Abstract: An easily assembled connecting block provides interconnection between modular plugs and insulated telephone wires or the like. The connecting block includes: (i) a metallic lead frame comprising a number of flat elongated conductive elements that terminate in closely spaced flat wires at one end thereof, (ii) an equal number of metallic connectors that electrically couple to the conductive elements of the lead frame and further provide at least two pairs of opposing contact fingers for insulation displacement; and (iii) a dielectric block for receiving the closely spaced wires within a jack housing contained therein and for supporting the metallic lead frame. In one embodiment the connectors are an integral part of the lead frame itself and are "sandwiched" between a pair of dielectric blocks, each block having a plurality of corresponding slots for guiding wires into the region between opposing contact fingers of the connectors.

Abstract: There is disclosed a call announcement circuit arranged for connection to a communication system via a voice (or data) path and also via a separate control channel. Using this arrangement, the system main processor can control the message delivery capacity of the announcement circuit since the circuit has direct access to the internal system buses. This configuration allows detailed control of the announcement circuit on channels separate from the communication channel.

Abstract: A portable data carrier system provides improved security for files which support multiple applications, from custom repertory dialing to storage of individual medical and/or banking records. Included in the system is a portable data carrier which looks and feels much like an ordinary credit card. The portable data carrier, however, includes a computer and an electrically erasable field programmable read-only memory. Power for operation of the portable data carrier is provided from an associated station via a reader/writer. The reader/writer also couples data between the data carrier and the associated station. Operation of the data carrier is through an executive operating system that is accessed from the station via a set of commonly understood command primitives. These command primitives manipulate the files in the data carrier in accordance with security requirements.

Abstract: A resilient and deformable touch screen that is adapted to be overlaid on the surface of a CRT screen is formed from a semi-rigid plastic frame attached to a flexible plastic pouch filled with a soft resilient material which adheres to the surface of the pouch.

Abstract: A file system for a portable data carrier provides improved security for files which support multiple applications, from custom repertory dialing to storage of individual medical and/or banking records. Although the portable data carrier looks and feels much like an ordinary credit card, it includes a computer and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Power for operation of the portable data carrier is provided from an associated station via a reader/writer. The reader/writer also couples data between the data carrier and the associated station. The applications reside in multiple files in memory on the portable data carrier. Appropriate application software residing in the station, when accompanied by an appropriate password, enables the retrieval and modification of these files. A separate password is required for gaining access to each of designated levels of interaction between the portable data carrier and the associated station.

Abstract: In a data receiver employing a fractionally spaced equalizer, the phase with which samples of the received signal are formed is controlled in response to a signal indicative of the center of gravity of the equalizer coefficient.

Abstract: In a multiprocessor system (FIG. 1), memory (22) of each adjunct processor (11-12) comprises global memory (42) and local memory (41). All global memory is managed by a process manager (30) of host processor (10). Each processor's local memory is managed by its operating system kernel (31). Local memory comprises uncommitted memory (45) not allocated to any process and committed memory (46) allocated to processes. The process manager assigns processes to processors and satisfies their initial memory requirements through global memory allocations. Each kernel satisfies processes' dynamic memory allocation requests from uncommitted memory, and deallocated to uncommitted memory both memory that is dynamically requested to be deallocated and memory of terminating processes. Each processor's kernel and the process manager cooperate to transfer memory between global memory and uncommitted memory to keep the amount of uncommitted memory within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A time division communication system having peripheral devices controlled om a port circuit is arranged such that the port circuit may have assigned to it a variable number of time slots for any peripheral device associated therewith. Each port circuit has a microprocessor control device which is capable of controlling communication to or from the port circuit over the system time division bus or to and from the port circuit and the peripheral over a variable number of time slots, none of which are preassigned to the port circuit.

Abstract: In many situations, contiguous data is not stored at contiguous locations within a memory. This fact alone causes an increase in processor time for retrieval purposes or the intervention of a memory management unit of some type. The situation is compounded when large amounts of data must be obtained from the memory or stored in the memory in real time. This problem is addressed by arranging a dual ported memory between the main memory and the processor and transferring the desired data into the dual ported memory. A pair of buffers are then used for each channel having access to the memory. While one buffer is being read, the other is being loaded. This structure also allows multiple devices to access the single main memory substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: A communication system is arranged to provide a virtual private line facility connection to another communication system using the public switched network. In response to a predetermined signal preceding a called party dialing signal received from a user, the system accesses a virtual facility table to obtain an intersystem dialing signal necessary to establish a connection to an access line of the other communication system. The system sends the intersystem dialing signal followed by the called party dialing signal to the public switched network. The intersystem dialing signal establishes a connection to the other system which then uses the received called party dialing signal to establish a connection from that system to the called party. The virtual facility table is made accessible to speed dialing, repertory dialing, station message detail recording and automatic route selection features of the system.

