Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an apparatus body having an image forming portion capable of forming an image based on an image information, an operation unit disposed as a separate body from the apparatus body and operating the apparatus body, and a cable connecting the apparatus body and the operation unit and capable of conducting power. The cable has a length set so that the operation unit does not contact an installation surface on which the apparatus body is supported, according to which a freedom of placement of the operation unit is improved compared to a case where the operation unit is connected via an arm.

Abstract: A system for providing DC power on local telephone lines, such as telephone lines in a building or office, for powering devices and circuitry associated with communications over those telephone lines, as well as other functions. Desired voltage and power levels are supplied over local telephone lines by separating the DC power component from the central office or private branch exchange with a DC blocking filter while passing all AC telephony signals. A distinct DC power is then imposed over the telephone line for powering both the telephony service as well as other loads. Conventional telephone off-hook detection is simulated for compatibility with the central office or private branch exchange. The functions required may be integrated, partially or fully within a telephone outlet.

Abstract: A communication and refund center comprises a lockable cabinet structure having an access panel disposed on the cabinet structure cooperating to form a sealed enclosure when the access panel is engaged with the cabinet, a power supply to the interior of the cabinet, a coin chute accessible from the exterior of the cabinet structure, a coin magazine comprising a coin sleeve and a remotely actuated coin solenoid disposed above the coin chute, a telephone dialer, a digital voice modulator connected with and operative in response to the telephone dialer, a relay circuit operatively associated with the voice modulator and the coin solenoid, the relay circuit operating the coin solenoid in response to commands from the voice modulator to provide a specified number of coins to the coin chute. A modular mounting plate carries the power supply, telephone dialer, and voice modulator.

Abstract: A payphone coin release device includes a base plate fixed inside the payphone casing and having a pivotal pin extending therefrom to rotatably support thereon a driven link having two opposite arms of which one is rotatably pivoted at one end of an intermediate link and the other one rotatably supports thereon a coin release roller to cooperate with a conventional coin receiving device. The base plate also has a hole through which a shaft rotatably extends to drivingly engage a driving link. The driving link has a pin formed thereon to drivingly engage an intermediate link. The intermediate link is pivoted at two opposite ends to both the driven link and the driving link. The shaft of the driving link extends outside the payphone casing and is connected to a user-actuateable lever so that by actuating the lever, the driving link is rotated to drive, through the connection of the intermediate link, the driven link to rotate about the pivot.

Abstract: A metering tone is applied to a transmission line by a DSL modem on behalf of a voice circuit, rather than being applied directly by the voice circuit. Various techniques for applying the metering tone to the data path are described. Because the metering tone is passed to the network in the data path rather than in the voice path, the tone is subject to the high-pass filtering associated with the data path rather than the low-pass filtering associated with the voice path. Accordingly, the metering tone is not attenuated by the splitter or by analogous features in a splitterless system.

Abstract: A portable telephone bank includes a group of public telephones connected to a central communication unit. The public telephones permit callers to place telephone calls over a public telephone network. Each of the telephones includes a portable handset that permits a caller to roam within a predetermined range of the portable telephone bank. The central communication unit transmits communication signals from the telephones to the public telephone network via wireless communication channels.

Abstract: A kit for converting an existing pay telephone to additionally provide computer network access includes an upper housing unit that latches to a lower housing of the existing telephone, and a network adapter unit which includes a network computer and a control module that selectively disables a hook switch connection to a payphone electronics module of the existing payphone. A coin scanner and an escrow unit of the existing payphone are connected through the control module to the payphone electronics unit. The network computer, in combination with the control module, provides a stand by mode, a pay phone mode, and a network mode. Also disclosed are a complete network access pay telephone and a method for converting the existing payphone to add network access.

