Abstract: In a telecommunications call a different charge is incurred for intervals of noncommunication than for intervals during which communication may take place. For example, a period of hold is one during which the party on hold cannot communicate with the other end of a connection. Such intervals are accumulated for a call and the charge for the call is adjusted in accordance with the total length of the noncommunicating intervals. Advantageously customers are charged primarily for the period of time during which they can actually communicate, without having to disconnect and later reestablish a call.

Abstract: A telecommunication system comprises a network for carrying a traffic of information, terminals connected to the network, a transfer unit provided in the network for transferring a call coming in from a calling terminal to a first destination terminal and from the first destination terminal to a second destination terminal. An accumulation unit is provided in the network for accumulating information indicative of occurrence of a transfer of an incoming call each time the transfer of the call occurs from the first destination terminal to another destination terminal. The network further includes a transfer notification unit for notifying the first destination terminal of the occurrence of the transfer by transmitting a control signal from the network to the first destination terminal. A transfer reporting unit is provided in the network for receiving a request signal from the first terminal and for transmitting the call transfer information from the accumulation unit to the first destination terminal.

Abstract: Analysis has revealed that there is an undue proliferation of first-class mail being sent each month in the nature of bills, statements and similar such documents. Analysis has also revealed that this produces an unnecessary expense for postage and processing, besides the costs involved in purchasing the paper and envelopes to begin with.The method of the invention avoids this through the single mailing of one or more two-sided documents on which is presented all the bills, statements, etc. intended for a given recipient during a specified period of time, for all subscribers to the service.In accordance with the described embodiment of the invention, the method forms a computer database of addressee information; merges with that database all such record information provided by subscribers; prints out one or more sheets, preferably on both sides, of all information intended for designated recipients during the time period in question; and allows for a single mailing of such sheets in a single envelope.

Abstract: Method for establishing a telecommunication connection wherein a calling party at a first telecommunication terminal station external to a private branch exchange (PBX) sets up a first connection to the PBX via a public telecommunication network and transmits information to the PBX which indicates, inter alia, a telephone number of a second telecommunication terminal station. In response, the PBX sets up a telecommunication connection between the first telecommunication terminal station and the second terminal station and, in addition, the PBX stores information relating to call charges resulting from the connection to the second terminal station.

Abstract: Telecommunication switches (e.g., PBX's or local exchange carrier's switches) route calls in accordance with economic incentives (e.g., least cost routing) resulting from a bidding process between participating interexchange telecommunication carriers (Carriers) by operation of a central processor, a computer referred to as a bidding moderator (Moderator). Each of the Carriers informs the Moderator of the rate it is willing to charge (or other economic incentive it is willing to offer) for service between two specific points in the telecommunication network at some particular time. The Moderator collects this bid information from all the Carriers, sorts it among originating points and transmits it to an adjunct processor at each subscribing switch location and to all participating Carriers' network management centers. From the list of all Carriers providing bid information to the Moderator, each Subscriber can select those Carriers to which it wants traffic routed and can change that selection at any time.

Abstract: A correct admission decision can be made even when not relying upon traffic characteristics declared by a user. With respect to each of established connections, traffic data are acquired and are stored. When a call request is issued, an admission decision is made using the traffic characteristics if the traffic characteristics are stored.

Abstract: A method of regulating and managing network traffic at a mediated access service control point in an advanced intelligent switched telephone network that allows a local exchange carrier to monitor and enforce traffic rates negotiated between the local exchange carrier and other third party providers. The invention is implemented at a mediated access service control point in the network, and is activated when a query destined for a third party service control point is generated at a service switching point. The mediated access service control point receives this query and processes the query to determine if the query should be forwarded to the third party service control point. If the query does not violate any of the rates that have been negotiated between the local exchange carrier and the third party, the query is passed from the mediated access service control point to the third party service control point.

Abstract: A method for controlling an overload of a main processor by assigning to the main processor of a distributed switching system with a hierarchy structure a function of informing associated lower-level processors of an occurrence of the overload, an increase in call suppression, a decrease in call suppression and a release of the overload upon controlling the overload, and assigning to the lower-level processors a function of automatically calculating the number of calls to be processed in response to a demand of the main processor, and controlling traffic affecting the main processor on the basis of the result of the calculation, so as to maintain a stable service condition for the overload control interval.

Abstract: A telecommunications network is arranged to provide equal access to a user of a text telephone device, such that a TDD user may dial directly a desired telephone number, without having to first place a call to a so-called relay center and directing the relay center to dial the desired telephone number.

