Abstract: Gamified computerized project/workflow/activity management system and method which harnesses the innate human desire for playful competition and continual skill advancement to improve organizational productivity. The system allows team member (or team group) bidding on project tasks, where the members or groups accumulate points according to various criteria including how well their work product meets previously established criteria, as well as an opportunity to acquire additional points from mastering various task related learning material. Other factors, such as providing assistance to other team members, evaluating work product, and the like are also awarded points. Competition is fostered by allowing team members or groups to see where their point score ranks versus other players or groups, while teamwork and member skill growth is also encouraged.

Abstract: Gamified computerized project management system and method which harnesses the innate human desire for playful competition and continual skill advancement to improve organizational productivity. The system allows team member bidding on project tasks, where they accumulate points according to various criteria including how well their work product meets previously established criteria, as well as an opportunity to acquire additional points from mastering various task related learning material. Other factors, such as providing assistance to other team members, evaluating work product, and the like are also awarded points. Competition is fostered by allowing team members to see where their point score ranks versus other players, while teamwork and member skill growth is also encouraged. Gamified project management files containing comprehensive project records may be saved, converted to standard project management files, or constructed by translation process that gamifies standard project management files.

Abstract: Gamified computerized project management system and method which harnesses the innate human desire for playful competition and continual skill advancement to improve organizational productivity. The system allows team member bidding on project tasks, where they accumulate points according to various criteria including how well their work product meets previously established criteria, as well as an opportunity to acquire additional points from mastering various task related learning material. Other factors, such as providing assistance to other team members, evaluating work product, and the like are also awarded points. Competition is fostered by allowing team members to see where their point score ranks versus other players, while teamwork and member skill growth is also encouraged. Gamified project management files containing comprehensive project records may be saved, converted to standard project management files, or constructed by translation process that gamifies standard project management files.

Abstract: A system combines project management, learning management, and content management in an augmented reality game. Significant business objectives correspond to “Quests” where a Quest includes Missions and Tasks. In the augmented reality game, individual employees are scored for individual Tasks in a game in which individuals can compare their point standing with other players.

Abstract: The present invention is a standardized host-to-switch application program interface (API) for performing call control processing, capable of being customized to meet telecommunications application and network signalling protocol requirements. The universal API comprises one or more generic messages having programmable fields for transmitting commands, status, and data between the host application and the switch. The present invention further comprises a programmable telecommunication switch that provides a user with the ability to define a desired API protocol, either “standard” or custom in nature, for performing any desired switching functions. The present invention includes a protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by the switch.

Abstract: A distributed synchronization system for use in each node of a distributed asynchronous telecommunications network system that continually monitors and controls the flow of data through an implementing node to prevent dataflow errors due to phase and frequency differences in source and destination nodal clocks, and to control inter-nodal network latency so as to support the transmission of synchronous data. A synchronization data FIFO buffers predetermined fields or portions of fields of a unique frame packet received from a source node before retransmission to a destination node on the network. The frame packet includes a frame synchronization field indicating the beginning of a new frame packet; a payload field containing valid data; and a dead zone field providing bandwidth during which the present invention performs synchronization functions.

Abstract: Redundancy, expanded switching capacity and fault isolation arrangements for use with an expandable telecommunications system. An inter-nodal network connects a plurality of programmable switching nodes or other nodes. One or more additional inter-nodal networks may be provided across some or all of the ones. The bandwidth provided by the additional network(s) may be used to provide redundancy against failure of the primary network or the nodes, increased switching capacity or a combination of both. In addition, faults which occur either within a particular node or within an inter-nodal network may be effectively isolated and prevented from degrading system performance.

Abstract: A telecommunications switch chassis includes a housing which is divided into front and rear compartments by a transverse printed circuit board or mid-plane. Notches are provided in the upper edges of the mid-plane which are adapted to receive tabs projecting from the ends of a pair of card guides so that the card guides are supported on edge in proper laterally spaced relation within the front compartment. The card guides are formed with columns of slots whose edges are deformed to form slides interleaved with the slots so that the card guides can support a stack of printed circuit cards in vertical spaced relation within the front compartment, the spaces between the cards being aligned with the slots in the card guides.

