Abstract: Systems and methods for providing access to wireline communication equipment are disclosed. Exemplary methods include positioning the wireline communication equipment at least partly below ground level, positioning an electric-powered lifting device near the wireline communication equipment and at least partly below the ground level, connecting the electric-powered lifting device to the wireline communication equipment, and configuring the lifting device to lift the wireline communication equipment above the ground level when access to the wireline communication equipment is desired.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for suppressing noise is presented. The apparatus may utilize a filter bank of bandpass filters to split the input noisy speech-containing signal into separate frequency bands. To determine whether the input signal contains speech, DTMF tones or silence, a joint voice activity & DTMF activity detector (JVADAD) may be used. The overall average noise-to-signal ratio (NSR) of the input signal is estimated in the overall NSR estimator, which estimates the average noisy signal power in the input signal during speech activity and the average noise power during silence. Two indirect power measures are performed for each band, measuring a short-term power and a long-term power. The power estimation processes are adapted based on the signal activity indicated by the JVADAD. A NSR adapter adapts the NSR for each frequency band based on the long-term and short-term power measures, the overall NSR and the signal activity indicated by the JVADAD. The NSR adaptation may then be performed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allocating bits to subchannels in a discrete multitone environment. The method employs the use of precalculated and prestored look-up tables which take into account a desired bit error rate, signal-to-noise ratio gap for a particular coding scheme, and gain scaling factor. This eliminates the need for the communication device to conduct complex and time consuming calculations. During the training sequence portion of data communication channel establishment, the measured signal-to-noise ratio for each subchannel is compared with values in the precalculated look-up tables to determine the bit allocation for that subchannel. The bit allocation value is stored in a data structure in the communication device. A gain scaling factor for each subchannel is then determined and stored as a data structure. The bit allocation and gain scaling data can then be transmitted to a partner communication device in order to instruct the transmitter how to load each subchannel.

Abstract: A personal message receiving apparatus is described including a portable communications receiver, intended to be carried by the user, which receives, detects and stores messages transmitted on a first radio frequency communication channel. The stored message is then subsequently transmitted over a second communications channel to a presentation unit having a second receiver which is intended to be carried by the user. The second receiver receives, and detects the message, and presents the message to the user in the form of a visual display. The message may also be stored.

Abstract: A system for expanding the number of signal ports accommodated by a base communication system having one or more switching circuits for interconnecting a plurality of local signal ports via a multiple line signal bus under control of a central controller. The expansion system is comprised of a plurality of expansion port circuits connected in parallel to the signal bus, for selectively interconnecting one or more respective remote signal ports to predetermined lines of the signal bus under control of the central controller. Each of the expansion port circuits preferably includes a selector/multiplexer circuit for selectively interconnecting the remote signal port with the predetermined line of the signal bus. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication system is a telephone system, such as a key telephone system or PABX, and the multiple line signal bus is comprised of a set of junctors.

Abstract: To convert an analog communication between two local access transport areas (LATA's) from one charged at multiple inter-LATA rates to one charged at a single inter-LATA rate plus lower intra-LATA rates, the communication is concentrated within the remote LATA by installing a remote demarcation point connected to a central office and by installing a master station demarcation point and the master station demarcation point are interfaced by an analog concentrator. The analog concentrator couples the analog communication signals by appropriately amplifying them without digital conversion or processing.

Abstract: Two parallel-operated control units each communicate via a respective discrete bus with a respective assigned group of switch devices, and given an alternate circuit based on one control unit simultaneously accepting the tasks for both groups, an alternate circuit bus is provided from the accepting control unit to the other group of switch devices and has bidirectional bus amplifiers connected therein, the one bus amplifier being supplied with voltage together with the accepting control unit and its group and the other bus amplifier being supplied with voltage together with the other control unit and its group. Given a voltage outage of the non-accepting control unit and its assigned group of switch devices, a signal is transmitted to the first-mentioned bus amplifier in order to provide the required disconnection of the alternate circuit bus by way of unequivocal electrical switch states and measures in that bus having supply voltage present.

Abstract: An improved step-by-step switch assembly includes an electronic controller conversion module. A programmed microprocessor responds to incoming pulse trains of widely variant make and break ratios and generates precisely timed and shaped pulses to operate vertical, rotary and release magnets of the switch assembly. Other features include increased loop sensitivity, selective digit absorption and automatic periodic contact wiping to clean all of the contacts of the assembly.