Abstract: An electronic dispatch board for use with a voice message recording-playback machine. The dispatch board lights certain lamps responsive to signals sent from the message recording-playback machine when a message has been placed in a certain voice mailbox. The dispatch board is comprised of a serial-to-parallel converter, a board address comparator, an address signal verifier, a lamp driver, and a plurality of lamps. The address signal verifier determines if a valid address signal has been received from the message recording machine. A number of dispatch boards may be simultaneously connected to the same message recording machine. The board address comparator in each dispatch board determines if the address signal from the message recording machine is meant for that particular dispatch board. If a valid address signal has been received, a certain lamp is set to an on, off or blink state.

Abstract: A line interface unit for controlling receipt and delivery of voice messages over a telephone system having a voice message facility connectable to at least one calling station and a called station via a central office. The interface unit comprises a first switch connected to the calling station in the tip and ring lines and a second switch connected to the central office in the tip and ring lines, the switches having first and second positions and wherein said signals on the tip and ring lines are connected directly between the calling station and the central office when each of the switches is in the first position. In operation, a control circuit of the line interface unit responds to detection of a busy/no answer condition at the called station for switching the first switch from its first to second position to connect a speech circuit to the calling station for issuing a prompt.

Abstract: Ordinary telephone sets comprising a signaling key are employed as subscriber stations in a memory-programmed telephone exchange system. Those information which respectively characterize the performance features to be activated are stored. Depending on the existence of specific switching states, the information with respect to the first of the performance features applicable thereto are transmitted to the subscriber station on the basis of the actuation of the signal key and are indicated there in a sensorally perceptible fashion as a statement regarding the respective performance feature. This indication is meaningfully comprised of the announcement of the performance feature. The memory storing the announcements, consequently, is part of a voice output device. Those voice announcements which state the performance features or services which can be activated by the subscriber are communicated to the subscriber.

Abstract: First and second switches are switches to be detected. An AC signal source supplies AC signals to the switches. A controller includes: one photocoupler for outputting a signal when a supplied current is positive and is equal to or greater than a first current, and when the supplied current is negative and equal to or smaller than a second current; a first diode for receiving an output signal from the AC signal source when the first switch is turned on, and outputting a positive current to the photocoupler; a second diode for receiving an output signal from the AC signal source when the second switch is turned on, and outputting a negative current to the photocoupler; a first latch for latching an output signal from the photocoupler when the AC signal is positive; a second latch for latching output data from the photocoupler when the AC signal is negative; and a CPU.

Abstract: A direct inward dial integration device is connected to the trunk side of a PBX in a business telephone system. The present invention permits a voice message system (VMS) to answer forwarded calls with a personal greeting of a called party. When a direct inward dial call is made, the identity of the extension (i.e., the extension number) being called is transmitted to the PBX by the telephone system. The integration device detects and stores the extension identity. If an incoming call is forwarded to the VMS, the VMS generates a query sigal, which causes the integration device to automatically transmit the stored extension number to the voice message system. Thus the voice message system can identify the called party. The VMS responds by answering the call with a personal greeting of the called party and inviting the outside caller to leave a recorded message.

Abstract: Overflow calls intended for a telephone answering center are automatically diverted to an overflow center which automatically answers the overflow calls and records information acquired from the overflow calls. This recorded information is digitally encoded and then transmitted back from the overflow station to the telephone answering center, where it is received and used to allow operators at the telephone answering center to place callbacks, or to take other appropriate action.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for direct and immediate updating of customer account information, handling inquiries, and initiating communications is disclosed. A mainframe computer (16) contains customer or potential customer account information such as customer name, customer telephone number, customer account code, customer order status, etc. Mainframe computer (16) sends batches of customer account information to a system controller (11) via a data controller (15). System controller (11) directs trunk interface units (10a-10d) to dial the customer's telephone number and monitor the status of the outgoing calls. The trunk interface units (10a-10d) advise the system controller (11) when an outgoing call has been answered and, if an operator is available at an operator terminal (12a-12j), the system controller (11) directs a switch (13) to connect the answered trunk (T1-T16) to the available operator terminal and sends abbreviated customer account information to the operator terminal.

Abstract: A private branch exchange (PBX) direct in dailing (DID) and an E&M tie trunk voice message integration adapter and method is disclosed. The invention permits a calling party on a DID line to a desired extension connected to a PBX to be automatically connected to the called party's mailbox in a VMS when the called extension is busy or does not answer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting an electromechanical telephone central office having a step-by-step or cross bar type switching equipment to a remotely located automatic intercept message system. The terminating sleeve leads of a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers are connected to a scanner circuit. The sleeve leads correlate to preassigned telephone numbers and are continuously scanned for seizure. Upon detection of a service request to a disconnected or changed telephone number, the scanner seizes an outgoing trunk to a distant automatic intercept message playback system. When the outgoing trunk has been seized and a connection made to the AIS, a multifrequency spill of the telephone number which has been changed or disconnected is provided to the AIS, which in response provides an appropriate intercept message back over the trunk and is connected to the calling party.