Abstract: A method for placing a surcharge on telephone solicitations including the steps of providing a local telephone number to a customer for accessing a call from an originating caller and identifying the originating caller's telephone number, as for example, by conventional caller identification systems. The method also includes the steps of advising the caller of the surcharge and providing an opportunity to complete the call by accepting the surcharge or terminating the call without charge. For example, the subscriber's equipment may incorporate an automatic answering system including voice responsive functions and call forwarding. The method also includes the steps of billing the caller for the surcharge and crediting a portion of that charge to the customer's account.

Abstract: For distributing calls in a communication network, a central network authority that forwards calls from subscribers to servers for further servicing of the calls provides an optimally successful distribution, i.e. a low load-conditioned cleardown rate by the servers, even when it cannot directly register the workload of a server. In order to achieve this, the central network authority monitors the reason for the cleardown of a call by a server and excludes a server from the call distribution procedure for a specific time span when this server clears an allocated calldown due to lack of adequate capacity.

Abstract: A system for service control and operations for a telecommunications network. In particular, an architecture and method for a service control and operations element system. The system communicates with a plurality of interconnected telecommunications network elements via a switching and signaling subsystem. The system provides and controls the functions of the telecommunications network, including a method of measuring delay between the time a customer dials a phone number of a called party and the time the customer hears a ringback tone indicating that the called party was alerted to the call, a method of synchronizing clocks located at individual network elements with a centralized time source, and a method of time-of-day clock surveillance.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system includes a plurality of cell sites and a mobile telephone switching office. Call management, including selection of a cell site most appropriate for a call associated with a mobile unit, are made based on the geographic location of the mobile unit as opposed to the strength of the signal associated with the call. The geographic location of the mobile unit is precisely determined using a NAVSTAR global positioning system, or its equivalent. Each mobile unit includes a GPS receiver that receives information from a geostationary satellite to determine the precise location of the mobile unit. This position information is relayed to the cell site initially managing the mobile unit, and the mobile unit is handed off to a cell site that is most appropriate for the call. Initial selection of an entrance cell site is made based on signal strength, but further call management decisions are made based on location of the mobile unit.

Abstract: In a telecommunication network, a DATA ACCESS POINT (DAP) database is used to route traffic between originating calling stations and terminating called stations for special service processing calls. The traffic or routing data are collected and converted by a traffic statistics processor into statistics data. The statistics data are provided to the management of the network. Some of the statistics data are converted by an INTEGRATED NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (INMS) compiler processor into reports which may be provided to subscribers of the special call processing service in real time or on a delay basis. If a subscriber has subscribed to the special call processing service on a real time basis, he can update certain parameters of the database to reallocate the percentage of calls to be directed to the different called station staffed by his operators.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for monitoring the activity of a subscriber line to determine the adequacy of the current service and service options. Central to the method is determining the number of missed calls and attempted calls to the line in a given time period. A missed call is defined as a call which is not received due to the line being busy or unattended. The method comprises the steps of: monitoring the subscriber line for activity; determining the number of attempted calls to the line in a period of time; determining the number of missed calls to the line in the period of time; and generating a missed calls percentage which can be presented to the subscriber to show the inadequacy of the current level of subscriber service.

Abstract: A method for controlling an overload in a hybrid full electronic switching system, capable of maintaining a stable service condition for an overload control interval and realizing a priority control depending on the type of call by sorting an overload occurring in the system into an overload associated with processors adapted to execute services in a centralized manner and an overload associated with processors adapted to execute same services in a distributed manner and thereby automatically calculating numbers of calls to be accepted respectively for control intervals for two kinds of overloads in different control manners. The method includes two different control procedures respectively applied to a case wherein a reduction in overload can be carried out in a processor involving the overload and a case wherein a reduction in overload can be carried out by limiting services to be executed in other processors.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling traffic in selected links of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) through the use of variable price incentives. The number of selected PSTN links which are available for use are determined at a predetermined time through the use of an appropriate traffic measurement system. Thereafter, a customer usage rate is determined for the selected PSTN links. The determined rate corresponds to the number of selected links which are available for use. An electrical signal is generated for receipt by the user and which contains information corresponding to the determined customer usage rate.

Abstract: An international telecommunications network includes a set of international exchanges located in a particular country which connect a national telecommunications network situated in that country with networks situated in other countries. The international network includes a traffic management system having an expert system with a set of knowledge sources. An identifier identifies alarms relating to traffic and a prioritizer arranges the alarms in order of priority. A diagnoser diagnoses the cause or causes of the alarms by proposing suspected causes and investigating them in relation to traffic and network data. A resolver proposes remedies for the causes of the alarms by reasoning over each cause in relation to data on traffic associated with the cause, reasoning over each remedy in relation to data on traffic in the neighborhood of the remedy to determine a figure of merit for the remedy, and then arranging the remedies in order of merit.

