Method and apparatus for providing accessibility features for a telephone

1. A telephone system, comprising:

a memory for storing user preference data, including duration of a timeout period;

a counter; and

a microcontroller for initializing the counter in response to an off-hook condition and, if a value of the counter equals the duration of the timeout period before detection of an on-hook condition, transitioning to the on-hook condition.

2. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an earpiece speaker;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the earpiece speaker to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

3. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of a display, a keypad, or a light emitting diode (LED) indicator;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause at least one of the display, the keypad, or the LED indicator to display a visual alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

4. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a ringer;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the ringer to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

5. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an accelerometer for detecting motion of the telephone system;

at least one of a display, a keypad, a light emitting diode (LED) indicator, an earpiece speaker, and a ringer;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause at least one of the display, the keypad, the LED indicator, and the earpiece speaker to emit an alarm if the accelerometer fails to detect motion of the telephone system after a predefined time period.

6. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a microphone;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause at least one of the display, the keypad, the LED indicator, and the earpiece speaker to emit an alarm if the microphone fails to detect audio activity above a background noise level after a predefined time period.

7. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a keypad;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to temporally extend the duration of the timeout period in response to activation of a predefined button on the keypad.

8. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an accelerometer for detecting motion of the telephone system;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to temporally pause the counter if the accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system and resume the counter or reinitialize the counter if the accelerometer detects that the telephone system is not in motion for a predefined time period.

9. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a microphone;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to temporally pause the counter if the microphone detects audio activity above a background noise level and resume the counter or reinitialize the counter if the microphone fails to detect audio activity above the background noise level after a predefined time period.

10. The telephone system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a passive infrared (PIR) motion detector for detecting motion in an environment;

at least one of a keypad or a display;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to light at least one of the keypad or the display for a predefined time period if the PIR motion detector detects motion in the environment.

11. The telephone system of claim 10 , further comprising:

an accelerometer for detecting motion of the telephone system;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to cease lighting at least one of the keypad or the display if the accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system.

12. In a telephone system, a method comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition;

initializing a counter in response to the off-hook condition;

comparing a value of the counter with a duration of a timeout period;

monitoring for an on-hook condition; and

transitioning to the on-hook condition if the value of the counter equals the duration of the timeout period before the on-hook condition is detected.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

causing an earpiece speaker to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

causing at least one of a display, a keypad, or a light emitting diode (LED) indicator to display a visual alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

causing a ringer to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

temporally extending the duration of the timeout period in response to activation of a predefined button on a keypad.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

temporally pausing the counter if an accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system; and

resuming or reinitializing the counter if the accelerometer detects that the telephone system is not in motion for a predefined time period.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

temporally pausing the counter if a microphone detects audio activity above a background noise level; and

resuming or reinitializing the counter if the microphone fails to detect audio activity above the background noise level after a predefined time period.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

lighting at least one of a keypad or a display for a predefined time period if a PIR motion detector detects motion in an environment.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

ceasing lighting at least one of the keypad or the display if an accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system.

21. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of a method, comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition;

initializing a counter in response to the off-hook condition;

comparing a value of the counter with a duration of a timeout period;

monitoring for an on-hook condition; and

transitioning to the on-hook condition if the value of the counter equals the duration of the timeout period before the on-hook condition is detected.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

causing an earpiece speaker to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

causing at least one of a display, a keypad, or a light emitting diode (LED) indicator to display a visual alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

causing a ringer to emit an audible alarm if the value of the counter equals a predefined percentage of the duration of the timeout period.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

temporally extending the duration of the timeout period in response to activation of a predefined button on a keypad.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

temporally pausing the counter if an accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system; and

resuming or reinitializing the counter if the accelerometer detects that the telephone system is not in motion for a predefined time period.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

temporally pausing the counter if a microphone detects audio activity above a background noise level; and

resuming or reinitializing the counter if the microphone fails to detect audio activity above the background noise level after a predefined time period.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising:

lighting at least one of a keypad or a display for a predefined time period if a PIR motion detector detects motion in an environment.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28 , further comprising:

ceasing lighting at least one of the keypad or the display if an accelerometer detects motion of the telephone system.