US3790717A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone communications system with distributed control
Assignee: Adaptive Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-07
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1992-08-07
Abstract
Abstract A system for accomplishing distributed PABX functions without tying up lines or channels of communication for each communication. Station identifying address codes are assigned to the subscribers with a plurality of address codes being available to a single subscriber at a given time. The address codes are stored in registers located at the subscriber stations and transferred to receiving stations to effect communication. The processing and handling of the address codes is accomplished locally at the subscriber stations by the user himself by a technique which facilitates the implementation of such conventional PABX functions as call transfer, call storage, call forwarding and call hold. The subscriber terminals are connected in a communications network wherein the subscribers communicate on the transmission media using a predetermined period format. The period format includes assigned portions for handshaking and distribution of address codes as well as portions for communicating textual data. Generally, an originator goes off hook and dials the handshake address code of the party he desires communication with. This address code is placed in a REQUEST FOR SERVICE subperiod of the period (P) on the transmission line. At the receptor terminal, a distributed address code is received for identifying the communications between the two terminals. Each subscriber is provided with registers for storing the address codes to be used by respective communicating subscribers. The possible address codes stored by these registers includes address codes providing handshake identification codes, transferee address codes identifying those subscribers which a given subscriber desires to transfer or forward calls to, the addresses of subscribers calling a given subscriber when such given subscriber is busy with a third party and, essentially, includes the addresses associated with any subscribers which the given subscriber is or will subsequently speak to, or transfer calls to. An address selector and control circuit controls the entry and removal of the address codes into and out of the address registers. The control circuit is connected to both a keyboard for receiving telephone operation command codes, and to an address code detector so as to control the entry and removal of address codes on the transmission media. In the subject system, the general telephone functions as well as the special telephone features noted above are available on a distributed basis. The subject system provides the characteristic whereby the interface circuitry to the public telephone network very closely approximates the circuitry required at each subscriber station. Therefore, the system does not have the present day limitations on the ratio of the number of stations to the number of trunks. Since the special features are available on a distributed basis, the cost increases linearly as stations are added to the system. In accordance with the subject system, there is no requirement for a central attendant''s terminal or a central switching unit, but rather the basic telephone functions are accomplished on an independent basis by the individual subscriber terminals.
Inventors
- 👤 C Abramson
- 👤 N Dagosto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 22:34
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M9/00; H04M9/02; H04M9/022; H04M9/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning, at a first subscriber terminal, a first address register for storing a first address code received for communicating between a first subscriber terminal and a second subscriber terminal; assigning, at said first subscriber terminal, a second address register for storing a second address code for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; inserting said address codes into said address registers in response to telephone operation command codes produced by said first subscriber terminal; and selecting, in response to said telephone operation command codes at said first subscriber terminal, between said first and said second address codes stored in said address registers for sending on the transmission medium for communicating with said second or said third terminals; whereby communications between said first subscriber terminal and said second and third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the transmission of the address code selected from the address registers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning, at a first subscriber terminal, a first address register for storing a first address code received for communicating between a first subscriber terminal and a second subscriber terminal; assigning, at said first subscriber terminal, a second address register for storing a second address code for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; inserting said address codes into said address registers in response to telephone operation command codes produced by said first subscriber terminal; and selecting, in response to said telephone operation command codes at said first subscriber terminal, between said first and said second address codes stored in said address registers for sending on the transmission medium for communicating with said second or said third terminals; whereby communications between said first subscriber terminal and said second and third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the transmission of the address code selected from the address registers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
Method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, at said first subscriber terminal, the step of comparing address codes on the transmission medium with the selected one of said address codes stored in said address registers, and removing data from said transmission medium when the so compared address codes are identical, whereby said first subscriber terminal selectively detects and receives data on said transmission medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
Method as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of call forwarding is accomplished by said first subscriber terminal by the steps of: detecting, on the transmission medium, a handshaking address code which identifies said first subscriber terminal; removing said handshaking address code from the transmission medium; and inserting said second address code on said transmission medium in the same location where said first address code was removed, as a substitute therefor; whereby a call originally intended for said First subscriber terminal is forwarded to said third subscriber terminal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method as recited in claim 3, wherein said second address code is stored in said second address register by dialing said code at said first subscriber terminal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
Method as recited in claim 3 wherein, said handshaking address code is detected in a first subperiod located within an identifiable position in a period (P) on said transmission medium, said first subperiod being assigned for communicating requests for service.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of call transfer by said first subscriber terminal of an existing call with said second subscriber terminal is effected over to said third subscriber terminal by: inserting said second address code, stored in said second address register, on said transmission medium; and inserting said first address code, stored in said first address register, on said transmission medium in a predetermined position relative to the location of said first address code; whereby said third subscriber, upon detection of said second address code, will detect and store said first address code and thereby initiate communications with said second subscriber terminal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
