Abstract: An overvoltage protection device protects an electronic medical device in the event of a transient overvoltage on one or more patient lines of the device. A current limiting device is placed in series in a patient line between electronic components of the medical device and a patient interface. A biasing voltage generating device has at least one biasing element located in a line extending off the patient line and at least one additional circuit element connected in series with the biasing element. The biasing voltage generating device is configured to apply a predetermined biasing voltage to the current limiting device via the biasing element in response to a transient overvoltage on the patient line, whereby the current limiting device is switched off and limits current flow through the patient line.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection device protects an electronic medical device in the event of a transient overvoltage on one or more patient lines of the device. A current limiting device is placed in series in a patient line between electronic components of the medical device and a patient interface. A biasing voltage generating device has at least one biasing element located in a line extending off the patient line and at least one additional circuit element connected in series with the biasing element. The biasing voltage generating device is configured to apply a predetermined biasing voltage to the current limiting device via the biasing element in response to a transient overvoltage on the patient line, whereby the current limiting device is switched off and limits current flow through the patient line.

Abstract: In an outbound call management system, calls to dial are placed in a buffer queue before transfer to the outbound switch. The rated switch capacity (i.e., X calls per minute) is divided into small submultiples (i.e., Y calls per second) such that short term switch capacity will not be exceeded. Calls are transferred from the queue at the submultiple rate or less depending upon the number of calls in the queue. The time scale is small enough that this instantaneous rate at which calls can be transferred from the queue to the switch does not exceed the instantaneous capacity of the switch. If calls are being placed into the queue at a faster rate than they are sent to the switch, the number of calls in the queue will increase. The call management system will see a resultant apparent increase in the number of placed but unanswered calls.

Abstract: A "look-ahead" calculation projects what would be the effect on the abandon rate if several additional abandons happened to occur. The method uses the result of this "look-ahead" calculation of a projected abandon rate to modify its estimation of the number of ringing dials that will or will not result in an answer. If the projected abandon rate indicates the abandon rate is sensitive to an increase in the number of abandons, the method increases the estimate of those ringing calls which are likely to answer by up to two and one-half times the "average", depending on the degree of sensitivity. If the sensitivity forecasts little danger of exceeding the set abandon rate, the method decreases the estimate of ringing calls that will answer by up to one-half. In the former case, dialing is slowed down and in the latter, dialing is speeded up. Both cases have the advantage to "looking ahead" rather than simply reacting to events that may not be quickly correctable once they have occurred.