Abstract: In an automatic call distributor system, calls waiting in a queue to receive attendant service are informed of the expected waiting time prior to connection to an attendant. This permits callers to defer a call if the queue is excessively long and they can place the call at a later time. The announcements are periodically updated to reassure customers that they are, in fact, progressing in the queue. Customers are given the opportunity to leave a message such as a telephone number if they do not wish to wait. Advantageously, such an arrangement avoids a situation wherein a customer impatiently disconnects just before being served or waits too long unexpectedly because of absence of information on remaining waiting time.

Abstract: A voice store and forward telecommunications system that provides for the receipt, storage and retrieval of voice messages is described. The system design allows for messages to be received and stored to a mass storage device, messages and prompts to be retrieved from the mass storage device and issued, and DTMF commands to be received simultaneously with the issuance of messages and prompts without conflict. Multiple user telecommunication channels are supported by the system, all in real time. Channel interface processors communicate with a system control processor through paired message segment buffers alternately swapped into the address space of the system control processor. A directory and allocation table corresponding to the mass storage device is maintained by the system control processor in a RAM buffer to permit real time storage and retrieval of messages.

Abstract: A method for receiving and delivering voice messages responds to the inability of a caller to complete a call from a calling station to a called station to automatically cause the calling station to default to a voice message center. If the caller desires to leave a voice message to be delivered to the called station, the caller is prompted to store the voice message. Thereafter, the voice message center initiates an outdial routine which makes a predetermined number of attempts to deliver the voice message to the called station at predetermined time intervals. In the preferred embodiment, the method is incorporated in a multiple user station telephone system in either a "shared tenant services" or "on-campus" configuration.

Abstract: The equipment consists of one or more voice units (U1 . . . Un) each connected to a certain number of independent lines (E1 . . . En) connected to a telephone network (RT). Each unit presents an announcement data base (AA1 . . . AAn) which contains all possible announcements to be supplied to the subscribers, a computer (EL1 . . . ELn) which manages the research of an announcement in the data base (AA1 . . . AAn) and its sending to the subscribers (UT1 . . . UTx) and an interface (IEC1 . . . IECn) towards the network (RT) for the temporary storage of the announcements or part of them before the sending, the processing of the telephone signalling, the possible conversion into analog form, and the equipment supervision.

Abstract: A telephone operator voice storage and retrieval system is capable of presenting to the caller a played-back, previously recorded response message in the actual voice of the operator on duty at the time. The operator is also able to follow-up the played back, previously recorded response message with a conversation with the caller, without the caller detecting a change in the characteristics of the caller's perceived operator voice. The storage and retrieval system employs a voice analyzer/synthesizer coupled between a response message memory and an audio interface to the operator's audio equipment (headset). After the storage of a series of response messages, prepared by the operator, the system is ready for use in answering incoming calls. In this playback mode, as incoming calls are monitored, the appropriate operator's voice enunciated response message is accessed from memory and, via the voice synthesizer and an audio interface, that message is played back to the caller.

Abstract: A method of enabling the efficient use of a standard host computer with a voice message processing apparatus using a telephone interface and voice processing system, that comprises, providing a universal supervisory circuit between the host computer and the telephone interface and voice processing system, the circuit having a memory that stores data of a type useful to interface with said telephone and voice processing interface system, the circuit performing the steps of receiving standard serial data from the host computer such as telephone answering, voice message storing and other commands; storing in the supervisory circuit memory particular serial data commands tailored to command and control the telephone interface and voice processing system; using the data stored in the memory to translate said received standard serial data from the host computer into command and control language recognizable by the telephone interface and voice processing system; converting the translated language into parallel data

Abstract: An advanced electronic telecommunications system is provided for the deposit, storage and delivery of audio messages to both user and non-users with limited access provided to the non-user under the control of the user. A Voice Message System (10) interconnects multiple private exchanges (12) of a subscriber with a central telephone office (22). Individual subscriber users may access the Voice Message System (10) through ON NET telephones (18) or OFF Net telephones (24). Selected non-users may be allowed access through the OFF NET telephones (24), the scope of the access of the selected non-users is determined by a subscriber user. The Voice Message System (10) includes an administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and a data storage subsystem (64). The Voice Message System (10) enables the user to deposit a message in data storage subsystem (64) for automatic delivery to other addresses connected to the system.

Abstract: A telephone operator voice storage and retrieval system is capable of presenting to the caller a played-back, previously recorded response message in the actual voice of the operator on duty at the time. The operator is also able to follow-up the played-back, previously recorded response message with a conversation with the caller, without the caller detecting a change in the characteristics of the caller's perceived operator voice. The storage and retrieval system employs a voice analyzer/synthesizer coupled between a response message memory and an audio inteface to the operator's audio equipment (headset). After the storage of a series of response messages, prepared by the operator, the system is ready for use in answering incoming calls. In this playback mode, as incoming calls are monitored, the appropriate operator's voice enunciated response message is accessed from memory and, via the voice synthesizer and an audio interface, that message is played back to the caller.