Abstract: A connection system of a public network subscriber and a private network subscriber in ISDN includes a first PBX for connecting the public network subscriber and the public network, a second PBX for the private network subscriber and the private network, and third PBXs for connecting the public line and the private line. The first PBX selects one of the third PBXs as an access point to the private network, and forms a first set-up message having the public line number of the selected access point as a destination, the received private line number as a sub-address, and the public line number of the public network subscriber as a calling party identification. The second PBX selects one of the third PBXs as an access point to the public network, and forms a second set-up message having the private line number of the selected access point as a destination, the received public line number as a sub-address, and the private line number of the private network subscriber as a calling party number.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for limiting the connection time of selected telephone lines in a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system to telephone numbers dialed therefrom. A maximum connection time is programmed into the system for selected lines. Calls are automatically terminated if the duration of the call exceeds the maximum time. The selected line is prevented from re-dialing the called number for a certain period of time. If desired, the selected telephone line is automatically enabled and disabled by the system at predetermined times. The telephone system may also incorporate other conventional features for certain ones of the telephone lines in the PBX system, including limited prefix dialing capabilities, limited area code dialing capabilities, blocking of incoming calls, and the like.

Abstract: A portable secure-telephone communications module including a collapsible enclosure for holding a person desiring to perform secure remote telephone communications, a secure telephone remote communication device in the enclosure, and RF shielding for the enclosure to inhibit RF leakage for preventing eavesdropping from outside the enclosure.

Abstract: An end office of the PSTN, which employs independent switching networks which share one or more office codes, is served by a single assigned node on the CCS network. The signaling processor which serves the assigned node, screens all incoming call messages (IAM)'s; directs messages which include an appropriate Channel Identification Code (CIC) to the switching network that serves that CIC; rejects messages that include an improper CIC; and requests that the calling office assign a different CIC to the incoming call.

Abstract: A method is described for routing calls outside of a carriers network based on characteristics of the call, the attributes of the caller, the status of subscriber-provided resource, and the status of network telephone provided facilities. Information about the call and the caller's identification is sent from the public switched telephone network to a subscriber call routing processor. The carrier is directed by the routing processor to route the call to the subscriber's resource best able to handle the call. Information about the call and the business relationship the caller has with the subscriber is used by the routing processor to determine which type of resource is needed to handle the call. The routing processor then chooses the particular resource of that type to which the call is to be routed based on the current status of the resource, the status of the network-provided facilities, and the criteria established by the subscriber for selecting between alternative resources.

Abstract: The invention relates to a credit card dialing apparatus for use in automatically dialing account numbers, security codes and phone numbers into telephones. The apparatus includes a credit card size device having a memory, encoder, speaker, microphone and switch embedded into a circuit board for inputting and outputting specific information depending on the use of the card. The circuit described accesses the account by tones or signals fed through the receiver or direct data input from a small databus. In another embodiment, a microprocessor unit having a keyboard, microprocessor memory, encoder, a speaker unit and microphone as well as an alphanumeric display is utilized. This system permits the user to input the desired numbers and provide serial dialing and identification for particular sources.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (10A) with a multiport switch (12) which selectively interconnects agent telephonic units (18) of an internal telephonic network with an external telephonic unit (22) of an external telephonic network (24) and having at least one conference telephonic unit 20 interconnected with a port of the switch, an emergency key (40) on the agent unit (18) for requesting the ACD (10A) to automatically outdial and establish a two way voice path connection between another internal telephonic unit (20) and the requesting agent unit (18) to create a conference call. A memory (14) automatically stores information concerning conference calls.

Abstract: A call origination is made through a common carrier of the minimum line cost among a plurality of common carriers on the basis of input dial data. When a particular common carrier number is detected in the input dial data, a call origination is made preferentially through the particular common carrier corresponding to the carrier number. Thus a reduction in the communication cost using an ordinary LCR function is further made. In addition, an access to a desired common carrier is made by a very simple calling operation similar to the ordinary call operation.

Abstract: A system and method using canonical telephone numbers which allows automatic calling with any location in the world independent of the caller's location. The caller canonical telephone number and a plurality of caller prefixes are stored within the system. A telephone directory stores a plurality of callee canonical telephone numbers for locations throughout the world. The caller selects a callee canonical telephone number from the telephone directory, and the system uses the callee canonical telephone number and the caller canonical telephone number to determine which digits of the callee canonical telephone number must be placed on the telephone line to complete the call. The system then adds the appropriate prefix for international, long distance, or local telephone calls. The telephone directory may be in the form of a software file that can be transferred to any telephone location throughout the world.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of interface between a voice activated dialing system and a user. The present invention solves the problems presented by the prior art by providing a user interface which can add a name and corresponding telephone number to a directory during the process of initiating a telephone call. In addition, the present invention provides the user the opportunity to select which element of a directory listing should be changed, using a single integrated review, erase and change functionality accessible while in a directory mode.

Abstract: A feature telephone having an internal mechanism for providing access to its features from a remote location. Without third party intervention or the aid of special features on a PBX or public network, a remote user can set up his office phone to transfer telephony features to another phone, such as his home phone. For example, a user can gain access to his company's tie lines and private network from his home telephone. A user can also bill data calls to his office phone or receive office calls at his home phone without the use of a PBX or public network call forwarding feature. According to another aspect of the mechanism, a user can also set up a password to restrict access to his telephone's features and set up a time of day clock to activate call forwarding and feature access between predetermined hours of the day.

