Abstract: A telephone dialling code processor intercepts outgoing dialling codes such as tones or pulses from a telephone terminal or the like and if the sequence matches a stored sequence it transmits a modified sequence of tones or pulses so that for example a telephone exchange is caused to make the connection along an alternative path or to provide enhanced services. Block 105 monitors the line condition along with block 109 which senses line current in the telephone line 112 and thus the state of the telephone terminal. A muting circuit 101 is used to interrupt or nullify the original dialling tones, a dial tone decoder/receiver 110, storage of predetermined dialling sequences is at 103, a dialling tone encoder/generator 106 reconstructs a replacement dialling sequence and all are controlled by a microprocessor 107 with program memory. Internal power can be derived from the telephone line by 102.

Abstract: A system and method of effecting transfer of a message such as a voice message from one centralized messaging system to another centralized messaging system in a switched communications network having a plurality of central offices connected to subscriber terminals and connected together by trunks wherein the transfer of the message is effected through a common channel signaling network without using the trunks.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method of implementing a notification and hold service in a telephone network is disclosed. A calling telecommunications device is placed on hold by the called telecommunications device, and signals an auxiliary computer system through a network switch that the calling telecommunications device is to be disconnected from the called telecommunications device. The calling telecommunications device is notified at a later time that the called telecommunications device is no longer on hold. In another embodiment of the invention, the calling telecommunications device is connected to customer premise equipment which notifies that calling telecommunications device that the called telecommunications device is no longer on hold.

Abstract: In a switching system for connecting a call between a calling station and a called station, a system and method of voice recognition using a concentrated or distributed multiplicity of voice recognition and other resources with a facility for selecting an initial resource on the calling station going off-hook by accessing a demographic database and a biometric database using common channel signaling and selecting a prompt to be delivered to the caller from a multiplicity of preselected prompts and reacting to a response by the caller with further addressing of database information to continue to select from said multiplicity of resources the most appropriate resource or resources in reaction to caller utterances. According to another feature the selection of resources is aided by optical means at the calling station delivering information regarding characteristics of the caller including lip movement to permit lip reading.

Abstract: An electronic secretary consisting of a telephone recorder electronically connected to a telephone street line and a computer connected to the telephone recorder. The computer contains software to digitize the recorded messages and has the capability to display the messages on a monitor and to print out one a printer. The computer also contains voice recognition software.

Abstract: A system and method of effecting transfer of a message such as a voice message from one centralized messaging system to multiple centralized messaging systems in a switched communications network having a plurality of central offices connected to subscriber terminals and connected together by trunks wherein the transfer of the message is effected through a common channel signaling network without using the trunks.

Abstract: An arrangement for selectively altering the serving of emergency serving areas ESAs. Normally emergency serving areas are grouped and all calls for a group are handled by teams of agents at public safety answering point (PSAP) positions. For special emergencies such as a fire it is deskable that all traffic from one emergency service area be specially routed either to a single destination such as one PSAP position or a telephone in a fire station or to a special group of agents. This is accomplished by assigning a different routing telephone number to the emergency service number ESN corresponding to each emergency service area and using that routing telephone number ESN for routing calls. The calls are routed first to a single agent position which is normally not logged in and then on a default basis to an automatic call distributor (ACD) number for routing to a team of PSAP agents.

Abstract: In a network-based communication system, communication trunks are allocated based on a history of network use and global event calendar information relating to particular regions that the network system services. A trunk allocation database is used for controlling the normal day-to-day trunk allocations to assign the trunks among the various network services. A global event calendar database containing holiday and event information observed by various countries and regions is provided for dynamically re-allocating the trunk assignments for trunks servicing a particular country or region when a holiday or event for that particular region occurs. The global event calendar database also informationally provides network users calling a particular region with timely information pertaining to holidays or events in the particular country or region that the user has called.

Abstract: Automatic expansion of a hierarchical repertory that is maintained by a touch screen based product to accommodate a user request to add an entry to a touch screen display page that has reached its capacity of entries is discussed. Such automatic expansion operates by selecting a button from the display page, wherein the selected button is linked to a first node of the repertory. A second node is added to the repertory, and the repertory is modified to establish the first node as a child node of the second node. Then, a new menu button is associated with the second node, and the selected button is deleted from the display page. The new menu button is positioned in the display page at the position previously occupied by the selected button.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system comprising a first network, a second network, first stations coupled to the first network and second stations coupled to the second network, with the first network and the second network being mutually coupled. The system comprises queuing means for recognizing calls for a group of second stations and for placing said calls in a queue, and control means for assigning to calls in a queue a connection to a second station. In accordance with the invention in such a communication system the queuing means are coupled to the first network, so that the queuing means are not formed in the second network. The first and the second network can be national telephone networks of different countries.

