Abstract: A personal communications system is described which includes components of software and hardware operating in conjunction with a personal computer. The user interface control software operates on a personal computer, preferably within the Microsoft Windows.RTM. environment. The software control system communicates with hardware components linked to the software through the personal computer serial communications port. The hardware components include telephone communication equipment, digital signal processors, and hardware to enable voice, fax and data communication with a remote site connected through a standard telephone line. The functions of the hardware components are controlled by control software operating within the hardware component and from the software components operating within the personal computer.

Abstract: An interface for modems is described which provides rapid identification of a caller and limited access based on a variety of parameters obtained from caller identification information encoded by the telephone company. The incoming telephone call information is compared to a preprogrammed access matrix to determine if the caller is authorized to access the modem connected to the interface. A telephone call screening method and apparatus which incorporates the encoded caller identification is also described. Finally, a method and apparatus for a telephone database for statistical accounting is described.

Abstract: The present invention includes software and hardware components to enable digital data communication over standard telephone lines. The present invention converts analog voice signals to digital data, compresses that data and places the compressed speech data into packets for transfer over the telephone lines to a remote site. A voice control digital signal processor (DSP) operates to use one of a plurality of speech compression algorithms which produce a scaleable amount of compression. The rate of compression is inversely proportional to the quality of the speech the compression algorithm is able to reproduce. The higher the compression, the lower the reproduction quality. The selection of the rate of compression is dependant on such factors as the speed or data bandwidth on the communications connection between the two sites, the data demand between the sites and amount of silence detected in the speech signal. The voice compression rate is dynamically changed as the aforementioned factors change.

Abstract: The voice over data component of a personal communications system enables the operator to simultaneously transmit voice and data communication to a remote site. This voice over data function dynamically allocates data bandwidth over the telephone line depending on the demands of the voice grade digitized signal. The user may enter voice over data mode from a data transfer mode by lifting the handset of the telephone connected to the modem. The off-hook condition is sensed and software sends a supervisory packet to the remote site to invoke voice-over-data mode. The remote telephone will simulate a ring to alert the remote user, and the local telephone will simulate a ringback to inform the caller that the remote unit is responding.

Abstract: A personal communications system is described which includes components of software and hardware operating in conjunction with a personal computer. The user interface control software operates on a personal computer, preferably within the Microsoft Windows.RTM. environment. The software control system communicates with hardware components linked to the software through the personal computer serial communications port. The hardware components include telephone communication equipment, digital signal processors, and hardware to enable voice, fax and data communication with a remote site connected through a standard telephone line. The functions of the hardware components are controlled by control software operating within the hardware component and from the software components operating within the personal computer.

Abstract: A personal communications system is described which includes components of software and hardware operating in conjunction with a personal computer. The user interface control software operates on a personal computer, preferably within the Microsoft Windows.RTM. environment. The software control system communicates with hardware components linked to the software through the personal computer serial communications port. The hardware components include telephone communication equipment, digital signal processors, and hardware to enable voice, fax and data communication with a remote site connected through a standard telephone line. The functions of the hardware components are controlled by control software operating within the hardware component and from the software components operating within the personal computer.

Abstract: A personal communications system enables the operator to simultaneously transmit voice and data communication to a remote site. The personal communications system is equipped with two telephone line interfaces to allow connection between two remote sites. The connection between the first remote site and the local site may operate in a voice over data communications mode to simultaneously send compressed voice and data. The connection between the local site and a second site is a voice only connection allowing the first remote site to talk to the second remote site without breaking the data communication connection between the first site and the local site. The second remote site may be a public telephone network. The communication between the first remote site and the second remote site through the local site may also be a data communication connection, or it may also be a voice over data communication connection.

Abstract: A personal communications system is described which includes components of software and hardware operating in conjunction with a personal computer. The user interface control software operates on a personal computer, preferably within the Microsoft Windows.RTM. environment. The software control system communicates with hardware components linked to the software through the personal computer serial communications port. The hardware components include telephone communication equipment, digital signal processors, and hardware to enable voice, fax and data communication with a remote site connected through a standard telephone line. The functions of the hardware components are controlled by control software operating within the hardware component and from the software components operating within the personal computer.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for fault-tolerant communication of data embodied in a packet. The communication includes transmission of a starting sequence signal, the starting sequence signal including a first character string followed by a second character string. Transmitting the packet of information after the starting sequence signal has been transmitted, and transmitting an ending sequence signal after the packet has been transmitted, the ending sequence signal including a third character string followed by a fourth character string. The present invention also includes receiving the starting sequence signal transmitted from the transmitting means, and comparing the first and second character strings for the starting sequence signal to first and second pre-determined character strings. A buffer is reset so that it may receive the packet if the first and second character strings match the first and second pre-determined character strings, respectively.

Abstract: Formatted serial synchronous character data is converted to serial asynchronous data, where the synchronous bit rate varies from the asynchronous intracharacter bit rate. The character data utilizes a start bit-stop bit format which enables the converter to insert stop bits occasionally in proportion to the bit rate difference, thus compensating for bit rate mismatch. The converter offers programmable character lengths of 7, 8, or 9 bits and a possible seven different asynchronous bit rates, each selected by three programmable selection inputs. In addition, the invention uses a total digital design architecture enabling gate array integrated circuit implementation.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus which provides a shared modem resource to PCs connected through a local area network and to off-network PCs. In particular, the present invention is an intelligent LAN modem node which combines the attributes of a local area network node, an intelligent operating personal computer and one or more modems constructed in a dedicated fashion. The LAN modem node operates as a standalone node on a LAN to allow the shared resources of modem communication for the other PCs on the network and off-network PCs without tying up any of the PCs on the network for modem communications. The LAN modem node allows the PCs on the LAN to communicate with off-LAN devices such as mainframe computers, off-site printers, minicomputers, other local area networks and the like. The LAN modem node also gives off-LAN personal computers access to network resources.

Abstract: A method for establishing a spoofing service for a high-level file transfer protocol from a modem. A modem spoofing initiation protocol (MSIP) word containing modem limitations is appended to the initial negotiation frame sent by the host to the receiver. If the receiving modem detects the MSIP word at the end of the negotiation frame, it compares its own limits with the received limits, takes the lower limit as the agreement, then appends the agreement word to the frame sent to acknowledge the negotiation frame. If the sending modem detects the agreement word, both modems use the agreed limits to examine the maximum block size and window size in the negotiation frame of the high-level file transfer protocol. If the block size and window size are within the agreed values, the spoofing service begins.

Abstract: A method for dynamically changing the polling process of a single microprocessor within a modem. An additional step is added into the main polling loop that checks the amount of data in the transmit and receive buffers. If one buffer is empty, additional polling cycles are performed to service the other buffer. The number of additional cycles is dependent on how full the buffer is. If both buffers contain data, no change is made in the polling process and both are serviced with equal priority.