Abstract: An Internet Protocol-capable call center system has a managing computer connected to a plurality of PCs at agent stations on a local area network. The managing computer is adapted to receive and route Internet Protocol Network Telephony calls to the agent stations according to predetermined routing rules. A statistics server (stat-server) in the call center provides status of call center objects, among multiple status possibilities, to requesting applications in the processes of routing calls. Requesting applications, in addition to requests for object states, provide priority indications of object states desired. The stat-server provides the highest priority state to a requesting application. In the absence of a priority indication the stat-server provides status of objects according to a default indication.

Abstract: The invention provides techniques for selecting, on a dynamic basis, an interworking function (IWF) that can modify a communication protocol to a particular format required by bridged terminal equipment in a communication system. The IWF can be selected to ensure compatibility between transmission bandwidth, coding and other format parameters of a call and the corresponding parameters of its destination terminal in the system. An IWF in accordance with the invention may be utilized to allow a user to bind to different terminals having different capabilities over the duration of a given call. An IWF in accordance with the invention may also be used to insert additional data, retrieved from a database of the switch, into a reverse portion of the call directed from the destination terminal to the source terminal. The invention can thus be used to ensure that the established bandwidth between the destination terminal and the source terminal is substantially bidirectionally symmetric.

Abstract: The invention provides systems, including a methods and apparatus, for providing seamless telephone service across MSC's that support multiple or different protocols. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the home mobile switching center, where the subscriber record is stored, is equipped to respond to a first inquiry signal from an originating mobile switching center by identifying itself to the originating mobile switching center. The incoming call may then be trunked to the home mobile switching center and forwarded to the visited mobile switching center according to the second protocol. According to another preferred embodiment, in response to the first inquiry signal, the home mobile switching center sends a second inquiry signal to the visited mobile switching center. The first inquiry signal represents a request for an identification number identifying, in the first protocol, the visited mobile switching center.

Abstract: Each stacked repeater has two activity ports that are daisy chained to the activity ports of other repeaters in the stack. Each activity port has an input and an output. The two activity ports connect to the next repeater above and the next repeater below in the stack. Each repeater examines its local network ports to computer stations such as PC's to determine if any are inputting data to the repeater. When any local port is inputting data, the repeater activates both of its activity-port outputs. When no local port is inputting data, the repeater simply passes each activity-port's input through to the other activity-port's output. Thus the activity-port output indicates when either the repeater or an earlier repeater in the chain has a local port inputting data.