Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for incorporation into a key telephone system control unit, in at least one station port, for operating an at least one key type set and an at least one tip and ring device simultaneously bridged onto the same station port without the use of any special service circuits or adaptors. The ability to signal alerting indepenedntly via ringing signal on a TR-pair, via messages indicating alerting transmitted on a service pair for a key set or via both techniques simultaneously is also disclosed. Further, the alerting ability disclosed in combination with control by a key system controller of the access of a key set to voiceband communications over the TR-pair allows for incorporation of additional features into a key telephone system.

Abstract: A driving grid is driven by an ac signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a lower frequency. An untethered, batteryless pointer includes a pick-up coil in a first tuned circuit tuned to the carrier frequency, connected by diodes to a driving coil in a second tuned circuit tuned to the lower modulating frequency. Energy picked up by the first tuned circuit from the driving grid at the carrier frequency drives the second tuned circuit at the modulating frequency. Modulating frequency signals induced in the receiving grid conductors are used to locate the pointer in the usual manner. Because the carrier signal contains no frequency component of the modulating signal, the driving grid and receiving grid are sufficiently decoupled.

Abstract: An interface unit for coupling an international-type pay-telephone to a land-based or cellular telephone system. The interfacing unit of the invention has a microcomputer, and an associated EPROM in which is stored the exchanges of the telephone numbers that are accessible by that local payphone-terminal, which EPROM also stores a table indicative of the tariffing rates associated with the respective exchanges called. The invention also includes the tone-detectors for detecting the dialed DTMF digits of the pay-telephone, for the conversion thereof for storage in the microcomputer for the determination of a valid telephone number dialed in order to determine the associated tariffing rates. The tone detectors also detect the tone-signals received from the telephone system. The invention also includes "isolating" switching circuitry for isolating the coin-operated pay terminal from its couplement to the telephone system until the telephone call has been connected.

Abstract: A resistor electrode type of gradient sheet for a touch sensor having reduced ripple and bow of equipotential lines along edges and in the corners of the sensor. Orthogonal electrical fields are produced on a resistive surface so as to give coordinates of a selected position. T-shaped electrodes of a selected effective length and spacing are attached to the resistive surface, the length and spacing selected to substantially eliminate the bow of the equipotential fields. Each electrode is connected to a selected connection point along a resistor chain positioned along each edge of the resistive surface to provide selected voltages to the surface. Preferably, each resistance chain is made up of at least one resistance unit between each electrode connection point, with each unit formed of a pair of spaced-apart conductive lines applied to the resistive surface.

Abstract: A positional information inputting device uses selective ones of a sheet-like photo-conductive switch, a pressure-sensitive switch and a photo-electric converting device. A sheet-like storage battery is provided which includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in matrix form. The sheet-like photo-conductive switch, for example, has an equal plurality of photo-conductive switching elements provided on one selected side of an anode or a cathode of the storage battery in one-to-one correspondence to the battery cells, and the storage battery and the switch constitute an optical memory having an equal plurality of optical memory cells. The battery cells are uniformly charged to a predetermined voltage, and an optical beam is irradiated onto the switching elements so that the latter are selectively rendered conductive corresponding to the irradiation of the optical beam.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paged-mapped multi-line telephone communication system where a plurality of line selection keys can be paged to a central control module for an easier and more convenient operation. The operator has a view of all available lines and their status on various modules that are connected to the control module. The operator can select a line through a simplified pagination scheme. A set of lines represented on the auxiliary modules can be transferred to the control module where the operator selects the desired line by pressing the key corresponding to the line which was represented in the page transferred to the control module. To make an outgoing call, or to retrieve a call from another station from hold, the user would first depress the page key on the auxiliary module corresponding to the page or grouping in which the line representation resides.

Abstract: A threshold-based call control facility is provided for use in a telecommunications network switch to control the processing of calls associated with so-called high capacity (HICAP) telecommunications services. In addition, a feature is provided for dynamically changing a respective threshold value at each network switch until the number of such calls reaching a respective destination switch, and hence an associated trunk group, reaches an optimum level, in which each such change in the value of the threshold is determined as a function of traffic data accumulated by the destination switch for the associated trunk group.

Abstract: An edge linearization device for linearizing the electric fields in a resistive surface is described. A plurality of electrodes are disposed on the perimeter of an area on a surface having a substantially uniform resistivity. The device utilizes the geometry of the spaces between adjacent conductive elements to provide resistive elements. At least one of the electrodes has an extension. The extension or extensions of the electrodes are progressively inwardly displaced into the area from the perimeter so that there is at least one center-most extension on a first portion of said perimeter and also on a second, opposing portion of said perimeter. In a preferred embodiment, the invention utilizes a surface with a substantially rectangular area having four sides and four corners. Disposed along the sides are a plurality of electrodes and corner electrodes and disposed in the corners of the surface are corner connectors. The use of T-shaped extensions of the electrodes on such a surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: A two-telephone intercom has a simple station-call signalling system. In the preferred embodiment, each telephone is provided with its own respective signalling unit comprising (a) a dc voltage source, (b) a voltage-sensitive threshold element (preferably, a zener diode), and (c) a signalling device, e.g., a beeper and/or flashing light. Whenever one of the telephones is activated (i.e., taken off hook), the signalling device associated with the other telephone becomes operative and remains operative until the other telephone is answered (i.e., activated) or until the first telephone is hung up. Three embodiments of the signalling-unit circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for registering data into a memory has memory means for storing a plurality of data in a predetermined form and retrieves the stored data for use in a desired process. The memory means is divided into a first area in which the data in the predetermined form is stored, and a second area. The data used in the desired process as well as frequency of use data are stored in the second area. The data stored in the second area is reused for the desired process, and the frequency of use data of that data is updated. When the frequency of use data reaches a predetermined state, the data is moved into the first area as formal registration data.

