Build a Robot for me?

[El-Diablo]

Looking for someone to do business with.. I can't build robots.. but I need a robot that dials 19 digits at about 1:30 AM for my business. Basically I need a robot or a method that can dial 19 digits on this telephone with no supervision because usually I am out doing inhome services by then, I would like it if I can set the time the robot does it, but generally its at 1:30 AM. I can tell you the exact type of phone...

-El-Diablo

[Admin]

Just out of curiousity, why is it dialing? Why this particular phone?

What type of business is this?

[Rebelgium]

What type of business is this?

Are you suspecting him to be a stalker?   

Anyway, Your don't need a "robot", you just need a circuit... (this is good news)
The best way to do this is to place transistors parallel over the number switches.
And then with a simple microcontroller let these transistors switch on the right time in the right order, with a minimum delay between them of aproximatly 300ms

[Admin]

I was just thinking of a computer program that dials with a modem, they used to be very common last decade . . .

[awally88]

Thats what I was thinking as well Admin, you can just use your ordinary computer, set up a new Internet connection to the number you need to dial and then use a task scheduling program to run the connection.  You can do it on a default windows box with not much trouble at all.

This sounds like some sort of prank for an ex or someone else you don't like... lol

[dunk]

if you definitely want to use the existing phone rather than install a modem, it would be far easier to play the DTMF tones down the handset that press the buttons.

dunk.

[awally88]

That would still be harder to do than install a modem on a computer though because the phone would timeout and you wouldn't be able to dial numbers if the phone is off the hook.  Which would mean that you would have to devise some way of getting the receiver off the hook when it's needed and possibly replace it (or at least hit the hangup button) or is there a DTMF for hang up? I haven't looked into it much so I'm not 100% sure how it will work.

[Tsukubadaisei]

This must be joke topic, but anyways: Skype + some spam bot or skype hack.

[awally88]

Damn you Tsukubadaisei! I was just thinking of that before I logged in and was going to write that! Skype would be the way to go because it would be the cheapest. I'm sure with the new Skype which supports user apps there would be a myriad of spammer bots out there.

[El-Diablo]

Some people are thinking I am a stalker, haha. no I am not a stalker. I was not clear though, this isn't "my business" this is my work. Sorry if I did not say that correctly I guess my english is poor(not my first language..). but the business I work for makes me punch in and out at the building on the phone, its a Nortel Networks phone. the problem is I am usually sent out to do an in-home service and then after I finish I have to drive all the way back to the office and then punch out(and a lot of the times I end up going home late). its been really frustrating me more than you can imagine. driving all the way back to the office just to punch digits on a phone??? this is rediculously annoying.

I guess for the Skype idea I must connect the phone cord out of the wall into my computer and then install skype and tell it when to dial? The phone usually calls the "Time-Keeping System" when I dial these numbers and then asks me for password and then tells me to punch in or out. I just want the thing to punch out for me, so I can go directly home after instead of driving alllll the way back to this damn office.

I don't know how telephone networks work... if I plug the phone cord into my computer will it still call the "time-keeping system" or will it mess up?

[Admin]

Ohhhhh

Another idea . . . use VNC to remotely access your work computer (do you have one?) and have it dial the number using hyperterminal.

This will take you like 5 minutes to set up and do . . .

[Asellith]

We may be missing something. I think the problem is the phone. A computer will not work because he said it needs to be at that phone. If it was just a normal phone then he could call it from home. What it seems to be is that the phone has a preprogrammed number in it and he presses a speed dial button to call that number then inputs the 19 numbers into the phone to log in and confirm the clock out time. I use to do something similar to this with one of the jobs I had a few years ago but I had the number to call. We may just need to extract the number from the speed dial on the phone then he can call from home.

[El-Diablo]

Ok I really need help now. its been a very long time and I have been procrastinating this, but I need this done ASAP. Skype does not work. Skype doesn't even use the phoneline. I need to connect the phone cord to my computer and have my computer dial using that exact phone line. When a phone is connected to the wall at my workplace, all you do is dial 81001111 and it calls the "Time Keeper System". In order to make a call outside of my workplace you have to dial a 9. Is it possible I can connect a phone cord to my PC and have my PC dial out using that exact phone cord?

[Asellith]

What about building a DTMF generator with a preprogramed output that will output based on a time?

These might be another solution that is cheaper but radio stations use these a lot
http://www.broadcasttools.com/view_product.php?pid=165   Price $299
http://www.broadcasttools.com/view_product.php?pid=111   Price $189

yah those are a little pricey but they are way more then you needed. For those you would just need some kind of timer to close a relay on a contact pin at 1:30 AM and your clocked out.

Or you could do a goolge search for some DTMF generators or make your own

[justsomeguy]

i think the hardest part is lifting the handset...

Does your machine at work have outlook?
Does your machine have a headphone out socket?
Does your machine at work have a microphone socket?

1. record the tones to log out using your microphone. save it as a wav file.
2. attach the headphone to the mike of the phone on your desk (best to put it in the drawer don't want to give co workers an idea :-) )
3. set up a rule in outlook to play the wav file if say it gets an email with "logoutmyphone" in the subject

Now the 'only' problem is picking up/putting down the handset......

Dave,

[paulstreats]

if you have an old fashioned modem that you can plug the phone line straight into, then you can just save the phone number in its settings (ie which number it would dial for a connection) and then simply setup the connection to connect at the times that you need using something like ms scheduled tasks.

Make sure that you set up the connection to dial only once when its invoked

[krich]

A couple things, El-Diablo

First, find out what model number of Nortel phone you have on your desk.  Many of Nortel's phones are a digital line type with completely different line and ring voltages than the typical POTS or analog lines.  In short, if you plug that phone line into your modem, you could smoke your modem.  If you can post the model number of your phone, then I can tell you for sure.  Its probably on a sticker right on the underside of the phone.

A lot depends on what line type that phone is using.  If it is the digital type, then DTMF tones won't work for dialing the number.  Let's just hope its not digital.

I wanted to point out that there are handset lifter products out there, usually coupled with a cordless headset solution.  The good news there is that it will almost certainly work with that Nortel phone of yours and most of the Nortel phones have dedicated headset jacks that you could use.

If you can figure out how to get the handset lifted and the 81001111 number dialed, the rest is probably easily done via DTMF and can probably be done using many of the ways already suggested in this thread.


Hmmm...wonder if you could tear the phone apart, replace the buttons with transistors/relays/whatever, and have the phone under control of an MCU.  Now that would be a sight to see.


Do you have a call forward capability on your phone?  You could forward your work phone to 81001111 and then just call yourself from your cell phone.  Now that would be super easy.

[El-Diablo]

Sorry I had dropped this project for awhile but I STILL really want it done. I have wanted it done for 2 years. I came back to check out the ideas and I would like to get started on trying some of them soon.

First off, here is the phone that is all over my workplace:
http://www.telephonemagic.com/images/nortel-norstar-meridian/i2004-phone.jpg

[pomprocker]

How about use a phone jack splitter, like this:



and then use some free home automation software like:
http://misterhouse.sourceforge.net/

or

http://vcrib.com/

then to do home automation you would normally buy a PLC:
http://www.orchestratedhome.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=21&idcategory=0

but in your case I don't think you'd need one since your not controlling anything. You would just hook a phone cord from the comp modem to the splitter, and program an event/trigger in your home automation software to call the number.

[Webbot]

'Society of Telephony'