON 33,341
SONY CORPORATION JP 32,761
ZTE CORPORATION CN 32,274
GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION 28,327