Switching Or Supervision Feature (e.g., Common Control, Digital) Patents (Class 379/165)
  • Patent number: 5712909
    Abstract: This invention relates to a key telephone apparatus which includes a key telephone main unit which accommodates a plurality of extension terminals each having a display via extensions and is connected to a network via an office line, and has an ACD function of forming a group of the plurality of extension terminals, and selectively distributing an incoming call received from the network to the plurality of extension terminals belonging to the group to receive the incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiko Hara
  • Patent number: 5666349
    Abstract: Components are controlled in a communication system composed at least of a network for transmitting digital communication signals. The network has at least one switching equipment and communication terminal equipment allocated to subscribers multipoint-multiconnection call set up. The components respectively contain control units for controlling a call set up, whereby one component is respectively controlled with signalization information in the form of messages communicated over the network from a different component. Each message contains at least one protocol and message identification, attributes of the object of call, subscriber and connection with object identification numbers for each of the individual objects. Each message also contains information about the relationships between different objects. The information elements of objects are contained in a message independently of the relationship to the other objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernhard Petri
  • Patent number: 5652788
    Abstract: One of the internal key telephone sets coupled to a key telephone apparatus capable of automatic call distribution operates as a supervisor and other operate as agents. Under the automatic call distribution, the statuses of the agents and their number are stored in a memory. The stored statuses of the agents are informed to the supervisor. Each key telephone set has a display unit. When one of the key telephone sets operates as the supervisor, the informed statuses and their number are displayed on the display unit of the supervisor. With identification data of a specific agent, the status of the specific agent is displayed on the display unit of the supervisor. To operate one of the key telephone sets as the supervisor and other the agents, first, a password is entered from one of the key telephone sets. The input password is compared with a first reference password for the supervisor and with a second reference password for the agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiko Hara
  • Patent number: 5644632
    Abstract: This invention relates to arrangements for interconnecting a plurality of stand-alone switches by data and communication channels (the latter typically used for communicating voice signals) in such a way as to make the plurality of switches act as if they were one switch. The invention further relates to arrangements for permitting groups of lines, the groups connected to different stand-alone switches, to be treated essentially as if they were connected to a single switch. Each switch of a symbiotic network (a group of stand-alone switches) or a virtual symbiotic network (the grouping of the groups of lines) accesses pertinent data in its own data base or the data base of one of the other switches of the symbiotic or virtual symbiotic network and treats the results of such data base accesses as if they were made internally in the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Menachem Tsur Ardon
  • Patent number: 5640448
    Abstract: Execution of guide simulation of the button operation is accompanied with the display of the button operation procedure and also the indication of the fact that a key telephone is actually used or a tone is being generated. The simulation state is first set by the button operation in one of many key telephone sets (1-1 to 1-m), and first control information is produced. A main control unit 10 sets an initial state of simulation in accordance with the first control information at a particular key telephone set which outputs the first control information. Second control information is then supplied to a main control unit 10 by pushing the operation button of the key telephone set, and display of the button operation procedure and indication of a lamp or generation of the tone, which are similarly created as a function is actually executed, are carried out in the key telephone set under control of the main control unit 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Fumiyoshi Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 5604798
    Abstract: A You Talk Two Phone is provided that is a true two handset telephone device. With conventional telephones, when more than one telephone is bridged to a phone line the amplitude of the incoming and outgoing signals drop as telephones are added. The You Talk Two Phone contains two handsets and circutry that automatically adjusts internal amplifier gain to compensate for the extra handset even when not in use. The invention has audible and visible indicators of incoming calls as well as lamps that indicate when either or both handsets are in use. A jack is provided that allows a conventional phone to plugged in, or an additional You Talk Two Phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Inventors: John S. Sacchetti, Mark J. Sacchetti
  • Patent number: 5600654
    Abstract: A call offering method for use when a directory number is shared by an analog station and an ISDN station. The ISDN station has multiple call appearances of the shared directory number that are linked logically to multiple analog station states that correspond to the offering of multiple calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Louis D. Brown, Linda M. Smedinghoff
