Abstract: In a communication apparatus remotely controlled by a remote control signal from a near terminal and a remote control signal from a remote terminal, when amplifying a received signal by an amplifier and detecting a remote control signal based on the amplified signal, the amplification degree of the amplifier is changed between when receiving a remote control signal from the near terminal and when receiving a remote control signal from the remote terminal.

Abstract: A system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C, at the terminals callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a caller and is stored for processing. The caller's identification data is confirmed using various techniques and callers may be ranked and accounted for on the basis of entitlement, sequence or demographics. Callers are assigned random designations that are stored along with statistical and identification data. A break-off control circuit may terminate the computer interface aborting to a terminal for direct communication with an operator. Real-time operation processing is an alternative to stored data. The accumulation of stored data (statistical, calling order sequence, etc.) is variously processed and correlated as with developed or established data to isolate a select group or subset of callers who can be readily identified and reliably confirmed.

Abstract: A system and method of effecting transfer of message information of varied types from one centralized messaging system to another messaging device 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 anonymous interactive telephone system for connecting a caller to a subscriber without divulging the identity or telephone number of either unless voluntarily revealed. The subscriber publishes an advertisement together with a telephone number of a system controller station. A subscriber reference number is embedded within the telephone number of the system controller station as a DID number. The subscriber also supplies information to the system controller station related to time periods during which calls may be directly forwarded to the subscriber or intercepted by the system controller. The system controller repeatedly accesses the central switching station or local switching station of the public telephone company to activate and de-activate the call forwarding function of the switching station for controlling call forwarding to the subscriber on the basis of the subscriber's published DID number. A call screening system having answer machine style interfacing is further provided.

Abstract: The call routing device plugs into existing extensions of the office telephone network or PBX system and acts as a "virtual" operator, prompting incoming callers to spell the name of the desired recipient. The speech recognizer uses a multipass procedure employing Hidden Markov Models and dynamic programming. The N-best hypotheses are propagated between passes, allowing the more computationally costly routines to be reserved until the final pass, when the size of the search space is significantly reduced. The routing device prompts the user to confirm that the selected name is correct, whereupon the device signals the telephone network to automatically switch the incoming call to the telephone extension of the selected recipient.

Abstract: A control system CS interfaces a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn through a telephone network facility CO to accommodate game formats. At the terminals T1-Tn, callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a caller and stored, as for processing. Calls are conditionally accepted based on a test of preliminary identification data (ANI or DNIS). Computer generated designations are assigned to callers and stored. Questions for game use are stored in banks, classified by order of difficulty for selection according to various formats. Specific game formats accommodate various time criteria and caller selection of degree of risk. Caller data is stored in cells along with statistical and identification data; also, key contest data is held accessible in a cache memory for reporting. Caller data may be processed individually or in interrelated formats as with reference to random or source data as to establish progressive subsets.

Abstract: An electronic switch in a telephone system provides automatic connection of a subscriber going off-hook to a SN/IP, while at the same time remaining responsive to dialing by the subscriber. The switch also permits access code dialing connection to the SN/IP and provides dial pulse to DTMF conversion over the connection path. Upon request by an off-hook subscriber connected to the the SN/IP by the switch, the SN/IP can perform dialing or invoke other call features which will be processed by the switch as if requested by the off-hook subscriber.

Abstract: An anonymous interactive telephone system for connecting a caller to a subscriber without divulging the identity or telephone number of either unless voluntarily revealed. The subscriber publishes an advertisement together with a telephone number of a system controller station. A subscriber reference number is embedded within the telephone number of the system controller station as a DID number. The subscriber also supplies information to the system controller station related to time periods during which calls may be directly forwarded to the subscriber or intercepted by the system controller. The system controller repeatedly accesses the central switching station of local switching station of the public telephone company to activate and de-activate the call forwarding function of the switching station for controlling call forwarding to the subscriber on the basis of the subscriber's published DID number.

Abstract: A voice mail service apparatus directly registering mail numbers received from service users as a technique for designating the mail number of the service user facilitates accommodation of a larger number of service subscribers. This voice mail service uses a telephone exchange station for analyzing a concerned mail number and performing a call connection, when a voice mailing service is requested; a mail gateway for verifying the mail number which is analyzed in the telephone exchange station; a call distributor for analyzing a digit of the mail number which is verified in the mail gateway and inputted thereto, in order to sequentially distribute a call to a plurality of voice mailing units; and a server for checking whether the mail number is newly registered, in order to transmit registered information to the plurality of voice mailing units, the server being connected to the plurality of voice mailing units.

Abstract: A multiple extension routing via AIN system and method is disclosed. The method and system concerns rerouting an incoming call from an incoming caller to a single telephone number to at least one of a plurality of destination telephone numbers corresponding to at least one of a plurality of persons capable of being reached via the single telephone number is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of playing at least a first message to the incoming caller to provide a plurality of routing options corresponding to a plurality of persons capable of being reached via the single telephone number, processing at least a first input from the incoming caller in response to the first message, the first input corresponding to a first of the plurality of persons, and rerouting the incoming call to the first of the plurality of persons via a first of the plurality of destination telephone numbers.

