Abstract: A method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing an audio signal. The apparatus comprises an input for receiving an audio signal derived from a spoken utterance, the audio signal being contained into a plurality of successive data frames. A data frame holding a certain portion the audio signal is processed to generate a feature vector including a plurality of discrete elements characterizing at least in part the portion of the audio signal encompassed by the frame, the elements being organized in a certain sequence. The apparatus makes use of a compressor unit having a grouping processor for grouping elements of the feature vector into a plurality of sub-vectors on the basis of a certain grouping scheme, at least one of the sub-vectors including a plurality of elements from the feature vector, the plurality of elements being out of sequence relative to the certain sequence. The plurality of sub-vectors are then quantized by applying a vector quantization method.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus providing data communications among network devices using tagged and untagged frame formats. In one embodiment, a virtual local area network (VLAN) is implemented using frames that may be transferred among network devices in both tagged and untagged formats. In one embodiment, the frames are transferred among network switches in an untagged format, independent of whether the source devices sent the frames in a tagged or untagged format. In addition, destination devices may receive frames in either a tagged or an untagged format, independent of whether the source devices originally send the frames a tagged or untagged format. Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code information contained in the frames as originally sent is left unchanged when transferred among the switches of the VLAN, even though the frames may have been modified prior to transfer among switches.

Abstract: An apparatus for vending public multimedia services has a telephone, a multimedia terminal, a payment receiver for receiving an authorization to accept charges for enabling use of at least one of the telephone and the multimedia terminal, a file receiver for receiving a file, the file containing a field with cost per unit time for a service and a field with a modifier for the cost per unit time for the service, memory for storing the file, and a usage cost determiner for determining a usage cost based on a time of use of the service and information in the file.

Abstract: A voice-dialing apparatus and method extracts semantic features from a speech signal and transmits a set of semantic feature characteristics over a telecommunication control channel to a remote speech recognition processor. Once received, the remote speech recognition processor uses the feature set to retrieve a name and number corresponding to the audio signal received from the user and to automatically dial the number for the user.

Abstract: A system includes a plurality of content addressable memory (CAM) chips which are cascaded and connected to a common bus. Each of the CAM chips provides search results (hit, match address and multiple match). A hit signal and a multiple match signal are propagated from chip to chip. A system hit result is given from the furthest down stream CAM chip. The match address result of the system is given from the common bus, where on-chip self-timed signals guarantee that there is no driving contention on the bus. An example of the CAM chip includes an extra row including a model match line and modified core cells to provide a model miss signal. The self-timed signal is provided in response to the model match line. In another example of the CAM chip, each word is divided into two halves. The match lines of the two halves of the word are coupled by a NAND circuit, the output of which is coupled to an encoder of the chip. The CAM chip includes an extra row including a chain of model match lines.

Abstract: A method, translating apparatus, apparatus comprising a computer readable medium, and system for establishing and terminating an end-to-end connection in a mixed protocol communication network includes a translation function that communicates with a first device using a first communication protocol and a second device using a second communication protocol. In order to establish an end-to-end connection, the translation function receives a first data message from the first device, establishes a connection with the second device, and transmits a second data message to the second device. In order to terminate an end-to-end connection, the translation function receives a reset message from the first device, terminates the connection with the second device, and transmits a reset confirmation message to the first device.

Abstract: Routing of data in a mobile radiotelephone system to an intended recipient roaming mobile end station (M-ES) is facilitated by determining if the M-ES is within the same geographic area of the originating data source. If the M-ES is within the same geographic area as verified by interrogation of the local mobile data interface station, then data is sent directly to the intended M-ES without transmission to the mobile end station's home mobile data interface station. If the intended recipient M-ES is not currently located within the same geographic area served by the originating data source, then the data is transmitted to the M-ES's home mobile data intermediate station where the last known location of the roaming M-ES is stored and then on to the appropriate mobile data intermediate station for transmission to the intended M-ES.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for locating a fault within a token ring network are described. The apparatus comprises a number of detectors, each of which is positioned at a location between a pair of neighboring network stations. Each detector maintains an indication of whether beaconing data is detected at the monitored location. After a period of time, a fault identifier, in the form of a Network Management Module (NMM), can identify the location of a network fault by locating successive indications, maintained by successive detectors, which differ from each other.

Abstract: A communications system includes a dual mode mobile station and a home base station. Dual mode mobile station is operable selectively in CDMA and analog modes. Home base station includes circuitry for establishing wireless communications with mobile station in the analog mode, and circuitry for establishing communications with a wireline communications system, the base station allowing an exchange of information between mobile station and wireline system in the analog mode.

Abstract: Correction/controlling of amplitude errors in radio transmission is by application of negative feedback to mixer plus power amplifier stages. Incoming signals to the mixer, typically from RF exciter or IF stage, have a modulating envelope. Envelope of mixer modulated carrier signals from the amplifier is detected and applied in anti-phase as negative feedback to the mixer input.

Abstract: Real-time, per call charge information is provided to a subscriber for calls in progress using a communications system having a service interface supporting the charge display feature. A repository of billing rate information is accessible to the communications system, which selects the appropriate billing rate based on call attributes such as time of day, geographic location, etc. The charge information may be periodically computed within a switch or data processing system within the communications system and transmitted to a remote display device for display. Alternatively, raw billing rate information may be transmitted to an intelligent device at the subscribers location, which periodically computes the charge information and updates the display.