Abstract: A method is described for routing calls outside of a carriers network based on characteristics of the call, the attributes of the caller, the status of subscriber-provided resource, and the status of network telephone provided facilities. Information about the call and the caller's identification is sent from the public switched telephone network to a subscriber call routing processor. The carrier is directed by the routing processor to route the call to the subscriber's resource best able to handle the call. Information about the call and the business relationship the caller has with the subscriber is used by the routing processor to determine which type of resource is needed to handle the call. The routing processor then chooses the particular resource of that type to which the call is to be routed based on the current status of the resource, the status of the network-provided facilities, and the criteria established by the subscriber for selecting between alternative resources.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling a data transfer by a transfer deliverer node from a terminal equipment belonging to the transfer deliverer node to another node, in a network system having a plurality of nodes connected to a public switched network and a plurality of terminal equipments connectable to a corresponding node.

Abstract: A digital message routing network has at least some nodes at which messages are monitored for accounting purposes. Such a node contains means for generating and compressing accounting digests, each of which consists of a key K representing the nature and route of the message and a value V associated with the message. For each message, a digest is produced in register 30, and copied into a location in a first memory 22D at a location determined by hashing its key; further digests with the same key are compressed into the digest already in that location. A second memory 23D is operated as a cyclic buffer with head and tail counters HDCT 40 and TLCT 41. The address of the head of the buffer, ie the valid area of memory 23D, is included as an index I in each digest in the first memory 22D as that digest is created. Each time a digest is created or changed in the first memory 22D, it is copied into the second memory at the location in the second memory determined by its index.

Abstract: In a radio telephone system and a call charging method used in the radio telephone system, when a user of a radio telephone issues a telephone call to a public telephone network by utilizing a radio controller installed in a PBX employed on the premises of a company to which the telephone user does not belong, the PBX reports both terminal number information of the radio telephone and call account information for charging the call account to the terminal to the public telephone network. When the information is received, the public telephone network charges the call account to the radio telephone. If the information is not transmitted from the PBX to the public telephone network, the call account is charged to the call originating line of the PBX.

Abstract: This invention relates to real time accumulation of telephone usage data and real time reporting of such data to a telecommunications system administrator. Telephones being monitored are identified in translation information of the connected switching system. When a reportable event occurs for one of these telephones, a data message is sent to a management information system (MIS) for the group that includes that telephone, and the records of that MIS are updated and displayed. Advantageously, real time information is displayed for selected individual and/or group telephone stations.

Abstract: A telephone system adapted to provide preselected customer traffic data to preselected customers having customer facilities. The central office switch of the central office serving the preselected customers is adapted accumulate and identify preselected customer traffic data of customer facilities similarly to company traffic data of company facilities. The customer traffic data is accessed with the company traffic data by an Engineering and Administration Data Acquisition System of the telephone system which is adapted to transmit the preselected customer traffic data to a Network Usage Information Service processor associated with the central office serving the preselected customers. The Network Usage Information Service processor then transmits the received preselected customer traffic data to the corresponding preselected customers over the telephone system.

Abstract: A subscriber apparatus having working ringer generators and a standby ringer generator which is alternately used when there is a fault, wherein provision is made of a traffic monitoring unit which continuously monitors the traffic of calls terminating at the subscriber lines and a ringer switching unit which switches a working ringer generator to a standby ringer generator when it is judged that the number of the terminating calls exceeds an allowable number, whereby the apparent capacity of the working ringer generators is increased.

Abstract: The problem of being unable to supply prescribed fair amounts of telephone traffic to each carrier in a foreign country is overcome by a) assigning a call to one of the carriers in a foreign country at the switch where the call originated b) including an indication of the identity of the assigned carrier with the call as the call is routed from the originating switch to an egress switch and c) retaining at the originating switch an indication of the carrier to which the call is currently assigned. The indication of the assigned carrier stays with the call until either the call is completed to the assigned carrier or it is determined that the call cannot be completed to the assigned carrier. This allows the originating switch to retain control over the assignment of a call to a carrier. Furthermore, the originating switch can cause all the routes from the originating switch to the originally assigned carrier to be tried before it allows another carrier to complete the call.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of distributing calls among a plurality of destinations of a customer. The calls are distributed according to a customer specified policy to maximize revenue or profit, to minimize waiting time or to minimize probability of abandonment. Different types of calls, such as orders, repair requests, and general information requests can be distributed differently. For example, if the criterion is maximizing profit, then calls of the most profitable type may be given preference for completion, while, during a busy period, some of the less profitable calls are rejected.

