System and method for triggering actions at a host computer by telephone

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A system and method for remotely triggering a predetermined program at a host computer system using a telephone ring signal is disclosed. The host computer system includes a ring detection and triggering circuit, a control monitor program and, at least one activation script, wherein the activation script could be a series of commands which create a connection between the host system and the Internet. A ring signal on a phone line connected to the host system is detected by the ring detection circuitry, and subsequently a trigger signal is generated by a trigger circuit which is detected by the control monitor program running on the host system. The control monitor program responds to the …