Abstract: In a packet communications network comprising primary packet and secondary communication networks, a method and apparatus are disclosed for using a primary path connection to exchange additional address information between routing nodes so that the routing nodes can discover secondary path connections between routing nodes that may be used for future communication. If a packet merits additional address information, additional address information relating to a secondary communication network address for a source routing node is included in the packet header of an outgoing packet. It is determined whether an incoming packet includes additional address information and if so, the additional address information is stored so that it is associated with the primary network address of the source host node of the packet. The primary network addressing information, and any secondary network addressing information, is passed to the route calculation component of the routing node.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for minimizing the effects of faults over an air link of a wireless transmission channel utilizing Transport Control Protocol (TCP). The system includes a TCP-Aware Agent Sublayer (TAS) in a protocol stack, which has a mechanism for caching both TCP packets during forward transmission and acknowledgment (ACK) return packets. The caching mechanism is located near a wireless link of the wireless transmission channel. The system also includes a link monitoring agent coupled to the TAS. The link monitoring agent monitors the condition of the wireless transmission channel for an occurrence of a predefined fault. Once a predefined fault is detected, a system response is implemented based on the type of fault encountered. When the fault is an air link packet loss, an associated packet is immediately retransmitted from the cache, and when the fault is a temporary disconnect, a congestion window of the TCP source is closed.

Abstract: An apartment building alerting system and method are disclosed which use the Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) to alert and connect visitors to residents. The PSTN system generally has a visitor interface unit located in the apartment building and is connected over a regular telephone line to a telephone switch located at an end office which serves the local area. The visitor interface unit also includes an auto dialler which takes a resident name, an apartment number or some other means for identifying a particular resident of the apartment building and translates it into a PSTN directory number (DN) associated with the telephone physically located in the resident's apartment. To contact a particular resident a visitor uses the visitor interface to identify a particular resident and the auto dialler proceeds to dial a corresponding PSTN DN associated with the resident. Where the resident answers the call the telephone switch connects the visitor with the resident over the PSTN.

Abstract: A method is provided for transitioning between redundant computer systems on a network. According to one aspect of the present invention, fault tolerance may be achieved in a network which includes one or more redundant computer systems by monitoring the status of a primary system and having a redundant system take over for the primary system upon determining the primary system has entered a predetermined state (e.g., lost power, CPU has gone down, etc.). Each host machine on the network includes an address translation table (e.g., an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache) for purposes of dynamically mapping a logical address (e.g., an Internet Protocol (IP) address) to a physical address (e.g., a MAC address).

Abstract: A method for messaging during Inter-VLR location updates wherein a mobile station (MS) sends to a Visitor Location Register (VLR) a Location Update message having a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) number embedded therein. The VLR records the TMSI and sends to the MS a Location Update Accept message void of a TMSI number.

Abstract: The invention includes analyzing the steering voltage applied to a crystal oscillator over time, and compensating for spurious frequency jumps in determining the drift rate of a crystal oscillator. The steering voltage may be used to estimate oscillator stability by comparing a projected steering voltage against an actual voltage after a simulated holdover period, or analyzing a steering voltage recorded over a period of time and evaluating rates of change. Spurious frequency jumps may be removed from data collected while not in an actual holdover, making the data more accurately represent the frequency drift rate of the oscillator. Also, the rate of occurrence of spurious frequency jumps while not in holdover may be monitored to provide information regarding the physical condition of the crystal.

Abstract: Assessing decoys for use in an audio recognition process for identifying predetermined sounds in an unknown input audio signal, involves a test recognition process for matching known training audio signals to models representing the predetermined sounds and the decoys and determining for each of the decoys, from the results of the test recognition process, a score representing the effect of the respective decoy in the recognition of any of the known training audio signals. An advantage arising from generating scores for decoys is that the chance of a poor selection of decoys can be reduced. Thus the possibility of poor recognition performance arising from poorly selected decoys can be reduced. Furthermore, the requirement for expert input into the decoy creation process, which may be time consuming, can be reduced. This can make it easier, or quicker, or less expensive to install.

Abstract: A wireless communications systems for servicing mobile subscribers which dynamically optimizes the absolute number of channels reserved for use only as guard channels to minimize the blocking of handoff as well as new calls even under widely varying traffic and mobility conditions. This is accomplished by periodically first incorporating values, representative of traffic and mobility data typically collected in cellular systems, obtained over a given period of time, into an equation developed by the present inventors and calculating the number of guard channels needed to obtain assumed values of new and handoff call blocking; second changing the number of guard channels to the calculated value; and then third gathering data for a new period of time before returning to the first step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving status information from shared logical memory modules in a computer system including redundant memory. The status information includes whether the shared logical memory modules are in a transitional state and the number of logical memory modules in the mirror set. When shared logical memory modules are added or removed from redundant memory they go through a transitional state when the memory card may respond to a request for data held on the card, but that data may be unreliable. Checking this status information allows better error checking of data and fault detection of the shared logical memory module.