Abstract: A method for limiting overpayment at a coin-operated telephone is disclosed. According to the method, a customer may initiate a call by first depositing a plurality of coins and then dialing the desired number. Once the number is dialed, the phone obtains the rate and compares the rate to the value of the coins deposited. If fewer coins could not have been used, the coin accepting mechanism is inhibited and the call continues normally. If fewer than all deposited coins are required to make the call, then all the deposited coins are returned to the customer and a new deposit requested. The phone then accepts coin deposits until the call rate has been met. Once the call rate has been met, further deposits are rejected and the call continues normally. Alternatively, the customer may dial the number first. The phone then obtains the rate and requests a deposit. The customer then deposits coins until the call rate is met. Once the phone recognizes that the call rate is met, further coin deposits are refused.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved telephone system and method that determine the identity of the callee of an incoming telephone call. A distinctive ring is selected by one or more of the users of the telephone prior to activating the feature or at a later time. Information about the individual distinctive ring signals is stored in memory inside the telephone. When an incoming call is received from an external party, the telephone determines which one of the users is the callee of the telephone call. A distinctive ring signal is then generated corresponding to the identified callee of the incoming telephone call. The distinctive ring signal identifies the callee of the incoming telephone call to the telephone users. In order to identify the callee of the incoming telephone call, the telephone system, after answering the incoming telephone call, inquires the caller for the identity of the callee. In another embodiment, a callee is identified using voice recognition techniques.

Abstract: A pay phone having an operation module acted with a switch hook and a push button, the operation module including a base frame, a movable frame pivoted to the base frame and defining with the base frame a coin passage for guiding an inserted coin from a coin slot to a coin box when the line is connected, or to a coin-return assembly when the switch hook of the pay phone is depressed or the handset of the pay phone is hung up before connection of the line, a suspension frame controlled by a push button through a switching frame to guide the inserted coin from the coin passage way to the coin box.

Abstract: A pay phone includes a buffer block provided to buffer the falling of inserted coins, enabling inserted coins to be guided through a coin track and detected by sensor means, a motor controlled to turn a coin receiving control board through a set of gears, enabling inserted coins to be positively received by a coin receiving unit, and a link turned with a coin return unit to close the coin receiving unit when the handset is hung up.

Abstract: An arrangement for rendering services such as for example telephone communication, data communication and so on comprising a terminal unit and an access unit, the terminal unit comprising a terminal-unit-identification code (PIN.sub.t) which is stored in the terminal unit and the access unit comprising a first access identification code (IMSI), terminal unit as well as an access unit being lockable. In the terminal unit are furthermore first access identification codes for a given number of access units (SIM) stored wherein upon starting up of the device involving contact between terminal unit and actual access unit (SIM) with a certain access unit identification code (IMSI.sub.c), identification code (IMSI.sub.c) of the access unit is compared to in the terminal unit stored first access identification code(s) (IMSI.sub.s) in the terminal unit, correspondence between stored access identification code (IMSI.sub.s) and actual access unit identification code (IMSI.sub.

Abstract: A pay phone coin release mechanism includes a base plate fixed inside the pay phone casing and having a pivot pin extending therefrom to rotatably supported thereon a driven link having two opposite arms of which one has a pin formed thereon and the other one rotatably supports thereon a coin release roller adapted to cooperate with a conventional coin receiving mechanism. The base plate also has a hole through which a shaft rotatably extends to drivingly engage a driving link. The driving link has an elongated slot into which the pin of the driven link extends and drivingly engages. The shaft of the driving link extends outside the pay phone casing and connected to a user-actuateable lever so that by actuating the lever, the driving link is rotated to drive, through the connection between the elongated slot and the pin, the driven link to rotate about the pivot.

Abstract: A coin transmission control mechanism for a pay phone, including a plurality of projecting rods and slots below the projecting rods, a control plate connected to the projecting rods and having an actuating strip extended out of the telephone body of the pay phone through a hole for guiding a coin during a call, a fixed element, a movable element positioned by a top spring on the fixed element and controlled by an induction coil, a return plate stopped at a sloping wall on the control plate, a control device having a stop bar disposed within the control plate to stop a coin from passing to the coin-box, the movable element being pulled downwards, when the induction coil is turned on, to move the stop bar away for letting a coin pass to the coin-box of the pay phone, the stop bar being forced back to its former position by the control plate through the return plate to stop a coin from passing to the coin-box.