Abstract: A voiceband data signal comprised of frequency-division-multiplexed primary and secondary channels is applied to the receiver portion of a modem. Circuitry within the modem for recovering the primary channel data includes an anti-aliasing filter, A/D converter, Hilbert filter, demodulator, fractionally-spaced equalizer, carrier recovery circuit and decision circuit. An error signal put out by the decision circuit is used by the equalizer to update its coefficients, and thus its transfer function. Rather than using a bandpass filter to remove the secondary channel energy prior to sampling and equalization, the receiver relies on the fractionally-spaced equalizer to suppress the secondary channel energy.

Abstract: A personal memory card system is arranged for use with a memory card which looks and feels much like an ordinary credit card. No ohmic electrical contact is required between the card and a reader/writer in an associated station for transferring data to and from the card and operating power to the card. The need for conductive contacts in transferring data between the reader/writer and the card is avoided through use of a capacitive interface formed when insulated metallic plates on the card are aligned in close proximity with corresponding plates on the reader/writer. Operating power is transferred to the card through an inductive interface formed when a flexible flat inductor embedded in the card is aligned in close proximity to another inductor in the reader/writer. Data to and from the card and power to the card are reliably transferred even after some time of normal use since there are no exposed metallic surfaces to corrode or to which particles may collect.

Abstract: An automatic route selection capability for a communication system is described which enables the system to utilize digits of a called party number to select in a predetermined manner a predefined group of line pools and a line therein over which the call is to be placed. Once the predefined group of line pools is selected, a priority scheme enables the system to sequentially search each line pool for an available line over which the call can be placed. The system dials the called party using route character digits which prefix or optionally replace one or more of the user-dialed digits.

Abstract: A communication system includes station ports for connecting station sets to the system. A port circuit includes a number of conference registers which are not dedicated to particular station ports but rather are assigned as needed to port circuits. When a request is made to form an N party conference call, N-2 available ones of the conference registers are then assigned to each port of the port circuit which is involved in the resulting conference call connection.

Abstract: A personal memory card the size of a standard plastic credit card is usable in a variety of applications, from custom repertory dialing to storage of individual medical and/or banking records. Although the card looks and feels much like an ordinary credit card, the personal memory card includes a computer, an electrically erasable field-programmable read-only memory and also circuitry for inductively receiving a power signal and capacitive transferring data signals between the card and a card reader/writer located in an associated station. No direct ohmic electrical contact is made between the card and the reader/writer for transferring power to the card or for transferring data to and from the card. The card is also reprogrammable by the associated station with new and different data as desired.

Abstract: A mounting bracket formed from a length of wire in a double-L configuration includes retaining clips which engage corresponding grooves formed in a modular cross-connect unit. The flexibility of the bracket's L-shape itself provides a spring function that holds the unit in the bracket when the grooves in the unit engage the retaining clips.

Abstract: Control equipment employed in a customer-owned public telephone station prevents a user from making unauthorized telephone calls in a telephone system. Operating under the control of a computer in the station, the control equipment employs a call screening process which restricts the telephone numbers a user can dial to those numbers preselected by a station owner. The telephone numbers are categorized in multiple but distinct groups, each of which represents a specific class of telephone call. The control equipment is responsive to momentary loop breaks occurring on tip and ring lines connecting the station to a central office, and to a loop break provided by the central office which reflects that the far end party has disconnected. The control equipment is also responsive to scheduled as well as unscheduled receipt of dial tone.

Abstract: There is disclosed a call announcement circuit integrated into the switching network of a PBX switching system such that the announcement board resides in one of the port slots and has direct access to the internal system buses. The circuit can handle many separate announcements each stored at a selectable compression ratio. Each such announcement can be recorded or played in any of the time slots under processor control. This configuration allows tradeoffs between storage capacity and compression ratio (i.e., speech clarity) and also allows messages to be played on any line or to any station via the communication bus and the selected time slot.

Abstract: A telephone stand has a housing with a cradle in its top for a handset adapted when placed in the cradle to depress a pair of laterally spaced plungers passing through holes in the housing down into its interior. A line switch is disposed in the housing below and laterally between the plungers. The plungers are coupled to the switch by a Y-shaped piston comprising a crosshead spanning the lateral spacing between the plungers, a pair of tines projecting upwards from laterally opposite ends of the crosshead and having vertical bores therein in which lower portions of the plungers are received, and a laterally central stem extending down from the crosshead and having camming surfaces thereon adapted upon downward displacement of the piston (by downward driving of either of both of the plungers) to wedgingly displace resilient blades in the switch to change switch conditions thereof.

Abstract: A call charge allocation arrangement is implemented for a business communication system to track those situations in which a toll call is transferred from a first station to a second station. The arrangement tracks such transfers by establishing a first call record at the time the call is placed and establishing a second call record at the time the call is transferred, such that call charges which accrue prior to the transfer are entered in the first call record and call charges which accrue subsequent to the transfer are entered in the second call record.