Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making a payment using an account manager or kiosk, the process guaranteeing the payment of the supplier and the anonymity of the customer. A customer (U) withdraws from his bank (B) a sum in the form of "blind" electronic coins or cash, deposits the latter in one or more anonymous accounts in a kiosk (K) and finally uses said account or accounts for paying suppliers of goods or services (SA). The invention has application to streamline and voice telepayment.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing an order-wire signal capable of providing a high quality communication between operators through an order-wire channel for use in a synchronous add drop multiplexer(ADM) including a multiplexing unit and a de-multiplexing unit comprises: mixer for mixing two signals to generate a mixed signal, one being a voice signal of an operator at the ADM, the other being an order-wire signal received from a de-multiplexing unit in the ADM; detector for detecting a slip to generate a control signal and generating slip data; and selector for selecting one out of the mixed signal and the received order-wire signal to produce a selected signal, and transmitting the selected signal to the multiplexing unit in the ADM.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced protocol converter which may be configured as a network element, e.g. a digital switch, a node of the system or a digital private exchange. The network element is for use in a telecommunications network which supports at least one supplementary service and which includes a node, a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within the network including an information element in a first format which is incompatible with the node, and a message associated with a supplementary service being transmittable within the network including an information element in a second format compatible with the node.The network element examines the messages and determines if the format of an information element therein is compatible with the next node. If it is, the message is transmitted transparently. If not, the format is changed to the appropriate format for the next node and for the relevant supplementary service.

Abstract: Digital control of analogue beamformers utilising PIN diodes in a shunt circuit bi-phase attenuator arrangement is difficult because of the diodes extremely non-linear control response. There is disclosed a PIN diode circuit arrangement comprising a digital to analogue converter (DAC) with a reference voltage controller arranged to vary the DACs response to digital input signals to compensate for the PIN diode's non-linear response making this look substantially linear in the digital domain. The circuit preferably incorporates a feedback arrangement from the output of the DAC to its reference voltage input.

Abstract: An IPC (Inter-Processor Communications) message router for use in routing an IPC message to a node comprises: a memory for storing receive enable signals at addresses therein, each of the addresses being identical to a routing address included in the IPC message, and outputting receive enable signals stored in the addresses corresponding to the routing address; and a converter and sync signal generator for extracting a routing address from a serial IPC message received, converting the serial routing address into a parallel routing address, sending the parallel routing address to the memory, and generating a sync signal, the sync signal being used in selecting a set of receive enable signals.

Abstract: A flash type analog-to-digital converter which generates a digital output signal in response to an analog input signal includes: a first comparator having a reference value being half of a level determining range against the input signal and determining whether the input signal is above or below the reference value; a first encoder for generating the most significant bits of the digital output signal from an output signal of the first comparator; a subtractor for producing a difference between the reference value and the input signal when the input signal is determined to be above the reference value by the first comparator; at least two second comparator for determining an output signal level of the subtractor; and a second encoder for generating the rest of the digital output signal other than the most significant bits from an output of the second comparators.

Abstract: A CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) modulation and demodulation method and a communication system using the same which simultaneously transmits a pilot signal and a data signal through the same channel, thereby being capable of not only greatly the complexity of its transceiver, but also achieving an improvement in performance where a large number of multipaths are used.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for quickly generating an error free MIB file of the type used by a SNMP manager to manage and display error and log trap messages received from agents reporting to said manager. This is accomplished by retrieving data from definition and template libraries to be used in conjunction with a network element database to correctly generate, element by element, a completed MIB file.

Abstract: A system and method for tracing calls, such as those terminating in a wireless telephone system, is disclosed. The system is part of a communication network that uses a switch connected to a caller. The switch extracts information about the caller such as a calling party number and other information useful for tracing the call. Once the information has been extracted, the switch sends the information to a storage device associated with the called party, such as a home location register. The storage device creates a log of the call, storing all the extracted information. When the call is to be traced, a device capable of accessing the storage device can easily retrieve the stored information and thereby identify and locate the caller.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a reference clock signal having a clock pulse train comprises a detecting block for counting pluses of a count clock signal to produce a count value and generate a count failure signal when the count value reaches a predetermined value, wherein the frequency of the count clock signal is larger than that of the reference clock signal; and a controlling block for generating a clear signal at every clock pulse of the reference clock signal to cleat the detecting block when the clear signal is inputted thereto.