  • Patent number: 5596631
    Abstract: A telephone station instrument add-on control subsystem with selectable addressing and ringing response delay techniques enhances any conventional instrument by providing added functionalities to ordinary telephone subscribers. When one or more of this enhanced station instruments are used on the same telephone line, a distributed single line PABX is formed. The formation of this system is based on the continuity of a pair of ordinary telephone wires. The specific routing of this wire pair does not affect the characteristics of the service features. A special case of this distributed system is to provide local dialed intercom services for communications among locations within an isolated area. A simplified version of this invention can be applied to improve the efficiency of data communication in a Local Area Network whose terminal information speed is comparable to the channel bandwidth of the transmission medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Inventor: Abraham Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 5579380
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that enables a telephone subscriber to automatically transfer ringing telephone calls from the subscriber's main published line to another line in the subscriber's telephone system without having to manually dial the sequence of the telephone company's pickup code, such as *8. The subscriber thereby has some of the conveniences of the rollover feature, but pays the telephone company only the relatively inexpensive cost of call pickup service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Connection Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernie Ferguson, Mark Bradley, Thomas G. Hurley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5557666
    Abstract: A method for displaying an absence message in a private exchange system. More specifically, a method for displaying on a calling party's telephone, a message containing the reason for a called party's absence and the beginning and ending points of the absence in either a time or date format. The method is accomplished by a party registering an absence message on a keyphone, so that a reason for an absence and the period of absence will sent and displayed on variable visual display of the calling party's telephone when the party is called while absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moon-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 5539884
    Abstract: A broadband intelligent network (50) an ATM switch or other fast-packet switch (51) in a fiber optic, fast-packet communication system. The ATM switch (51) is directly coupled (53) through one of its ports to a network service control point (61) for the implementation of requested services without the use of an intermediate common channel signaling system. ATM cells, identified as signaling cells, carry customer service requests and are automatically routed through the ATM switch to the network service control point (61). The service control point (61) determines the requested service and executes a corresponding programmed procedure (210). Connection service requested by a particular signaling cell is implemented by the service control point (61) sending a command cell through a port of the ATM switch (51) to instruct the switch connection management processor (64) to establish a switched virtual circuit for the requested connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard B. Robrock, II
  • Patent number: 5537465
    Abstract: An integrated telephone system is provided, having a connection to a Central Office (CO) line and a connection to at least one secondary line. The CO line and/or the secondary line may be selectively accessed for two-way communication independently of each other and may be signalled for call waiting, call holding, and busy fuction. The accessing and selection are operative through a single subscriber telephone instrument. The entire system circuits are mounted on a single circuit board having pins for connection to common bus for combined use with a plurality of similarly constructed systems assigned to individual subscribers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Inventor: Vincent M. Bellafiore
  • Patent number: 5530951
    Abstract: A telephone line sharing apparatus is disclosed for enabling a plurality of telecommunications devices of any type to share a plurality of single subscriber telephone lines. Incoming telephone calls on each of the telephone lines are automatically connected, without answering the telephone calls, to one or more of the telecommunications devices. These connections are made in accordance with a predetermined mapping scheme. An off-hook condition detected on any of the telecommunications devices results in a connection to a telephone line, if available, for making an outgoing telephone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventor: Donald Argintar
  • Patent number: 5521903
    Abstract: A port system interfaces digital PBX's to any transmission facility having DSX-1 communications ports via a microprocessor controlled PBX port board connected between PBX switch fabric and a first DSX-1 communications port. A channel service unit (CSU) module coupled directly to the port board for communications with DS1 transmission lines defines a second DSX-1 communications port which is coupled to the first DSX-1 communications port. The CSU module also includes a T1 transceiver and line interface circuitry for coupling the CSU module to a DS1 transmission line. The combination of the port board and CSU module provide full functionality of conventional CSU's while the port board alone permits direct coupling of transmission facilities utilizing a DSX-1 communications port. For remote maintenance, a microprocessor of the port board is coupled to a control processor of a PBX for control of the port board microprocessor via the PBX control processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Michael J. English, Michel L. Hearn, David M. Kissel, Douglas A. Spencer, Jeffrey A. Williams, Jerome J. Zelenski