Abstract: A network ACD that, when one switch in the network has blocked services, distributes calls to another switch with available services; wherein such distribution is based on information stored in each switch. The stored information comprises a list of switches within the network wherein an availability status is associated with each service, and an availability status of a trunk connecting the initial switch and the other switches in the network. Each switch sends an updated status to the other switches via a signaling network whenever a service changes status.

Abstract: A method for controlling electronic telephone switches includes linking a plurality of telephone switches to each other over a digital network and coupling one of the telephone switches to a voice mail system (VMS) having a mailbox. An identifier of the VMS is stored in the telephone switches. A first user's telephone call is routed from a telephone switch coupled to the first user to a telephone switch coupled to a second user when the first user requests to be connected with the second user. An identifier of the second user is routed from the telephone switch coupled to the second user to the VMS based upon the VMS identifier and, the first user's call is connected to the VMS if the second user is a holder of the mailbox. Information from the first user is forwarded to the VMS and stored in the mailbox. Data representing that the VMS has the information in the mailbox from VMS is transmitted to the second user based upon the second user's identifier.

Abstract: The operation of an echo canceller (4A to 4D) is controlled by a call control (2) of a telephone exchange over an internal control bus (3, 5) of the telephone exchange. The exchange then attends to the necessary signalling and the echo canceller does not need to know how the associated signalling is routed in the telephone network.

Abstract: Voice detector for detecting whether a telephone signal has been produced by a voice. The voice detector obtains, on a per frame basis, measures of the following quantities relating to the telephone signal: total energy; energy and frequency of two largest energy peaks in a frequency spectrum; and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). If the measure of total energy exceeds a predetermined threshold, the voice detector increments running sums of the following measures: total energy; frequency of the largest peak in the frequency spectrum; and SNR. Until a predetermined number of frames, referred to as a window, has been reached, for each frame, the voice detector determines whether the telephone signal was produced by ringing (incrementing a ring count if it was) and whether there is a local energy maximum (incrementing a local energy maximum count if there was).

Abstract: Telecommunication systems such as PABXs are known which comprise ISDN digital linecards with a number of ISDN basic access interfaces. A telecommunication device is proposed comprising configurable ISDN digital linecards. To this end the linecards are provided with configuration means for independently configuring each ISDN basic access interface with respect to the other ISDN basic access interfaces as to mode setting and phantom power feeding to the transmission line to be coupled to the interface. The modes to be set are ISDN-NT or ISDN-TE mode. It is achieved that the PABX can be set to customer specifications without customer specific linecards having to be manufactured. Accordingly, no high manufacturing change-over costs are involved and no expensive extra documentation sets have to be drawn up, as would have been the case when many customer specific linecards would have to be manufactured.

Abstract: In a method of controlling overloads in a telecommunications network, a module 46 for detecting and monitoring overloads is provided at a node 40. The node 40 includes a module 44 for controlling access to terminal resources such as telephones and fax machines. The module 44 also detects failed calls. Upon detecting an initial failed call to a particular called party number, a counter in module 46 is initialized. The counter is incremented for each further failed call to the particular called party number and also decremented at a fixed rate. When the number of calls in the counter rises above a first threshold, the counter goes into an overload state. When the number of calls in the counter falls below a second threshold, the counter goes into a no overload state. The module 46 sends an indication of the state of the counter and the identity of the called number to a module 48 in a node 41 which sets and updates a restriction parameter.

Abstract: Device for limiting the working voltage for mechanical switches in telephony includes terminals for connection to a telephone line, a connection and power supply branch for a control circuit extending from a first terminal, the branch having a first switch, the cathode terminal of a first Zener diode and the source terminal of a first MOSFET transistor being connected to the output terminal of the first switch, the gate terminal of the first MOSFET transistor being connected, through the anode terminal of the Zener diode, to the first terminal. The current absorbed by the device may be adjusted.

Abstract: A method of processing an intelligent network service call in a service switching point (SSP) which has a DTMF processor and is connected to the originating local exchange/transit exchange to provide an intelligent network service. The SSP receives a digit from the other exchange in a R2MFC signalling mode to process a trunk signal from the other exchange upon generation of a trunk line seizure request from the other exchange. The SSP analyzes the received digit to check whether a call from the other exchange is a normal call or an intelligent network service call in which subscriber's information must be received in the middle of the service. If the call from the other exchange is the intelligent network service call, the SSP collects a calling number and a calling category from the other exchange, releases the R2MFC signalling mode and forms a speech path with the other exchange to communicate directly with a service user.

Abstract: A feature manager that handles the interactions between features in a telephone network is disclosed. A basic call processor transmits a sequence of event messages to the feature manager. The event messages are then transmitted from the feature manager to a subset of feature modules for processing. The feature modules, following receipt of an event message, each formulate a response message that is returned to the feature manager. The response messages contain information that instructs the basic call processor to act. Information contained within the response message is utilized to determine what other feature modules, if any, must be polled. The feature manager formulates a call processor response from the response messages received and returns the call processor response to the basic call processor. The call processor response includes information that instructs the basic call processor to act accordingly.