Abstract: Systems and methods consistent with the present invention determine whether to accept one of a plurality of intermediate recognition results output by a speech recognition system as a final recognition result. The system first combines a plurality of speech rejection features into a feature function in which weights are assigned to each rejection feature in accordance with a recognition accuracy of each rejection feature. Feature values are then calculated for each of the rejection features using the plurality of intermediate recognition results. The system next computes the feature function according to the calculated feature values to determine a rejection decision value. Finally, one of the plurality of intermediate recognition results is accepted as the final recognition result according to the rejection decision value.

Abstract: Communication apparatus comprising a first xDSL transceiver for conveying an xDSL transmission, a splitter for conveying a POTS transmission via a POTS telephone line and the xDSL transmission via an xDSL telephone line, and a second xDSL transceiver being in communication with the first xDSL transceiver and the splitter.

Abstract: System and method for extending the use of a VAT telephony application to originate calls into a PSTN as well as a computer network are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, an adjunct application, referred to as a VAT signaling program ("VSP") running on the same host computer as a conventional VAT-based telephony application prompts a user to enter a destination telephone number and uses the entered number to generate a Q.931 SETUP message, which is encapsulated in a nonstandard, undefined, VAT control message (the "VAT Q.931 message") created to enable additional signaling information to be sent. A signaling interface to the PSTN serving the designated telephone number signals to the VAT application software exactly as if the signaling interface were actually another VAT application software originating a call to the naive VAT application. The signaling interface waits until the user at the computer "answers," and then originates the call into the PSTN network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recognizing deformed speech signals outputted from a microphone includes a module for comparing deformed signals with simulated deformed signals that are generated from non-deformed speech signals that have previously been digitized and stored in a memory. Frequencies of the formants of simulated deformed signals are about two-three times the frequencies of the formants of digitized non-deformed signals.

Abstract: A point-to-multipoint or two-way communications system is provided by a nodal transmitter located in a node with a plurality of nodal antennas radiating different polarization signals about the node. The system includes subscriber stations with directional antennas adapted to receive signals radiated from the nodal transmitter. The system may additionally include capability for transmitting and radiating subscriber signals to the nodal transmitter location for two-way communications.

Abstract: An engineering order wire arrangement is provided for a synchronous telecommunications network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected via transmission paths, each path accommodating a plurality of transmission channels. Engineering voice traffic is carried on a first overhead channel having a defined network route topology. A second overhead channel is used to define a model network having a a route topology identical to that of the first overhead channel. The model network is tested to determine its integrity, i.e. the absence of loops. If the model network is found to be defective, both networks are reconfigured.

Abstract: All calls addressed to a subscriber are forwarded by the subscriber's routing autonomy exchange to a service server connected to the exchange. If a service provided by the service server necessitates a call to the subscriber, a call from the service server is routed to a virtual subscriber terminal which is connected to the exchange. All calls which are addressed to the virtual subscriber terminal, are forwarded to the subscriber by the exchange or the virtual subscriber terminal. The service server can therefore offer the subscriber a plurality of new services.

Abstract: Telecommunications switches route calls in accordance with economic incentives (e.g., least cost routing) resulting from a bidding process between participating telecommunications carriers (Carriers) by operation of a central processor, a computer referred to as a bidding moderator (Moderator). Each of the Carriers bidding for traffic informs the Moderator of the rate it is willing to charge (or other economic incentive it is willing to offer) for service at some particular time between two specific switching points defining a route segment in one or more telecommunications networks, for example, from an intermediate switching point on one telecommunications network to a terminating local exchange switch on another network. This "bid" rate may be lower than that Carrier's established rate for any of several reasons (e.g., the Carrier has excess capacity on that route segment at that time). The Carrier may change its bids as often as it likes as traffic patterns change.