Abstract: A Voice Response Unit (VRU) 10 provides ports 12 to which communications devices 13 may be coupled. Two-way conversations between ports 12 are enabled by inter-port connections made by system bus 16 as controlled by distributed switch 15. Summation resources 25, permanently inserted in signal paths to and from ports 12, provide digital summers 33A, 33B and 33C that then permit signal processing resource 22 to be conferenced in on said two-way conversations without having to route signals through conference bridge resources.

Abstract: An adjunct message system, coupled to a global telecommunications network, provides a roaming subscriber with roaming access to messages left at the subscriber's home mailbox by transferring such messages to a temporary roaming mailbox at a roaming node when the subscriber first calls to retrieve his/her messages. In addition, messages left at any node in the system will be transferred to the subscriber's home node. In both cases, international voice transport costs will be saved.

Abstract: When a request to record is received from an information provider by way of a telephone network, a storage area is secured for each information number of provided information, and index numbers designated by the information provider and voice file numbers designated within the device are recorded to the storage area. The information is then recorded in designated voice files for each arbitrary unit set by the information provider. When a playback request is received from an information user, voice file numbers are read out from the corresponding storage area in the order of the index numbers according to the designation of information numbers from the information user, and the information is played back in the order of the read voice files.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the providing of messages for subscriber information for services in a communication network, as well as a service control facility (SCP1), a service support system (IP1), a service access arrangement, a service switching point and a service system for the execution of this method. The messages for subscriber information, for instance, voice announcements or speech texts, are managed centrally from the service control facility (SCP1). Only by need are the messages for subscriber information loaded into the service support system (IP1) from the service control facility (SCP1, SCP2). One of the messages loaded into the service support system (IP1) is only sent to a subscriber of the communication network subsequent to a transmitted demand message from the service control facility (SCP1) to the service support system (IP1).

Abstract: A communications system is designed to transmit to end-user devices involved in a call information related to communications services that are invokable in real time from the end-user devices. The transmitted information includes activation codes for invoking for a usage fee, features that may or may not be subscribed to by a caller.

Abstract: An echo canceler is disclosed having a voice detector. When the voice detector detects the absence of input signals, the echo canceler is trained. In the training mode, the echo canceler receives an impulse signal from an impulse generator, as input through a switching device. When the input of the echo canceler is the impulse signal, a switch is turned off, a signal on a receiving line is stored in a tap coefficient memory, and the impulse signal on a transmitting line is stored in a transmission signal memory. Using the signals stored in the two memories, a convolution operation is performed by a convolution arithmetic unit. The data of the tap coefficient memory directly before the end of training are used for the tap coefficients after the training period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing a caller to leave a message for an unreachable called party. The method and apparatus provides the caller with an option for a pre-paid return call that is billed to the caller. When the intended recipient of the call is unreachable, the call is transferred to a message server that gives the caller the option for a pre-paid return call for the recipient. The recipient is then notified of the available pre-paid return call through periodic callbacks to the intended recipient or by alerting the recipient the next time the recipient makes a call. The receiver of the message has the option of returning the call immediately or at a later time within a time duration set by the caller.

Abstract: Communications system (200) comprising a receiving messaging system (202 or 215) connectable to a sending messaging system (210). The receiving messaging system (202 or 215) is operable to receive a message addressed to a recipient and a time stamp of a sending system directory entry associated with the recipient from the sending messaging system (210). The sending system directory entry is used by the sending messaging system (210) for a recipient confirmation. Recipient confirmation may be spoken name confirmation. The receiving messaging system (202 or 215) includes a time stamp of a receiving system directory entry associated with the recipient. The receiving messaging system (202 or 215) validates the recipient confirmation by comparing the time stamp of the receiving system directory entry to the time stamp of the sending system directory entry. Messages with an invalid recipient confirmation may be returned to the sending messaging system (210).

Abstract: A telephone apparatus having a plurality of dedicated keys, a plurality of changeable keys each having at least one respective dedicated function associated therewith, and a display for displaying a plurality of lines of data. The telephone apparatus is adapted to perform a plurality of main functions including so-called menu, message, pad and book functions. Each of such main functions may be directly accessed by depressing only one of the keys. Further, the telephone apparatus enables messages, including voicemail and text data messages, to be received and stored therein. Messages or responses to received messages may be produced and transmitted from the telephone apparatus.

Abstract: An echo cancelling system has two echo cancellers for cancelling a channel echo and a room echo, respectively. In order to obviate echo estimation errors, the echo canceller at the channel side performs estimation only when an input signal from a channel is absent and a microphone input signal is present. The echo canceller at the room or acoustic side executes estimation only when a microphone input signal is absent and an input signal from the channel is present. A necessary amount of suppression is applied to either the receipt side or the transmission side until the echo canceller estimates an echo, so that a howling margin is guaranteed.