  • Patent number: 5508690
    Abstract: A programmable data alarm containing a dedicated microprocessor serially interfaced with a data communications network is configured to monitor the network's data transmission lines for transmission of preselected characters. A number of preselected character strings may be input into the data alarm through data terminals coupled to the communications network and stored in a non-volatile memory. The microprocessor compares each character string transmitted over the communications network to the stored preselected character strings and outputs an audible and visual alarm signal when a match between the transmitted and stored strings occurs. The microprocessor may also be configured to monitor the handshake lines of the data communications network for signal transitions that will trigger the alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: E-Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Shur, Karen L. Trapane
  • Patent number: 5495529
    Abstract: A digital sound level control apparatus for adjusting the reception sound level from all telephone circuits to a substantially fixed level comprises a region discrimination circuit for discriminating a PCM input data signal from a PCM conversion section, including a segment coder for compressing and decompressing a digital audio signal, among an intrinsic variation signal, a basic normalization level signal and a coding threshold value, a multiplication circuit for outputting an input level signal of 12 bits, an addition circuit, a register for holding a pad multiplication value corresponding to a reception circuit, another multiplication circuit for multiplying the input level value by the pad multiplication value to output a output level signal for outputting sound by a predetermined sound level, and a comparison region discrimination circuit, a subtraction circuit, a division circuit and a register for regenerating an 8-bit digital signal from the output level signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Honda
  • Patent number: 5471523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus for interconnecting a telephone call and voice processing system ("CVPS") with a telephone key system control unit ("KSU"). A plurality of digital feature telephone ports of the KSU are connected to the CVPS. These connections provide two-way digital feature telephone call information and telephone audio paths between the CVPS and the KSU. The CVPS emulates digital feature telephones on each of these ports permitting the CVPS to automatically perform all of the functions available to a human user of one of the digital feature telephones. Optionally, interposed lines connected to telephone central office telephone lines may be used to provide some of the connections between the KSU and the CVPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Voysys Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard J. Smith, David B. Seager, Raymond L. Tong, Thomas E. Rowley
  • Patent number: 5463676
    Abstract: A key telephone system with a voice storage equipment has means for memorizing voice mail messages, sender and receiver phone numbers, a recording time and means for displaying the recording status of the voice mail messages in the voice storage equipment on a display of the key set and a display panel connected with a main equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Nitsuko Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 5463680
    Abstract: A switching arrangement for activating a plurality of electrical devices connected to a communication line. The switching arrangement monitors the communication line for the reception of activation signals, and also transmits activation signals to the communication line. The switching arrangement activates an electrical device (from the plurality of electrical devices) connected to the communication line, in response to the detection of the an activation signal, to shift the electrical device from a dormant state (in which electrical consumption by the electrical device is minimized) to a normal, functional operational state (in which a maximum electrical consumption of the electrical device occurs) only when the electrical device is actually being operated. By switching the electrical device between a dormant state and an operational state, the amount of electrical power required to operate the plurality of electrical devices is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens-Albis AG
    Inventors: Werner Bidese, Hans-Rudolf Fritschi, Alfred Grau
  • Patent number: 5434852
    Abstract: A distributed, server-based communications network architecture delivers broadband and narrowband communications services. In the architecture, various traditional call processing functions, such as switching fabric or channel control, call control, and connection control are separated into distinct application processes with clearly defined interfaces for communications between these application processes. Those distinct application processes may be implemented in separate physical or logically partitioned nodes. The well-defined interfaces allow communications among: a) physical or logically partitioned nodes within a network and b) physical or logically partitioned nodes of other networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas F. La Porta, Malathi Veeraraghavan
  • Patent number: 5416832