Abstract: A system for routing data and communications to one of a plurality of remote sites to promote reciprocal interaction among the remote sites. The system includes a central processing unit and a storage device to store a first set of data identifying a plurality of remote sites and a second set of data identifying the frequency at which each of the remote sites communicates with the system. The system selects a particular remote site to receive a particular communication by analyzing the second set of data. The system also contemplates a method of routing data and communications including the steps of storing routing data for identifying a plurality of remote sites and the frequency at which each of the remote sites communicates with a central processor, receiving a communication at the central processor, analyzing the routing data to select a particular remote site, and forwarding the communication to the selected remote site.

Abstract: An ISDN D channel congestion control method has at least either a digital subscriber line circuit common (DLCC) or a signaling controller (SGC) notify either an SGC or a packet subscriber system (PSS) of a D channel congestion according to a predetermined protocol, thereby controlling the congestion of a communication controlling apparatus.

Abstract: A system for voice distribution amongst a plurality of telephone subscriber locations operating on a broadband cable network wherein RF transmitting and RF receiving channels for carrying voice and signalling information are established at the subscriber locations and coupled with the broad band network and a central switch is also coupled with the broadband network and enables each RF transmitting channel to be selectively coupled to any of the RF receiving channels. The system is further providing with an adjusting means which is responsive to the traffic on the central switch and which enables the power level in each of the channels to be selectively adjusted.

Abstract: A method for predicting a number of agents required to provide a given service level in a force management system is described. The force management system has the capability to generate call handling performance data including average call arrival rate and average handling time per call. From this data, the method calculates an offered load "a" equal to the average arrival rate of calls for the system times the average handling time per call. Using the calculated offered load, the method calculates two predictor values and then uses these values in successive Erlang C calculations to locate the desired number of agents required to provide a given service level.

Abstract: A communications network is arranged so that an external switching office is connected to the network via multiple ingress/egress nodes such that an originating node which receives a call destined for the external office may route the call through the network to one of the ingress/egress nodes in accordance with a particular class (type) of routing specified in one of a number of routing treatments. Such routing treatments are associated with the external office and at least identify respective ones of the ingress/egress nodes connected to the external office.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method of call control (gapping) and a communications switching system in which such method is implemented, the system incorporating a call gapping arrangement for limiting the recurrence rate of successive call attempts for a particular type of call, for example to a national phone-in number, the arrangement comprising a clock (10) for determining a succession of call gapping intervals; a first up/down counter (18) having a limit N; a signal generator (11) responsive to the clock and coupled to the counter (18) to increment it by a value m each interval; a second up/down counter (21) having a limit M less than N, the counters (18, 21) being responsive to call processing circuitry (14) to be decremented for each call attempt effected by the system: a comparator (15) responsive to the content of counter (21) becoming zero to inhibit the call processing circuitry (14) from allowing call attempts.

Abstract: Call processing apparatus for queuing calling parties waiting to be connected to a service position, and for calculating queue position data or wait time data and transmitting the queue data to the calling parties. The queued calling parties can also reach alternate destinations by inputting digit information for routing queued calling parties to such destinations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing calls to a directory number, shared by a multiple number of terminals, in which a switching system selects a preferred terminal for serving the call based on call answering activity. The switching system establishes a connection to the preferred terminal. This system connection is for use in answering the call at the preferred terminal. Although the system connection is established to the preferred terminal, all the terminals sharing the directory number are enabled to answer the call. The arrangement dynamically selects the preferred terminal rather than establishing an initial system connection to only a statically defined terminal.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for compiling telecommunication traffic analysis data includes the steps of collecting call data for a plurality of calls to a single customer from a signaling circuit that commonly carries the signaling for calls to a plurality of customers. The call data is transmitted to and stored in a call data processor which processes the call data to compile a summary of traffic data for the plurality of calls to the customer. Further processing of the summary of traffic data results in a change of a parameter in the customer's call processing logic and a reduction of call blocking for subsequent calls.

Abstract: In each exchange (12) of a communication network, a template data memory (31) keeps "exchange" template data according to which traffic data should be monitored at the exchange. In a center (11) of the network, a template data file (33) keeps copies of the template data of the respective exchanges of the network as "center" template data. When a change in the exchange template data is transmitted from a "change" originating exchange to the center, a central processor (13) updates the center template data accordingly for the originating exchange. Traffic data are transmitted from the respective exchanges to the center without the exchange template data. When such a traffic datum is transmitted from a "data" originating exchange to the center, the central processor stores the traffic datum in a traffic data log file (17) according to the template data kept in the template data file for the data originating exchange.