Abstract: A tone burst generator where a continuous tone voltage is applied across two series-connected semiconductor switches each having an ON state and an OFF state. A first control circuit controls the state of the first switch and the variable impedance in an intermediate region between its ON and OFF states to cause gradual, well-defined OFF/ON and ON/OFF transitions of the first switch. As a result of these first switch transitions, a voltage tone burst is generated that has precisely defined edges to eliminate clicking noise. The continuous tone voltage is of only one polarity--it has a non-zero DC component and an AC component having a peak-to-peak variation less the twice the magnitude of the non-zero DC component. A second control circuit controls the state of the second switch and the variable impedance in an intermediate region between its ON and OFF states to cause well defined ON/OFF and OFF/ON transitions of the second switch.

Abstract: Increased power to operate a paystation coin relay is derived from the tip/ring pair by means of a power boost circuit, which is controllably coupled to the tip/ring pair when the coin relay is to be fired. To fire the coin relay, a line coupling relay circuit is energized, so as to apply the tip/ring line voltage to a D.C.-to-D.C. converter, the output of which is coupled to current storage (capacitor) circuit. The output of the current storage circuit is coupled to a first switch circuit and monitored by a comparator. The first switch circuit has an output coupled in circuit with the coin relay.

Abstract: A call progress circuit for both a customer owned, coin operated telephone and a regulated telephone is provided that does not mute the paystation's transmitter, so that voice signals from the calling party may be heard by the called party, thereby preventing an answering party from hanging up prematurely. The call progress circuit employs a transmitter-sourced audio signal discriminator which monitors audio signals placed on the line from the called station, the calling paystation and a central office, and controllably removes or subtracts out those audio signals that originate at the paystation transmitter. The discriminator includes a pair of tunable bandpass filters respectively associated with a telephone line receiver and the paystation transmitter circuit. Coupled to these filters is an audio spectrum scanner which sequentially adjusts the sensitivity characteristics of the filters.

Abstract: There is provided a communicating apparatus such as a television telephone having the absence recording function which can communicate either one or both of an image signal and a voice signal. The apparatus comprises: a memory such as a disk-shaped recording medium to store the voice signal and image signal so as to be concerned with each other; a judgement circuit to discriminate whether or not a personal code number which is input from a destination partner side through a public telephone line coincides with the ID number recorded on the memory; a transmitter to transmit the voice signal and the image signal stored in the memory as a pair to the line in accordance with the result of the discrimination of the judgement circuit; and a reading circuit to read out the voice signal and the image signal from the memory. After the transmitter transmitted the image signal, it transmits the voice signal.

Abstract: A coin-operated telephone having a housing enclosing a coin acceptor and an associated coin release mechanism which are positioned above a display area. A coin release actuator mechanism is mounted on top of the coin acceptor and includes a rocker arm which is pivoted downwardly by a coin release bar assembly which is secured to and extends across the interior of the housing and is pivoted downwardly by the coin release lever on the front of the housing. The assembly is located above the display area and provides ample clearance in the housing to later add "smart" features while also providing a large display area.

Abstract: A coin-operated telephone having a housing enclosing a coin acceptor having a coin release mechanism secured thereto. A coin release mechanism actuator assembly is carried in the housing and disposed for actuation of the coin release mechanism by causing upward pivotal movement thereof. The coin release mechanism includes a downwardly depending member which is engaged by a roller of the actuator assembly which is comprised of two pivotal L-shaped members connected by a link or rod for transmitting pivotal movement from a first of the pivoted members to a second of the pivoted members. Stops are provided to limit the movement of the members to prevent binding thereof.