    Abstract: A call detection control apparatus includes individual call detecting circuits, a common call detecting circuit, switching circuits, and a power supply circuit. The individual call detecting circuits individually detect call signals, which originate from telephone subscriber lines. The common call detecting circuit commonly detects call signals, which originate from the respective telephone subscriber lines. The switching circuits switch the respective telephone subscriber lines from the common call detecting circuit to the respective individual call detecting circuit when the common call detecting circuit detects an call signal from one of the respective telephone subscriber lines. The power supply circuit supplies operating power to each of the individual call detecting circuits upon interlocking with an operation of a corresponding one of the switching circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Nitta, Toshikatsu Kobayashi, Takeshi Sasaki, Tooru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5408525
    Abstract: A diverter interfaces first and second telecommunication lines from first and second telecommunication sources, respectively, with a third line coupled to a station set. The diverter includes separate line and set monitors and a control unit. The line and set monitors monitor and detect predetermined selective signals such as (a) ringing signals propagating on the first and second lines, and (b) line access codes, flash hook, and line change requests signals generated by the station set. In response to the detected predetermined selective signals, the line and set monitors generate first, second, and third output control signals representative of the predetermined selective signals on the first, second, and third lines, respectively, to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation of Delaware
    Inventor: Charles A. Eldering
  • Patent number: 5392341
    Abstract: An automatic telephone line call monitoring and line assignment device is installed at a subscriber location to assign incoming calls on a master ringing line to a user selected slave line in response to taking that line off-hook. A programmable logic unit detects incoming calls, off-hook lines, and directs the device to automatically dial a central office call intercept service to move incoming calls off the master line to the slave lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventors: Charles L. Wilkinson, Roberto Schipp
  • Patent number: 5392339
    Abstract: A telephone transfer apparatus for use in a facsimile network system, which is capable of carrying out telephone communications effectively. With a telephone transfer apparatus, it is possible to call up a telephone or an extension telephone having a telephone number registered in advance in case of detecting that a voice request has been established in a transmitting station or that the voice request has been required in a remote station. Accordingly, required information along with facsimile communications can be exchanged without the fall-off of efficiency of main operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobukiyo Sakai, Tadashi Ishikawa, Takashi Sakayama, Michiaki Yoshihara, Takashi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5388153
    Abstract: Telephone line status indication is improved by making measurements of the differential voltage across the Tip-Ring terminals of a telephone set. The telephone set is connected to a telephone line which is shared with other parallel-connected sets. The measurement of differential line voltage is made time the set changes state (i.e., between on-hook and off-hook). The maximum magnitude of one of the last three measurements is stored to represent the state, and is arithmetically averaged with the maximum magnitude of one or the last three stored for the oil-hook state to create a reference voltage. The reference voltage is updated each time the telephone set changes state and is continually compared with the present differential line voltage to determine which one is larger A light-emitting-diode on the telephone set indicates that the telephone line is in use whenever the reference voltage exceeds the measured differential line voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Theodore O. Burger, John A. Karpicke, Donald M. Keen, Donald R. Means, Thomas A. Stahl, Brian A. Wittman
  • Patent number: 5384837
    Abstract: A line switch control circuit for a telephone subset comprising a line switch (2), a hook switch mode detector (TR4), a voltage sensing circuit (TR5) having at least two inputs (D and F), and a dialler chip (3) having a CMOS push-pull pulse output (DP). The circuit ensures that when the subset is in the on-hook mode, on the one hand, an appropriate level of current is drawn from the exchange line (L1, L2) to energise the dialler chip (3), and on the other hand, the line switch (2) remains non-conducting during on-hook mode.In the off-hook mode, the circuit renders the line switch non-conducting during breaks in dialling signals as well as during flashes by diverting current from the line switch into the pulse output (D) of the dialler chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Alcatel Australia Limited
    Inventor: Ronald C. S. Fox
  • Patent number: 5384771
    Abstract: An improved system for effecting broadband/multimedia calls and connections within an intelligent switched telecommunication network. This system, which employs object-oriented commands, is capable of establishing complex call and connection configurations between multiple network subscribers participating in a broadband/multimedia call. These object-oriented commands, which are stored in and initiated from network adjuncts or service control points, eliminate the need for long series of individual low-level commands to be transmitted to the network switching system. Furthermore, the system provides for a finite set of object-oriented commands which are capable of implementing the many complex and diverse interconnections which may be required in effecting multi-party broadband/multimedia calls. This is accomplished by selectively combining various object-oriented commands to produce the connectivity which will support the desired broadband/multimedia call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Alessandro L. Isidoro, Howard S. Tsai
