Abstract: A device and method for interfacing a telephone to the telephone network is disclosed for receiving the ICLID of incoming telephone calls and responding in a predetermined manner. An ICLID receiver detects the presence or absence of the ICLID of an incoming telephone call, and receives the ICLID if present. In accordance with predetermined instructions and with the absence of an ICLID or the presence and identity of the ICLID, the device may acknowledge receipt of the ICLID to the incoming caller by generating a brief confirmation tone at minimum charge to the calling party, cause the incoming call to be answered or not answered, and may forward the incoming ICLID information to a predetermined location over the telephone network or by other means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for telephone call answer supervision, capable of detecting the completion of both national and international calls, which employ different answer confirmation formats, and provide confirmation that a placed call has been answered if least one of the following conditions occurs: 1) a tone of a given frequency, transmitted on the transmit line of a telephone, is detected as received back on the receive line; and 2) audio activity having a non-repetitive cadence is detected on both the transmit and receive lines of the telephone. Also provided is an autonomous pay telephone, such as a mobile telephone, which includes an arrangement for determining and accessing a call rate, per unit of time, for a call placed to a given telephone number, a display for displaying, in real-time as the call progresses, charges for a completed call as well as an accounting arrangement for storing charges accessed for each completed call.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting telephony signaling states, comprises an analog to digital converter and a microcomputer with associated firmware for controlling the operation of the microcomputer. The analog to digital converter digitizes incoming analog voltages containing telephony signaling state information and presents the digitized data samples for operation by the microcomputer. The microcomputer performs various digital filtering and analysis of the digital data samples in order to determine the signaling states represented by such digital data samples, and upon detection of the signaling states, outputs information indicative of such detected states. The present invention also incorporates use of such a detection circuit within line cards used to interface telephone subscriber lines with the central office terminal. The present invention further encompasses the methodology of performing such digital data sampling and analysis so as to determine telephony signaling states.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided within an interface to data terminal equipment for obtaining call progress information. The call progress information provides relevant data as to the progress of a call initiated by the data terminal equipment. The interface is designed to be used in a portion of the telephone network that lacks byte alignment. Such portions of the telephone network do not currently receive call progress tones. The interface is preferably a data service unit that includes a receiving means processor and a display means. The data service unit interprets signals sent from the DDA/OCU that encode the presence or absence of call progress tones sent from the destination node of an initiated call.

Abstract: An automatic dialing and responding device, wherein it is possible for a user to make an international call through a toll telephone exchange office easily and surely by automating the whole operation until a desired called party answers the call. The specific number for calling the office and the telephone numbers of the user and the called party are previously stored in the device for the automatic dialing, so that the calling of the office, the response to the office's instructions and the calling of the desired called party can be automatically carried out. It is also possible to select one of called parties' telephone numbers previously stored.

Abstract: Instead of setting the type of a dial signal for a central office line connected to a private branch exchange to either a DTMF signal or a pulsed signal externally of the private branch exchange, the line is acquired and a DTMF signal is transmitted from the private branch exchange to the line so that the line is recognized as a dial line for the DTMF signal when a dial tone coming from the line disappears but as a dial line for the pulsed signal when the dial tone does not disappear. Results of recognition are set in the private branch exchange and the type of the dial signal for the line is set automatically in accordance with the results.

Abstract: A facsimile store and forward network (42) includes a network access device (36) and an address processing unit (38) that cooperate to interface an originating facsimile machine (10) with a store and forward inbound node (40). The store and forward network provides communication between the originating facsimile machine and a receiving facsimile machine (12), both of which are capable of communicating in a point-to-point manner via a public switched telephone network (14). In operation, the network access device receives from the originating facsimile machine a first address signal that accesses the receiving facsimile machine, generates and stores address information corresponding the first address signal, and delivers to a message entry telephone network (16) a second address signal that accesses the address processing unit of the inbound node.

Abstract: A means is provided within an interface to data terminal equipment for obtaining call progress information. The call progress information provides relevant data as to the progress of a call initiated by the data terminal equipment. The interface is designed to be used in a portion of the telephone network that lacks byte alignment. Such portions of the telephone network do not currently receive call progress tones. The interface is preferably a data service unit that includes a receiving means processor and a display means. The data service unit interprets signals sent from the DDA/OCU that encode the progress or absence of call progress tones sent from the destination node of an initiated call.

Abstract: In a telecommunications network, a system for applying messages or data to the customer lines of calling parties during the "ringback" period of telephone call set up. The messages are preferably applied between successive ringback tones during the ringback period and are terminated when the called party answers the call. Advertising messages, civic or company announcements, political messages, informational messages(e.g. news or weather), or other data can be transmitted on the telephone lines during what is otherwise essentially unused times when the line is already tied up.

Abstract: A dial tone detection arrangement for a PBX which provides a dial tone detection notification feature to a calling party is disclosed. The disclosed arrangement relieves the calling party from the burden of aurally monitoring the receiver of a station while waiting for receipt of central office (C.O.) dial tone. The dial tone detection notification feature is advantageous under conditions where the calling party places a call to a called station served by the C.O. and experiences extensive delays, e.g. 30 minutes, in the receipt of C.O. dial tone. The dial tone detection arrangement utilizes an algorithm to establish a connection between a dial tone detection circuit of the PBX and a trunk port connected to a C.O. via a switching network. The dial tone detection circuit monitors the C.O. via the trunk port for the presence of dial tone indicative of C.O. availability. The calling party may now go "on-hook" and await a notification at the calling station indicative of the detection of dial tone.

Abstract: A bidirectional communication system having separate unidirectional information signalling for connection to one or more signal ports, comprised of a first switching matrix for effecting bidirectional communication between one or more of the signal ports and a second separate switching matrix for establishing unidirectional communication from one or more information signal sources to a predetermined one or more of the signal ports. Preferably, the communication system is a telephone system and the signal ports are local subscriber sets and outside telephone lines. The information signal sources can be, for instance, supervisory tone generating circuits such as DTMF generators, RING BACK, DIAL TONE or BUSY/ERROR signal generators. Alternatively, the signal sources may be music on hold circuits or circuits for generating out of voice band data signals.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting and discriminating among various signals indicative of progress while making a telephone connection. A particular waveform parameter known as peak factor is advantageously employed in a call progress analyzer. The illustrative call progress analyzer uses the average magnitude peak factor (ratio of the peak of the waveform to the average of the absolute value of the waveform) to distinguish among single-tone signals (e.g., special service information tones), double-tone signals (e.g., dial tone, audible ring, and busy), and speech. Waveform ON and OFF times (duration above and below an energy threshold) are combined with signal-type determinations (made using peak factor) to automatically determine the status of a call.

Abstract: A digital progress tone detector, for connection to a telephone line and a PABX, comprising circuitry for generating one or more reference tones having user definable frequencies and performing single frequency discrete Fourier transforms on one or more signals received from the telephone line at the defined frequencies, and providing an output signal to the PABX in response thereto. The output signal provides an indication of whether or not a predetermined one or more progress tone frequencies have been detected in the received signals. Because the generated reference tone frequencies are user definable, the present invention can be easily adapted for use in various foreign countries having different progress tone frequency requirements. A preferred embodiment of the invention is implemented on a single microcomputer chip in conjunction with peripherals (such as codecs, crosspoint switches, etc.).