Abstract: A portable water spraying device includes a water conduit and a strut member. The water conduit defines an inflatable volume for receiving water. The water conduit includes a water inlet valve and a plurality of spray heads. The water inlet valve and the plurality of spray heads connect to the inflatable volume. The strut member is located adjacent to the water conduit and extends along an extension of the water conduit. The strut member is capable of keeping the water conduit stable when the water is pressured into the inflatable volume from the water inlet and is sprayed out form the plurality of spray heads.

Abstract: A system for determining the status of an answered telephone during the course of an outbound telephone call includes an automated telephone calling device for placing a telephone call to a location having a telephone number at which a target person is listed, upon the telephone call being answered, initiating a prerecorded greeting which asks for the target person and receiving a spoken response from an answering person and a speech recognition device for performing a speech recognition analysis on the spoken response to determine a status of the spoken response. If the speech recognition device determines that the answering person is the target person, the speech recognition device initiates a speech recognition application with the target person.

Abstract: A method (200) for establishing a communication session between a caller device (104) and a called device (106) in a two-stage dialing protocol is provided. The method includes transmitting (204) at least one list of contacts and at least one list of index values to a communication server. Each index value of the at least one list of index values is associated with a corresponding contact from the at least one list of contacts. Further, the method includes initiating (206) a first-stage communication between a communication between the caller device and the communication server based communication server based on an input received at the caller device the caller device. Furthermore, the method includes transmitting (208) at least one set of characters of communication server based on a set of inputs received at the caller device and establishing (210) the communication session between the caller device and the called device based on the at least one set of characters.

Abstract: The present invention is an expandable multi-zone paging and signaling system. In particular, the present invention is an apparatus and method for a paging controller wherein a user can program a response to a non-audio input signal in accordance with a set of prioritized inputs to a telephone interface device. The activity status of the set of prioritized inputs of the selected telephone interface device are combined using a logical OR function. By performing the logical OR function of the activity status of various telephone interface device inputs, the non-audio output signal can be customized to provide useful interactions with other outboard equipment.

Abstract: A system and method for an integrated intercom and distributed audio/video system with a security interface is provided. An intercom station is configured to couple with a powerline and to transmit and/or receive system control signals over the powerline. The intercom station may be further configured to transmit and/or receive live audio data and/or live image data over the powerline in real time or in near real time. The system may include two intercom stations configured to be coupled with a powerline. At least one of the two intercom stations may be configured to be mounted to a wall. At least one of the two intercom stations may include an intercom adapter configured to transmit and receive a uniquely addressed, modulated carrier wave over the powerline.

Abstract: A parallel-connected dialing signal detection and transmission-inhibiting device is disclosed which detects dual-tone multi-frequency dialing signals across tip and ring conductors of a telephone link and switches in an a.c. load that attenuates the dialing signals by at least 30 dB. This prevents action in response to the DTMF signals by a central office servicing the telephone link, thereby allowing commands-data to be transmitted within the home telephone wiring. Such commands can be used to invoke a speed/auto dialing function, to provide an intercom, to control appliances, etc. To allow fast response, the controller charges a capacitor of the a.c. load by connecting it across the tip and ring conductors in response to an off-hook condition. Then it is disconnected to allow a dial tone to reach a user at the telephone. Further transparency is provided by the fact that a single interfacing capacitor connects both the dialing signal detector and a tone generator to the tip line.

Abstract: A multiple handset cordless telephone includes a Caller ID/handset association table to identify a desired intended handset to receive an incoming call before the call is answered. When a match is made as between received call related information and a pre-stored entry in the Caller ID/handset association table, one or more intended handsets are provided with the subsequent ring signals and/or the subsequent voice conversation. If no match is found the cordless telephone operates otherwise in conventional fashion, i.e., all handsets ring in response to the incoming call, and any or all of the handsets may join the conversation at any time.

Abstract: A Network Interface Unit (38, 38′, 38″) routes incoming calls to, and outgoing calls from, a plurality of telephone sets (12-22) at a subscriber premises (24). The Network Interface Unit continuously monitors for incoming calls and the availability of telephone sets. Upon receipt of a call, the Network Interface Unit determines which telephone sets are idle and applies a distinctive ring to each idle telephone set o identify the telephone line or equivalent on which the call was received. Once a telephone set goes off hook, the Network Interface Unit routes the call to that set and releases the remaining telephone sets for subsequent calls. When a subscriber initiates an outgoing telephone call, the Network Interface Unit detects the call and routes it on an idle outgoing telephone line or equivalent.

Abstract: A system provides for the coordination of caller ID devices connected to a common telephone line and additionally may provide control of a number of electronic appliances within a home or building. Within a home or building, caller ID devices as well as a number of electronic appliances receive electrical energy through the electronic power lines. Each of the caller ID devices includes a processor which allows the transmission of control signals over the power lines in order that all caller ID devices on the same telephone line can be synchronized. This system can be further expanded to include a home controller which, via the power lines controls the operation of the electronic appliances. The home controller is connected to the common telephone line, and may download information and generate the appropriate command signals to control remotely located appliances.