Method as recited in claim 6, wherein said step of inserting said second address code on said transmission medium is preceeded by: detecting an available first subperiod in a period (P) on said transmission medium assigned for making requests for service to a subscriber terminal; inserting said second address code in said detected subperiod; and inserting said first address code in a second subperiod position assigned for distributing address codes to subscriber terminals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method as recited in claim 1, wherein consultation holding is accomplished by said first subscriber terminal by: storing said first address code in said first address register so as to hold the communication with said second subscriber terminal; dialing a consultation address code constituting said second address code in storage in said second address register; selecting said second address register for entry of said second address code on said transmission medium so that said first subscriber terminal can communicate with said third subscriber terminal; and upon completion of the call with said third subscriber terminal, removing said second address code from storage and selecting said first address register for re-establishing communications between said first and said second subscriber terminals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method as recited in claim 8, wherein said second address code is inserted in a predetermined position within a period (P) on said transmission medium for effecting requests for service.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
Method as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of call storage is accomplished by said first subscriber terminal by: receiving said first address code on the transmission medium and storing said code in said first address register; holding said first address code in response to a telephone operation command code for call storage; and upon removal of said call storage command code, selecting said first address register for establishing communications with said second subscriber terminal by sending said first address code on the transmission medium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
Method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: assigning a handshaking address code permanently to each one of said subscriber terminals in the system; and assigning a subperiod within each period (P) on the transmission medium in which subscriber terminals may make requests for service from other subscriber terminals by inserting the handshaking address code identifying the particular subscriber terminal to which service is requested.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method as recited in claim 11, further comprising assigning an address distribution subperiod within each period (P) in which subscriber terminals may receive a distribution address code for identifying a communication between a pair oF subscriber terminals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
Method as recited in claim 12, wherein said distribution address code is stored by said subscriber terminals in one of said address registers, and voice data is transmitted between two terminals by address coding said voice data with said distribution address code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
220 words
Method of communicating information among a plurality of individual subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning a first one of a plurality of subperiods within a period (P) for communicating requests for service from a calling subscriber terminal to a called subscriber terminal; assigning a second one of said subperiods for distributing an address code for identifying communications between said calling terminal and said called terminal; inserting at said calling terminal, a handshaking address code identifying a called station into said first subperiod; inserting, at said calling terminal, said distribution address code identifying said calling station, into said second subperiod; at a called terminal, detecting said handshaking address code in said said first subperiod on said transmission medium; at each of said calling and called terminals, storing said distribution address code in a first register; at either one of said calling and called terminals, storing another address code in a second register for communicating with another subscriber terminal; and selecting, in response to telephone operation command codes produced at either of said calling or called terminals, one of said registers for sending its stored address code on the transmission medium; whereby a first subscriber terminal can selectively communicate with a second terminal while storing, holding or transferring calls to a third subscriber terminal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
220 words
Method of communicating information among a plurality of individual subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning a first one of a plurality of subperiods within a period (P) for communicating requests for service from a calling subscriber terminal to a called subscriber terminal; assigning a second one of said subperiods for distributing an address code for identifying communications between said calling terminal and said called terminal; inserting at said calling terminal, a handshaking address code identifying a called station into said first subperiod; inserting, at said calling terminal, said distribution address code identifying said calling station, into said second subperiod; at a called terminal, detecting said handshaking address code in said said first subperiod on said transmission medium; at each of said calling and called terminals, storing said distribution address code in a first register; at either one of said calling and called terminals, storing another address code in a second register for communicating with another subscriber terminal; and selecting, in response to telephone operation command codes produced at either of said calling or called terminals, one of said registers for sending its stored address code on the transmission medium; whereby a first subscriber terminal can selectively communicate with a second terminal while storing, holding or transferring calls to a third subscriber terminal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
Method as recited in claim 14, wherein handshaking between two terminals is accomplished by: detecting, at said receptor terminal, said handshaking address code received in said first subperiod; and detecting the distribution address code in said second subperiod of the same period having said detected handshaking address code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
Method as recited in claim 14, wherein call transfer is accomplished by said calling or called terminal by dialing a transferee address code identifying another terminal; storing said transferee address code in said second register; and inserting said transferee address code into said first subperiod for communicating a request for service to said identifying terminal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method as recited in claim 16, further comprising inserting the distribution address code, identifying the call to be transferred, into said second first subperiod located in the same period (P) with the first subperiod having said transferee address code.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method as recited in claim 14, further comprising, removing said stored address codes from said registers at any of said terminals upon completion of calls associated with said address codes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
Method as recited in claim 14, wherein said distribution address code assigned to a calling station is identical to the distribution address code assigned to a called station for a given communication between said stations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
Method as recited in claim 14, wherein said called station effects a call forwarding operation by removing its own identifying address code from said first subperiod received on the transmission medium, and substituting a transferee address code identifying a transferee station in said first subperiod, wherein said transferee station will detect its own address code in said first subperiod and thereafter will detect and store the distributed address code received in said second subperiod for subsequent communications between said calling station and said transferee station.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method as recited in claim 14, further comprising assigning another one of said subperiods within a period (P) for communicating an acknowledgement code froM said called station to said calling station.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method as recited in claim 14, further comprising assigning said distributed address code to two or more communicating terminals on a temporary basis for the duration of the communications between said terminals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method as recited in claim 14, wherein voice and other data is transmitted between stations by sending said distributed address code as a part of the address coded data communicated between said calling and said called terminals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
