Abstract: An auxiliary connection mechanism for allowing a Digital Switching System (DSS) to share an analog line with an analog device (via an auxiliary device port) is disclosed. The auxiliary connection mechanism includes a pair of relays for releasably connecting the auxiliary device port and the DSS to the analog line. When the analog line is idle, both the analog device and the DSS are connected to the line in order to receive incoming calls on the analog line. However, once one of the devices (either the analog device or the DSS) uses the line, the other device should not access the line. A busy line detect circuit is included to detect whether a device is using the line.

Abstract: An auxiliary connection mechanism for allowing a Digital Switching System (DSS) to share an analog line with an analog device (via an auxiliary device port) is disclosed. The auxiliary connection mechanism includes a pair of relays for releasably connecting the auxiliary device port and the DSS to the analog line. When the analog line is idle, both the analog device and the DSS are connected to the line in order to receive incoming calls on the analog line. However, once one of the devices (either the analog device or the DSS) uses the line, the other device should not access the line. A busy line detect circuit is included to detect whether a device is using the line.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for switching a call from an unreliable network to an alternate network when a QoS of the network falls below a predetermined threshold. The invention includes a telephone call switching apparatus which monitors the QoS of the call. When the QoS of the call falls below a first threshold the switching apparatus establishes a connection over an alternate network. If after a predetermined time period or after the QoS falls below another predetermined threshold the call is transferred to the alternate network connection. While the switching apparatus is maintaining multiple network connections, the idle network connection remains muted.

Abstract: The invention is a novel method of processing incoming and outgoing call requests by a switching unit such as a KSU, PBX or PC server. Each established circuit and each call request is associated with a priority. For an outgoing call request, if an available external bandwidth channel of the appropriate type is found, then a circuit is established at once. However, if there is no available external bandwidth channel of the appropriate type, then the priority of the outgoing call request is checked against the priority of the established circuits. If a lower-priority circuit is found, then that circuit is torn down and a new circuit is established between the internal bandwidth channel carrying the outgoing call request and the external bandwidth channel formerly occupying the established circuit that was torn down. In the case of an incoming call request, a destination terminal device and associated internal bandwidth channels will be specified and availability thereof is verified.