  • Patent number: 5384838
    Abstract: An intercommunication system for transmitting signals through a door, and having piezo transducer devices mountable on each side of the door, a matrix of analog switches connecting the piezo transducer devices to the input and output of a bridge amplifier, and a TALK switching device which controls which piezo transducer device is connected to the bridge amplifier through the analog switches as a speaker or as a microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Inventor: Ronald J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5369700
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a multi-function telephone apparatus and a control method therefor. When an application program (hereinafter referred to as program) stored in an IC card is executed, a state of the program execution and an incoming/outgoing call are supervised. It is controlled in a way that the execution of the program is automatically suppressed at the time of incoming/outgoing call and restarted from the point it was suppressed when the telephone was completed. Further, when the terminal emulation program stored in the IC card emulates the telephone apparatus as a terminal of the host system, the communication with the host is efficiently executed with reduction of the line load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Japan Business Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Koura, Ryuichi Ishihara, Yoshimoto Chikatsu, Yukihiko Nagata, Eihachiro Ohmori
  • Patent number: 5365517
    Abstract: ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) terminal equipment connected to an ISDN basic rate interface and capable of enhancing efficient communication. The terminal equipment reoriginates a call as soon as an idle channel occurs. This reduces the waiting time up to call reorigination and enhances efficient communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamiko Kato, Shinichiro Ozeki, Takanori Fujii
  • Patent number: 5341370
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring high data rate data between a pair of separated high data rate buses comprising storing a group of high data rate data from one of the buses, one of which is connected to a digital telephone set, reading the stored data at a low data rate, conditioning the low data rate data to remove high frequency components therefrom, applying the conditioned data to an unshielded cable for transmission to the separated other high data rate bus, receiving and storing the conditioned data from the unshielded cable and reading the stored conditioned data at a high data rate to said other bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Pascal & Associates
    Inventors: Derek J. Nuhn, Gordon W. Servant, Robert P. Brennan, George A. Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 5317631
    Abstract: An Improved Local Switching System provides a full set of business telephone functions for at least two main switch telephone lines and a number of local stations. A Master Switching Unit (MSU) serves outgoing, incoming and local call requests and maintains stable talking connections. A call router (ACR) monitors one of the main switch lines for incoming calls, refers call requests to the MSU, accepts responsibility for transferring MSU stable talking connections to the call router; and handles outgoing calls when the MSU is not available to serve-an call origination request. A transfer switch, under control of the call router, transfers the main switch lines between the MSU and the call router.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Areanex Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Abraham Y. Chen
  • Patent number: 5309509
    Abstract: A graphical user interface workstation for use with a manager controller to control and implement changes to telephone sets of customer key telephone systems served by a telephone switching system. The workstation records high resolution graphical representations of each telephone set of a customer key telephone system and enables a customer user to select and display a recorded high resolution graphical representation of each telephone set of the customer user key telephone system. The workstation is interactive with the customer user and enables the customer user to selectively enter telephone lines, features and directory numbers changes into key button locations of a displayed telephone set graphical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Sherri L. Cocklin, Thomas P. Orlofsky, Tanya T. van der Heyde
  • Patent number: 5309028
    Abstract: A call coverage arrangement where a covering terminal has, for each covered terminal, a single monitor lamp that not only indicates the overall or collective busy or idle status of the call appearances on the covered terminal but also the collective ringing status. Distinct visual signals are provided at the monitor lamp to indicate either a ringing while idle or a ringing while busy status. This allows all calls to be answered promptly and efficiently by a secretary in a manner which, from a human factors standpoint, is similar to the call coverage provided with key systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Louis D. Brown, Jeffery M. Dement
  • Patent number: 5268903
