Abstract: Call routing is controlled by a central unit providing switching control signals based on selecting the best figure-of-merit value from among poll responses for agents. While an incoming call is held by a public network 12, poll inquiries are sent from a central unit 20. Each local unit 24, 26, 28 provides a poll response indicative of the one its associated response resources (e.g., agents 31, 32, 33) having the shortest queue wait. Each poll response may be a simple figure-of-merit value representing agent availability. Central unit 20 selects the poll response represented by the best figure-of-merit value and sends routing instructions to the network 12. The call is then routed to the appropriate agent for handling. Where a local unit has no associated agent who is qualified to respond to a call (based on caller data related to that call) no poll response need be sent to central unit 20.

Abstract: Playback of pre-recorded messages to respond to caller inquiries has been subject to delays inherent in speech retrieval. Latent periods, both initial and intra-message, are reduced by breaking speech elements (words, phrases, sentences, etc.) into opening fragments and remaining portions. For each pre-recorded speech element for a particular application, an opening fragment (e.g., 4K bytes of speech data) is stored in active computer memory. The remaining portion of each speech element, regardless of length, is stored in a large capacity speech storage facility. For an incoming call, an appropriate responsive message is determined. The opening fragment of a pre-recorded speech element for that message is retrieved from active memory and used to initiate message transmission to the caller. Contemporaneously, a remaining portion of the speech element is retrieved from the storage facility and moved to active memory.

Abstract: An telephone media processing server is described having clock pulse steering circuit for steering clock pulses to a plurality of digital processors under control of a main processor. Other signals, such as a frame clock, for generating frame pulses, address and data lines are distributed using single conductors connected to output pins of a control processor. Typically, more than eight signal processors partitioned in a plurality of groups are interfaced to a single main processor. Each group of signal processors has a clock input controlled by the clock steering circuit. A main processor has a data port pin, an address port pin, and a switching command output connected to the clock pulse steering means for steering clock pulses to each group of processors. The signal processors set the data pin and address pin to a high impedance when the clock input is inactive. An example using the TMS320C5x processor is detailed.

Abstract: Printing apparatus uses a daisy type print wheel which is continuously driven through a magnetic clutch arrangement. Characters are selected by actuation of either an electromagnetic brake acting on the print wheel or a toothed character selector acting on the spokes of the print wheel. When a character is selected and the print wheel is stopped, rotation of the motor continues because of the slippage of the magnetic clutch. Other features of the invention include a fast recovery time for the hammer because of its constant rate of actuation, a change in spacing by varying this constant rate and also an improved carriage scan technique which provides for fast return.