Abstract: Medical devices and systems for treating a stricture, for example along the biliary and/or pancreatic tract, are disclosed. An example system may include a guidewire having a distal end and defining a lumen. A stiffening rod may be slidably disposed within the lumen. The stiffening rod may have a distal end and a distal end region disposed adjacent to the distal end. The stiffening rod may be configured to shift between a first position where the distal end of the stiffening rod is disposed proximally of the distal end of the guidewire and a second position where the distal end of the stiffening rod is disposed distally of the distal end of the guidewire.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing data communications over the existing telephone network without burdening the public switched telephone network (PSTN) switch with data communications traffic. In one embodiment, a novel modem is coupled to both ends of the twisted pair telephone wire which runs between a remote location and the Central Office (CO) or the remote CO. An off-hook detector is also connected to the twisted pair line in order to enable detection of when normal telephony functions are being performed over the twisted pair line. The modems of the present invention are capable of transmitting data whenever normal telephony functions are not being performed, such as for example when the telephone line is on-hook. The data transmission in accordance with the teachings of the present invention uses sufficiently low current levels such that the PSTN switch located at the CO does not detect any activity on the twisted pair line.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for non-simultaneously creating and storing in electronic format a composite voice/data message having a recorded voice message portion and a facsimile transmittal portion. The method provides for creating a voice message and sending a time-wise separated facsimile transmittal to a voice message/data storage system, and then associating the separate voice message and facsimile transmittal portions to form a composite voice/data message. The methods include a message identification scheme wherein a message identification number is assigned to the first-received message portion, and the caller is prompted to provide that message identification number in connection with the later-received message portion. Apparatus to accomplish these methods steps is also provided.

Abstract: A digital line card is provided for use in an electronic messaging system for enabling the receipt of voice and text or image data over a single communications port. The digital line card includes a digital signal processing integrated circuit, a microprocessor and a random access memory component for storing coding schemes employed by the digital signal processing integrated circuit. The digital line card is programmed to detect the presence of dual-tone multifrequency command signals in the incoming data stream, and to switch between voice and data processing responsive to the command signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable network of interconnected voice processing modules. The voice processing modules are interconnected by a high speed FDDI network so that information can be transferred between the modules at high speed. All of the incoming lines for all the interconnected modules are connected in a single hunt group. Each user's profile is stored in two modules and each module includes a directory that shows were each user's profile is stored. When a call arrives at a particular module, the directory is first checked to insure that the desired user does have a mailbox somewhere on the network and to determine where the particular user's profile is located. The user's profile is obtained via the FDDI network from one of the modules where it is located. The profile will show where the associated greeting is stored. The greeting is obtained via the FDDI bus (if it is not on the system which received the call) and the greeting is played.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable network of interconnected voice processing modules. The voice processing modules are interconnected by a high speed FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) network so that information can be transferred between the modules at high speed. All of the incoming lines for all the interconnected modules are connected in a single hunt group. Each user's profile is stored in two modules and each module includes a directory that shows were each user's profile is stored. When a call arrives at a particular module, the directory is first checked to insure that the desired user does have a mailbox somewhere on the network and to determine where the particular user's profile is located. The user's profile is obtained via the FDDI network from one of the modules where it is located. The profile will show where the associated greeting is stored. The greeting is obtained via the FDDI bus (if it is not on the system which received the call) and the greeting is played.

Abstract: A voice message system having a plurality of user voice mailboxes is disclosed. The voice message system utilizes a method in which a message is encrypted using a unique encrypting key corresponding to a designated user. The encrypted message is then stored in one location while the encrypting key is stored in another location. The encrypted message is retrieved by the designated user by utilizing a decrypting key which corresponds to the stored encrypting key. The decrypted message is then played by the designated user.

Abstract: Tone detection apparatus and a corresponding method is disclosed. The improved tone detector and method is for use in a preferred embodiment in a voice message answering system to provide for improved dual tone multi-frequency tone detection where an outgoing analog voice signal is connected to a telephone line. When an incoming call is detected, the tone detector looks at the incoming analog signal and if a dual tone control signal is detected, a filter is switched to filter the outgoing analog signal so that the DTMF tone signal now being detected is filtered out of the outgoing signal. If the incoming signal still detects a tone, the improved tone detector cuts off or disconnects the outgoing signal completely for approximately 20 milliseconds. If a dual tone control signal is still detected, it is determined that it is an incoming control signal and consequently access is required into the voice message system.