    Abstract: A telephonic switching network (20) having a plurality of multichannel incoming switching circuits, a central control processor (22) for controlling the incoming switching circuits (24, 36) to switch a selected plurality of incoming time division multiplex channels of PCM voice data on incoming lines (42) of a plurality of multichannel receiving circuits (36) to a plurality of selected outgoing channels on ongoing lines (58) of a plurality of multichannel outgoing switching circuits in accordance with messages representative of analysis of signaling data embedded in the PCM voice data by a plurality of relatively lower order processors (78) of said plurality of incoming multichannel switching circuits which are transmitted directly to the central control processor (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Barry W. Jones, Gordon J. Purtell
  • Patent number: 5267306
    Abstract: A dial controllable conditionally operative device which is directly connectable to the ring and tip lines of a subscriber loop. "On-hook" coupling is provided to allow the device to provide the conditional operation of one or more of the functional capabilities of a standard telephone. The device is usable in parallel with at least one standard telephone to provide a controlled telephone system. The device may also be usable in an intercommunication system using the ring and tip lines of the subscriber loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Inventor: Clay E. Hagan
  • Patent number: 5263083
    Abstract: A communication system includes a number of terminals which communicate through a centralized switch of the system and a lesser number of speech processing circuits which are located remotely from the terminals and which allow full-duplex speakerphone capability to be available to each of the terminals of the system on a shared basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: ROLM Company
    Inventors: Tracy Rust, Gordon Ford, Cathy Arledge, Tim Wilson, Ygal Arbel, Mike Kounnas
  • Patent number: 5260992
    Abstract: A plurality of trunk interface blocks are provided to receive a plurality of telephone lines. In each trunk interface block, a ringing signal detection circuit detects an incoming ringing signal on the corresponding telephone line, and a code insertion circuit inserts in a PCM signal, coded data indicative of whether or not an individual ringing signal exists on the telephone line in response to the output of the ringing signal detection circuit. The PCM signal is transferred through a PCM time division switch and an extension interface circuit to a destination extension set. In the destination extension set, the code discrimination circuit extracts coded data from the PCM signal and controls the on-off circuit to drive the speaker in synchronization with the individual ringing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 5250942
    Abstract: Equipment for management of terminal identification numbers in a communication system, including a center and a plurality of terminals connected to the center. Identification numbers of respective terminals registered in advance are attached to data communicating between the center and the respective terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yasunobu Nakayama
  • Patent number: 5251254
    Abstract: This invention relates to a communication apparatus which avoids interruption in the operation for an outgoing call of the first party from an extension telephone apparatus. In the case where there is conflict between an incoming call from the third party and an outgoing call from the first party in a selected unoccupied communication line, a call signal is transmitted to the all open extension telephone apparatus, at the same time, an other unoccupied communication line is automatically selected for the outgoing call. Accordingly, the conflict is avoided and the incoming call needs not be responded at the first party's telephone extension when a telephone number is being inputted, however, the fact that a call from the third party has been received is signaled on all open telephone extensions and can be answered there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Tanigawa, Tsutomu Nishino, Shoichi Takashima
  • Patent number: 5245653
    Abstract: There is provided a key telephone system which can use data registered in a memory card. The system comprises: a main apparatus which has a memory and operates in accordance with the data stored in the memory; and an extension telephone having a receiving circuit to receive data from a memory card, wherein the main apparatus stores the data which was received by the extension telephone from the memory card into the memory. With this system, data such as names, denominations, telephone numbers, and the like of the partners can be registered into a portable device such as a memory card by the keyboard of the extension telephone or by the keyboard of the portable device at a remote location at an arbitrary time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michihiro Izumi
  • Patent number: 5237571
    Abstract: The broadcast system of the switching network provides for the broadcast or multicast of interface switch status broadcasts and interface switch event broadcasts. An interface switch feature processor initiates a broadcast message made up of two bytes of data on a first channel, with particular command codes to identify the type of data contained within the broadcast message, paired with another two bytes of data in the same frame on a second channel. Broadcast messages are sent into the switching network in a non-broadcast manner until they reach the fold point of the switch network. From the fold point the broadcast messages are broadcast on every available broadcast channel directed out of the switch network towards the interface switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: IPC Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Cotton, Neil C. Olsen, Nicholas Necula, William A. Oswald
  • Patent number: 5224159
