Abstract: A computer integrated telephone system that uses the computer's display, internal audio system, or an external interface to indicate that a voice message is waiting. The invention operates with a telephony protocol that supports in-band signaling having Message Waiting ON and Message Waiting OFF messages. The invention is embodied in a PC and includes a telephone interface that interacts with the telephone network to receive Message Waiting ON and Message Waiting OFF messages. In response to the Message Waiting ON message, the telephone interface communicates with software logic on the computer to cause the computer to indicate in an overt manner that a voice message is waiting. In response to the Message Waiting OFF message, the telephone interface communicates with software logic on the computer to cause the computer to turn off the message waiting indicator.

Abstract: A computer integrated telephony system embodied in a PC that includes a telephony interface connected to the local loop that detects whether one or more extension phones are off-hook by using the signal generating and detection capabilities found on a typical telephony interface card. In the preferred embodiment, the telephony interface is based on a programmable DSP that generates and injects onto the local loop a subsonic signal having a known shape and amplitude. If one or more extensions are off-hook, the amplitude of the subsonic signal detected on the line will be significantly attenuated. The amplitude of the detected signal is compared against a threshold value and an indication is made if the detected signal amplitude is below the threshold value.

Abstract: With Calling Number Identification (CNID) service, Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) data is sent over the telephone lines to the telephone service customer. A telephone subscriber may prevent their name/number from being transmitted to the party they are calling on a per call basis by dialing a prefix before they dial the desired number. The present invention allows for the automatic insertion/removal of that prefix in the number stream when the called party's number is dialed. This feature is accomplished by inserting a $ character into the dialing sequence. If the blocking feature is enabled, the $ is translated to the numeric sequence necessary to prevent the transmittal of one's telephone number. In the alternative, the $ is translated to a meaningless delimiter if the feature is disabled.

Abstract: A method of bit rate adaption between a user data rate and an adapter data rate using the ECMA 102 protocol. The user data is received from a user terminal at a user data rate, the rate adapted data is transmitted at an adapted data rate, and the adapted data rate is greater than the user data rate. The user data is either in a asynchronous or a synchronous format and contains a start element and at least one stop element. The method involves the steps of: (1) converting the user data into an intermediate data; (2) storing the intermediate data in a receive buffer; (3) only if the user data is in an asynchronous data format, adding stop elements to the intermediate data; (4) transferring the intermediate data in the receive buffer to an intermediate buffer; (5) constructing a frame using data from the intermediate buffer; (6) storing the frame in a transmit buffer, and; (7) transmitting the frame where the step of transmitting changes the frame into the rate adapted data.

Abstract: A method of bit rate de-adaption between an adapted data rate and a user data rate using the ECMA 102 protocol. The user data is transmitted from a data adapter to a user terminal at a first data rate, the adapted data is received by the data adapter at a second data rate, and the second data rate is greater than the first data rate. The adapted data contains a start element and a plurality of data elements while the user data contains a start element and at least one stop element.