Abstract: A public telecommunications system includes a local exchange 10, an element manger 11 for managing the exchange 10 and a configuration manager 12 for managing the element manager 11. The element manager 11 is located with the exchange 10 and the configuration manger 12 is situated at a distant location. The exchange 10, element manager 11 and configuration manager 12 are connected by communication links 18, 19. In order to provide a new or existing customer with basic telephony services or one or more supplementary services such as call forwarding, the configuration manager 12 sends an appropriate set of requests to the element manager 11. If one or more of the requests are not successfully performed in the element manager 11, the configuration manger 12 sends further requests to the element manager 11 to cancel the requests which have been successfully performed and thereby return the element manager 11 to its original configuration.

Abstract: A method of managing a speech memory (VMEM) and an assembly therefor are disclosed. To enable a plurality of users (U1, U2, U3, U4) to access the speech memory, the latter is divided into user memory areas (S1, S2, S3, S4) and a common memory area (SALL). By adding a portion (S4') of the common memory area (SALL) to one of the user memory areas (S4') or vice versa, the size of this user memory area is adapted to the memory space requirements (Min4) of the user (U4). The capacity of the speech memory (VMEM) is effectively utilized, since, as far as possible, no free memory space is assigned to the users (U1 to U4) which will not be used by them. The assembly can be used, for example, as a voice mailbox in a telecommunications system.

Abstract: The arrangement is formed by the presence in each node of the network of a cellular automaton comprising cells (0 to 8) interconnected by lines, so that the entirety of the cells and of the lines represents the nodes and the links respectively of the network while each cell comprises calculating means for calculating the cost of a path, works asynchronously, and communicates with each of its nearest neighbouring cells and only with them. When the arrangement is simulated in a sequential machine, this machine is programmed to choose the order in which the cells are activated on the basis of the minimum number of links to be passed through to connect two nodes, which nodes are determined by having the cellular automaton turn when the states of the links are mutually equal.

Abstract: A network architecture is designed to allow a communications service subscriber to select a signaling provider independently of a) the transport carriers which control the local loops for particular communications services, and b) the providers of those services. Upon the establishment of a signaling connection from a subscriber's terminal device to the signaling provider's network, the latter requests those services from the service providers selected by the subscriber for delivery over the local loops of the transport providers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automating the processing of foreign collect calls to U.S. telephone numbers. By automating the check of the U.S. telephone number against the pay telephone numbers and other non-billable numbers in U.S. databases, the amount of foreign operator effort required is reduced. The apparatus and method also reduces the losses to U.S. telephone companies due to foreign collect call processing errors and foreign collect calls fraudulently completed to pay telephones or other non-billable telephone numbers.

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: 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: Systems and methods for recording and delivering personalized audio messages are provided. The system includes a central facility computer system (CF), a store front programming system (SFS), and a portable playback device (PPD). When a customer desires to send a personalized message to another person, the customer communicates via a telecommunications channel with the CF. Under control of a CF processor, a outgoing message module of the CF provides instructions to the customer, who enters required information and provides the personalized audio message. The personalized audio message is digitized by a CF voice digitizer and transmitted from the CF via a data interface to the SFS. The SFS receives the digitized personalized audio message data from the CF and uses its playback device programmer to program data representing the audio message onto the PPD. The PPD is an audio chip having a nonvolatile memory, an external switch, a battery and a speaker.

Abstract: In response to a first party (19) being on hold a call that had been established between the first party and a second party (11), the second, holding, party is given an option, by an automated arrangement such as an adjunct processor (21) associated with the first party's local switching system (15), of either remaining on hold or being called back. If the holding party chooses to be called back, the held call is torn down. Later, when the first party attempts to take the call off hold, the automated arrangement instead causes a new call to be placed to the calling telephone number of the torn-down call and to be established between the parties to serve as a substitute for the torn-down call.

Abstract: A telecommunications system with a call waiting feature, comprises a central office and a plurality of subscribers. The system includes an arrangement for transmitting a signal over an off-hook line to alert the subscriber to the presence of an incoming call, and a cancel call waiting (CCW) register at the central office. The CCW register is associated with each subscriber line and is set to cancel the call waiting feature in response to receipt of a cancellation code over the associated subscriber line and is reset upon termination of a subsequent call. The central office further comprises a delayed cancel call waiting (DCCW) register for each subscriber line with at least a first state and a second state. The DCCW register is set to the first state in response to receipt of a DCCW access code transmitted over its associated subscriber line. An arrangement is provided for checking and resetting the state of said DCCW register when the associated line goes off hook in response to an incoming call.

Abstract: A method of automating restoration of service to damaged or destroyed telecommunication network elements. The method automates the restoration process by employing several operations support systems to collect data about the damaged network elements and to generate and implement a restoration plan. The restoration plan is executed automatically on a disaster recovery vehicle as a replacement for the damaged network elements. The method also assures the resumption of normal business planning by updating engineering and operations support databases.