Abstract: A key telephone system comprising a terminal device and a main apparatus which exchanges speech signals with the terminal device, the terminal device having a loudspeaking circuit for providing a predetermined amount of loss to either one of first speech signals selected to be transmitted to the main apparatus and second speech signals received from the main apparatus to prevent howling in a loudspeaking conversation mode, said system comprising: a first communication unit provided in the terminal device, for sending the first speech signals to the main apparatus through a first channel and receiving the second speech signals from the main apparatus through a second channel separated from the first channel; second communication unit provided in the main apparatus and connected to the first communication unit, for receiving the first speech signals from the first communication unit through the first channel and sending the second speech signals to the first communication unit through the second channel; in the

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring page communications in an intercom system having multiple stations connected to a common party line. A station module is connected to and continuously monitors each intercom station. During page communications, the source station from which the page communication originates produces a unique local station signal which is detected by the station module. The station module generates a station identification code in response to a local station signal being detected. The station identification code is transmitted over the existing party line to a master station which recognizes the station identification code. The master station includes a computer interface that provides a standardized signal to an industry standard computer for displaying and recording information regarding page line usage.

Abstract: A telephone with an inter communicating facility is disclosed. The telephone has: a condition storage unit for storing operation condition data; an operation process unit for, when the operation of a hold key is detected, making the condition storage means to store the operation condition data indicative that the telephone holds a telephone line; and a condition control unit for, when the condition storage unit stores the data indicative that the telephone line is held, making a holding unit to hold the telephone line. When the operation of an extension call key is detected, the operation process unit makes the operation condition data indicative that the telephone is calling another telephone connected through an extension line to be stored in the condition storage unit, and makes a command transmission unit to transmit an extension call signal through the extension line.

Abstract: The position of an implement is determined relative to a tablet including a tuned circuit with a resonant frequency including coils arranged in two coordinate directions. Coils of the tablet are sequentially excited with AC energy having approximately the same frequency as the resonant frequency. The tuned circuit interacts with the AC energy to change the AC current flowing in coils of the tablet as a function of the implement position so the greatest changes in the AC current are in coils of the tablet closest to the implement. Detected values of changes in current as a function of coil position are interpolated to indicate the implement position.

Abstract: Digitizer tablet and digitizer tablet structure having an illuminable working surface are disclosed. A space between a top translucent layer having the working surface and a source of light is provided so as to eliminate or minimize undesirable lighting effects at the working surface. In the preferred embodiments, the space is an air gap (e.g. 0.060-0.250 inch) immediately adjacent the top translucent layer. The air gap is formed by transparent optical fibers or solid glass or acrylic rods. Back-lighted, translucent, back-lightable (without light source) and surface lighted digitizer tablet embodiments are described.

Abstract: An incoming telephone call director is intended for use with a Ring-Master service which provides different ring signals on a single telephone line to selectively access one of several devices on the line. The call director ignores a first ring, counts the pulses in the next ring, and then directs the next subsequent ring to a selected telephone or device such as a computer modem, facsimile, telex, etc., on the single telephone line. A different sounding ring signal is used to identify and access each telephone or device on an individual basis. The call director senses an Off-Hook condition for the telephone or any one of the devices and connects that device to the single telephone line to provide a Dial Tone to permit a plurality of such devices to share a single telephone line without interfering with each other or telephone calls on the line.

Abstract: A unique cellular telephone billing system (100) processes call detail records (102) of cellular telephone calls made by users of multi-line customers to produce invoices and reports containing consolidated billing, usage and cost information for the current and other eligible cellular service plans. The call detail records (301 and 302) for each user of a multi-line customer include a unique key identification number (311 and 321) and may include an information format (401 and 402) having variable-length sub-fields (411-415 and 421-423). A candidate file (136) is created from the customer detail pool file (112) by including active user records for multi-line customers and usage data is accumulated in summary records for each user. Eligible cellular service plans are identified for each user in the candidate file and costs for accumulated usage data are estimated under the current and eligible cellular service plans.

Abstract: A scanner system with local scanning capability for graphic reading, which comprises a tablet, a scanner, a stylus or cursor control mouse and a main frame CPU. The scanner comprises a plurality of oscillators (induction coils) at both sides by the light source thereof to produce induced current on the plane of circuit of the tablet. The CPU of the tablet obtains the X,Y coordinate data of the oscillators through sample-and-hold amplifier circuit and A/D converter circuit. Simultaneously, the scanner projects light to reflect the picture to CCD so as to record the start and end location of every line. After a picture is read by the scanner the digital data of every line of the image and the X, Y coordinate data of the start and end location of every line of the image are stored in the storage of the main frame for further graphic data processing through its CPU so that any image distortion can be modified and local scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to connect a call between two parties located at different time zones having different calling costs. The calling costs, which relate to tariffed calling rates, are compared to determine which location has the more economical cost of placing the call. The call is then originated from the location having the lower cost.

Abstract: A coin collection and analyzation apparatus has a coin track extending between a coin opening and an escrow relay which escrows coins and then diverts them either to a collection box or to a customer return. The coins are analyzed while passing along the coin track to provide an output for operating the escrow relay for determining whether the coin is acceptable or is to be rejected.