    Abstract: Disclosed is a key telephone system provided with a key service unit (KSU) 1 having a central control unit 6, and a digital key telephone set (DKT) 10 having a local control unit 13 for communications of control data with the central control unit 6. First and second add-on modules (ADMs) 24 and 34 for communications of control data with the central control unit 6 are optionally connectable to the DKT 10. When control data (up-data) are transmitted from the local control unit 13 of the DKT 10 to the KSU 1, a disable signal is given from the DKT 10 to the first ADM 24 to disable up-data from being transmitted from the first ADM 24. At this time, the first ADM 24 also outputs a disable signal to the second ADM 34 to disable up-data from being transmitted from the second ADM 34. At any selected time when no up-data are transmitted from the DKT 10, an enable signal is given from the DKT 10 to the first ADM 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Isaku Komuro
  • Patent number: 5222126
    Abstract: A communicating system has a control unit to perform a switching control of lines, a communicating apparatus which is connected to the control unit and operates in accordance with the control by the control unit and another terminal such as a facsimile apparatus connected to the communicating apparatus, wherein the communicating apparatus has connecting apparatus to connect this terminal with the control unit independently of the control by the control unit. The communicating apparatus consists of a button telephone set connected to the control unit by a communicating line and a control line. With this system, the switching operation can be performed without needing a complicated control and the connecting lines such as speech lines and control lines can be efficiently used. The user can arbitrarily switch the line of the communicating apparatus to which the facsimile apparatus is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsutomu Nishino
  • Patent number: 5216708
    Abstract: A calling signal controller in which a calling signal generator having a necessary and minimum output capacity is used to the most efficiently possible extent. The controller includes a phase number memory specifying the total number of phases of calling signals used to selectively call a plurality of telephone sets, a ringing count memory loaded with a ring count for each of the phases, and a ringing control memory of which addresses are associated with the phase numbers and the ringing counts, thereby controlling the calling signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Furukawa, Masami Nashirozawa
  • Patent number: 5214691
    Abstract: A virtual private line key telephone system is provided. The system includes a console including a plurality of line keys each associated with a party that can be reached via a switched trunk line. A look-up table means associates the line keys with the telephone numbers of the associated parties. A communication path is established from the console to one of the trunk lines. Signals are sent to the central office via the selected trunk line corresponding to the telephone number in the look-up table means associated with a line key that is actuated to place a calls. The telephone number of incoming calls are determined and compared with telephone numbers in the look-up table. Thereafter the line keys which are associated with the incoming calls are determined. The incoming call is coupled to the console when a line key associated with the incoming caller is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: IPC Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Cotton, Neil C. Olsen
  • Patent number: 5200990
    Abstract: A method of recovering a speech path of a pre-engaged call upon restarting a keyphone exchange system due to the occurrence of a system failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Hwan Cho
  • Patent number: 5193089
    Abstract: A key telephone system is provided with a main equipment including at least two extensions and at least one line wire which accommodates a digital line. The key telephone system is arranged to enable reciprocal data communications by effecting speed matching in data communications between a data terminal connected to the extension and the digital line accommodated in the line wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 5182768
    Abstract: In a digital telephone set connected to a digital data exchange through a transmission line, a plurality of handsets, which are mounted on a telephone body, are for converting input sounds into input analog speech signals and for converting output analog speech signals into output sounds. Connected to the handsets, a plurality of analog-to-digital converters converts the input analog speech signals into input digital speech signals. Connected to the handsets, a plurality of digital-to-analog converters converts output digital speech signals into the output analog speech signals. On the telephone body are mounted a set of dialling keys for producing a numerical signal. Connected to the dialling keys, a control device is for producing input control data in response to the numerical signal and is for producing an output control signal in response to output control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Nitsuko Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Nakano, Fumikazu Hamatani
  • Patent number: 5177783
    Abstract: In a telephone answering machine, means are provided for selecting one of three operating modes. In mode 1, the answering machine answers telephone calls connected via the tip and ring terminals, and does not place a low impedance across the A and A1 terminals. In mode 2, the answering machine answers calls connected via the tip and ring terminals, and places a low impedance across the A and A1 terminals. In mode 3, the answering machine answers telephone calls connected via the A and A1 terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry H. Kuok, John H. Livingston