Abstract: An integrated communications control device integrates the telecommunications environment of a small office with an interface to the telephone network. The device is a stand alone unit including a programmable control processor configured by a user based on the telephonic equipment within the office and the user's needs. The device is utilized to control telephone and data communications within the office. The device interfaces with a computer allowing the user to configure the system and create a customized telephonic environment using the personal computer. Alternatively, the device may be integrated into the PC with a plug-in card. Standard telephone interfaces are provided for interfacing to telephonic equipment such as telephones, modems and facsimile machines. Additionally, an ISDN interface allows the device to interface with and communicate over the ISDN, thereby providing a gateway to the PSTN. A display provides users with current operational status of the system.

Abstract: Duplicate optical fibers connect between a base station controller and a radio base station for each route. The duplicate optical fiber is connected to each of the radio base stations for each route through a star coupler. The radio base stations are arranged in each of areas so that the radio base stations for different routes are arranged adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A paging system controller is accessible from a plurality of input devices, such as an attendant's position, a telephone interface, telephone night bell, programmable switch devices and digital data communications devices, and is user-programmable to respond to signalling activity sourced from such accessing devices to establish a paging connection to and perform prescribed audio/visual output paging signal functions with respect to one or a plurality of paging zones served by the system. The output paging signal functions include the transmission of audio tone and voice paging signals via an audio signal path from a paging source to one or more controllably energized paging loudspeaker amplifiers, the generation of one or more alert tones to a paging zone, talkback audio signalling from the paging zone to a telephone interface, the playback of prerecorded (audio/visual) messages from either or both of audio output (e.g. loudspeaker) and visual output (e.g. silent radio) devices.

Abstract: A data dial system having at least one matrix switch, one or more user terminals, one or more Touch-Tone push button telephones, and at least one processor. The matrix switch can switch the user terminals between various inputs and outputs. The Touch-Tone push button telephones, each of which has a dual-tone-multiple-frequency keypad, generates signals which can actuate the processor. The processor controls the operation of the matrix switch, for switching signals between signal sources and signal destinations by establishing connections and by performing disconnections of the various inputs and outputs of the matrix switch.

Abstract: An intercom system for a door and inside stations has a speech function for two-way communication with hands-free operation. The intercom system includes a two-wire connecting lead between the door station and each inside station to transmit a conversation current and an operating current. The intercom system includes a bridge circuit for suppressing feedback, a bipole circuit to decouple conversation currents from a power supply, a calling circuit for calling on the two-wire connecting lead and using a call current of opposite plurality with respect to the operating current, and a short-circuit circuit in each inside station for short-circuiting the corresponding two-wire connecting lead when the corresponding door opening button is actuated.

Abstract: A calling signal controller in which a calling signal generator having a necessary and minimum output capacity is used to the most efficiently possible extent. The controller includes a phase number memory specifying the total number of phases of calling signals used to selectively call a plurality of telephone sets, a ringing count memory loaded with a ring count for each of the phases, and a ringing control memory of which addresses are associated with the phase numbers and the ringing counts, thereby controlling the calling signals.

Abstract: Accordingly to the present invention, when an incidence angle of a direct wave or a satellite elevation angle reaches a predetermined value, signals from two (or more) antennas, which are disposed at positions where variations in the field intensities of radio waves recevied by the two antennas are negatively correlated (i.e. when the received signal level of one of them is low, the received signal level of the other is high) or uncorrelated (i.e. the variations are not related to each other), are successively or discretely switched at a suitable switching period, by which burst-like errors are spread with time to perform the de-interleave or interleave function in decoding transmitted signals.

Abstract: A page party system for use in industrial environments, having a plurality of stations joined by a page line and by a single party line for providing multiple full-duplex conference calls over the single party line. Multiple full-duplex conferencing is achieved by combining single sideband suppressed carrier amplitude modulation and frequency division multiplexing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intercom system comprising a central unit and several remote stations connected by two-way lines to the central unit into a star network, whereby the lines are selectively interconnectable via the central unit for establishing a connection between desired remote stations. The number of simultaneous connections can be increased and the speech signals can be more reliably passed to the right remote stations when the two signal directions of each line are separated from each other at the central unit and the connection is established by connecting each signal direction separately.

Abstract: A telephone system, wherein an IC card device storing a personal ID number is inserted into the telephone nearest the owner of the IC card device, thus registering the personal ID number in association with the nearest telephone. Once the personal ID number has been registered in this manner, this telephone is automatically connected to any calling telephone on which the personal ID number is dialed.

Abstract: An intercommunications system for the selective establishment of two-way communications between a multiplicity of stations is disclosed and comprises a terminal located at each station and a communications network including a predetermined number of lines for interconnecting any one of the terminals to at least one other of the terminals.

Abstract: A residential digital logic circuit telephone system is provided for internal voice communications and digital interfaces control which enables two or more conventional twelve button touch-tone telephone devices to be used as a voice intercommunication system utilizing a single bidirectional conductor and for selectively actuating and controlling the operation of other electrical and electronic devices connected to the system from multiple remote locations. In a preferred embodiment of the system, two to five touch-tone telephones inside a residence may be actuated selectively by means of a ringing signal from any one of said telephones to another or all the other telephones by means of a single conductor bidirectional voice communication circuit arrangement which has been established between a calling telephone and a responding telephone. The intercom ringing system is distinct from the normal ringing signal from an incoming outside call.