Abstract: Special subscriber services are implemented by providing operator functionality and service logic within a transit exchange to equip it as a serving node. A subscriber connected to an end office coupled to the transmit exchange invokes the special services functionality by signalling such as by means of a long switch hook flash. Once invoked particular special services may be selected by DTMF or voice prompt signalling.

Abstract: A system and method of effecting transfer of a message such as a voice message from one centralized messaging system to another centralized messaging system in a switched communications network having a plurality of central offices connected to subscriber terminals and connected together by trunks wherein the transfer of the message is effected through a common channel signaling network without using the trunks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the load on a communications link in a common channel signalling system connecting an exchange in a telephone network to regional equipment such as a remote subscriber switch or a remote cellular base station. The length indicator field of each signal unit transmitted over the reserved channel of the communications link is monitored by the exchange to determine the number of bytes of message data being transmitted over the link during a predetermined time period. The load on the communications link is identified by taking the ratio of the determined number of bytes to the number of full value bytes capable of transmission over the communications link during an identical time period.

Abstract: A telephone line interface circuit has a transmit path for coupling to a telephone line and a receive path for coupling to the telephone line (2). The transmit path includes a first amplifier (A1) having an output for coupling to the line (2), a first input for receiving a signal to be transmitted and a second input for receiving a first sum signal made up of a.c. and d.c. line voltage signals plus a.c and d.c. line current signals. The feedback loop thus described has sufficient loop gain to constrain the first sum signal to be substantially equal to the signal at the first input. The receive path includes a second amplifier (A4) having a first input for receiving the first sum signal, a second input for receiving substantially twice a second sum signal made up of the a.c. and d.c. line current signals plus the d.c. line voltage signal/and an output for providing receive signals.

Abstract: A telephone terminal that allows simple word commands to produce different results depending on the identity of the caller. The use of a limited set of word commands allows the utilization of an inexpensive voice recognition subsystem. A first single word command results in a caller from a first group of people being immediately placed on a speakerphone; whereas, a caller from a second group of people receives the audio message "Please stay on the line a few seconds, and I will personally answer your call". Further, for the same audio command, the called party can pre-record an audio message for the first group; whereas the second group always receives a voice synthesized message. A second single word command results in a caller from the first group of people receiving an audio message that states "The name of the caller, I will call you in five minutes". Whereas, a caller from the second group of people receives the audio message "Please call back in five minutes".

Abstract: Telephone fraud is monitored by effectively interfacing workstations with a fraud data server. Multiple customers may have their respective workstations coupled to the data server with attendant limited access to ensure security. A workstation manager and alarm manager cooperate with a management system database to process login and alarm detail requests from the various workstations. The managers are coupled to a single shared memory. The interface between the workstations and the fraud data server is by means of a message-based interface which standardizes the various functions of the workstation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a subscriber presence detector system comprised of a switching system for connecting calls to and from a plurality of lines, a person presence detector connected to a line, for providing an indication to the switching system that a person is adjacent or not adjacent the detector, and apparatus for routing calls to the line in the event an indication has been received by the switching system that a person is adjacent the line.

Abstract: A compiler is provided to a network element management subsystem for compiling rules and behaviors of device types into nested meta data structures of model databases. The rules and behaviors of the device types are specified via definitions describing controls of the device types, and features assignable to the device types. In one embodiment, the compiler is a two phase compiler comprising a parsing and list building phase and a database building phase. The device type model databases are loaded into memory to allow fast access and traversal. Each of the model databases comprises a plurality of nested meta data structures. Data are conditionally retrieved by selectively traversing the model databases using navigation sequences. An array of evaluation functions is further provided to evaluate predicates embedded in the nested meta data structures in view of operational data. During operation, user and system actions are interpreted through device emulation accessing the appropriate model databases.

Abstract: A DTMF signal judging apparatus includes a first power calculator, and second power calculator and a judging apparatus. The first power calculator calculates the overall power of an input signal or the power of the input signal outside the DTMF frequency band. The second power calculator calculates the power in the DTMF frequency band; or more specifically, calculates the power in both the higher and lower frequency band portions of the DTMF frequency band. The judging apparatus then compares the output from the first and second calculators, and determines whether the input signal is a DTMF signal based on the comparison.

Abstract: The reliability of call transfer in a PBX can be improved by verifying the availability of a destination port before a transfer is attempted. The incoming call is routed to an alternate line after the interrogation occurs. Once the availability of the desired facility is confirmed, the call can be picked up by the destination port.