Abstract: A prescription dosage unit dispensing system including a housing having a plurality of cells, each cell adapted to contain a base-port subunit including a dosage unit dispensing device, a disposable drug-containing tower unit containing in sealed condition a single type of solid dosage unit is operatively connected to the base-port subunit and a device for securing a vial in place so that it can receive the solid dosage units from the drug-containing tower unit as instructed manually or via automated microprocessor/computer control.

Abstract: A user-programmable telephone switch which resides within a commercially available personal computer. The switch is controllable by either the personal computer's microprocessor or a separate, external host connected to an interface provided within the switch. The switch includes a CPU/matrix card that contains a time slot interchange and a CPU running under a real time operating system. The CPU/matrix card controls the overall operation of the switch in accordance with messages received from the operative host. In general, those tasks or functions which must be performed in real time are the responsibility of the switch, as opposed to the internal or external host. Within the switch, certain tasks or functions may be delegated by the CPU/matrix card to intelligent line cards which contain their own microprocessors having substantial call processing capability.

Abstract: A programmable telecommunications switch has automatic backup of line cards to provide complete redundancy. The switch has I/O cards which terminate the external telecommunications spans. Each I/O card passes the data from its spans to a line card. When the line card fails, the I/O card switches the data onto an I/O bus which is connected to a standby I/O card. The standby I/O card switches a standby line card into connection with the I/O bus such that the data stream is then serviced by the standby line card. The failed line card may then be removed and replaced. All I/O cards are attached to the I/O bus such that redundancy for all active line cards using the same signalling protocol is provided with a single standby line card. With multiple I/O busses, standby I/O cards and standby line cards, multiple redundancy is possible. Finally, the failure of a single line module of a line card may be handled by switching only the span serviced by that module to a standby line card.

Abstract: A telecommunications protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port provided by a programmable telecommunications switch. Protocols for various telecommunications applications and software layers may be developed.

Abstract: An open, high speed, high bandwidth digital communication network for connecting multiple programmable telecommunications switches to form a large capacity, non-blocking switching system. Each network switching node includes circuitry for transmitting and receiving variable-length, packetized information over the network, thus enabling each node to receive information from or transmit information to all other nodes. The network may carry any type of information present in the system including voice, data, video, multimedia, control, configuration and maintenance, and the bandwidth of the network may be divided or shared across various information types. Devices such as voice processing resources may also interface with the network, thereby gaining direct access to all information passing through the network. Also provided are methods and packet structures for communicating information over the network.

Abstract: A telecommunications protocol development environment which enables a user to define a separate finite state machine for each port or channel provided by a programmable telecommunications switch. Protocols for various telecommunications applications and software layers may be developed.

Abstract: A telecommunications switch chassis includes a generally rectangular housing whose interior is divided by a lateral partition into front and rear compartments. There is a large opening in the top wall of the housing over the rear compartment only which may be dosed by a removable cover. There is also an opening in the front of the housing which is normally closed by a lockable door to provide controlled access to the front compartment of the housing. The rear compartment contains a printed circuit board with connectors for receiving and supporting on edge a plurality of PC-AT cards whose connectors are accessible through openings in the rear wall of the housing so that exterior cables can be connected to those cards. All of these cards are readily accessible for replacement or repair by removing the cover over the rear compartment. The front compartment contains a rack for supporting redundant DC/DC power supply cards or alternatively an AC power supply.

Abstract: A telecommunications switch which may be configured to provide a variety of user-programmable communications or call processing services. Such services may be dynamically provided to any port served by the switch without reducing the number of time slots that would otherwise be available for calls. The switch includes a CPU/matrix card, one or more line cards for terminating analog or digital lines or trunks, and one or more programmable communications services cards, all of which are connected in communicating relationship by a series of buses. Each communications services card is independently programmable and includes a processor for processing messages received from the CPU/matrix card. The communications services card provides a basic platform onto which different types of modules may be mounted to meet the requirements of a particular application.

Abstract: A user-programmable telephone switch which resides within a commercially available personal computer. The switch is controllable by either the personal computer's microprocessor or a separate, external host connected to an interface provided within the switch. The switch includes a CPU/matrix card that contains a time slot interchange and a CPU running under a real time operating system. The CPU/matrix card controls the overall operation of the switch in accordance with messages received from the operative host. In general, those tasks or functions which must be performed in real time are the responsibility of the switch, as opposed to the internal or external host. Within the switch, certain tasks or functions may be delegated by the CPU/matrix card to intelligent line cards which contain their own microprocessors having substantial call processing capability.