Method as recited in claim 14, further comprising assigning said distributed addresses to the terminals from a central address distributor for the duration of communications by said terminals, said central address distributor permitting at least two distributed address codes to be associated with a single terminal at a given time, thereby permitting multiple communications.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
191 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals in an address-coded data communications system wherein intelligence data is sent together with the address code assigned to one or more communicating terminals, comprising: sending, from a calling terminal, a first address code for requesting service from a called terminal; assigning a second address code to said calling terminal and said called terminal for identifying communications between said terminals; storing, in a first address register located at each of said calling and called terminals, said second address code; sending and receiving address-coded data with said second address code forming a part of the data communicated between said calling and called terminals; at either one of said calling terminal or called terminal, storing a third address code in a second address register assigned for communications with another terminal; and selecting, at either one of said calling or called terminals, the address code stored in said first address register or said second address register for communicating address coded data to other terminals; whereby the assignment of an address code for identifying a pair of terminals provides communications by a terminal with more than one other terminal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
191 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals in an address-coded data communications system wherein intelligence data is sent together with the address code assigned to one or more communicating terminals, comprising: sending, from a calling terminal, a first address code for requesting service from a called terminal; assigning a second address code to said calling terminal and said called terminal for identifying communications between said terminals; storing, in a first address register located at each of said calling and called terminals, said second address code; sending and receiving address-coded data with said second address code forming a part of the data communicated between said calling and called terminals; at either one of said calling terminal or called terminal, storing a third address code in a second address register assigned for communications with another terminal; and selecting, at either one of said calling or called terminals, the address code stored in said first address register or said second address register for communicating address coded data to other terminals; whereby the assignment of an address code for identifying a pair of terminals provides communications by a terminal with more than one other terminal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
180 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning, at a first subscriber terminal, a first register for storing a first code designated for communicating between a first subscriber terminal and a second subscriber terminal; assigning, at said first subscriber terminal, a second register for storing a second code designated for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; inserting said codes into said registers in response to telephone operation command codes produced by said first subscriber terminal; selecting, in response to said telephone operation command codes at said first subscriber terminal, between said first and said second codes stored in said registers for communicating with either of said second or said third terminals; and receiving, at the respective second and third terminals, data on said transmission medium which has been sent using said respective first and second codes; whereby communications by said first subscriber terminal with either said second or said third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the use of the code selected from the registers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
180 words
Method of communicating data between subscriber terminals connected on a transmission medium in a telephone communications system, comprising: assigning, at a first subscriber terminal, a first register for storing a first code designated for communicating between a first subscriber terminal and a second subscriber terminal; assigning, at said first subscriber terminal, a second register for storing a second code designated for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; inserting said codes into said registers in response to telephone operation command codes produced by said first subscriber terminal; selecting, in response to said telephone operation command codes at said first subscriber terminal, between said first and said second codes stored in said registers for communicating with either of said second or said third terminals; and receiving, at the respective second and third terminals, data on said transmission medium which has been sent using said respective first and second codes; whereby communications by said first subscriber terminal with either said second or said third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the use of the code selected from the registers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
246 words
A telephone communications system having a plurality of subscriber terminals connected to a transmission medium, comprising: a keyboard at each subscriber terminal for producing the address codes identifying other subscriber terminals and for producing telephone operation command codes; address code detection means, at each subscriber terminal, for detecting address codes, on the transmission medium, intended for receipt by a given subscriber terminal; means for assigning a unique address code for identification of each pair of communicating terminals; a plurality of address storage registers at each subscriber terminal for storing address codes produced at said keyboard or received on the transmission medium, one of said storage registers being used to store the address code for communicating with a second subscriber terminal and one of said storage registers enabling the storage of the address code for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; control means at each subscriber terminal for controlling and selecting the entry and removal of address codes into and out of said address storage registers, said control means being connected to said keyboard and operating in response to the telephone operation command codes received therefrom, said control means also connected to said address code detection means so as to control the entry and removal of address codes on the transmission medium; whereby communications by a subscriber terminal with either said second or said third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the use of the address code selected from the address storage registers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
246 words
A telephone communications system having a plurality of subscriber terminals connected to a transmission medium, comprising: a keyboard at each subscriber terminal for producing the address codes identifying other subscriber terminals and for producing telephone operation command codes; address code detection means, at each subscriber terminal, for detecting address codes, on the transmission medium, intended for receipt by a given subscriber terminal; means for assigning a unique address code for identification of each pair of communicating terminals; a plurality of address storage registers at each subscriber terminal for storing address codes produced at said keyboard or received on the transmission medium, one of said storage registers being used to store the address code for communicating with a second subscriber terminal and one of said storage registers enabling the storage of the address code for communicating with a third subscriber terminal; control means at each subscriber terminal for controlling and selecting the entry and removal of address codes into and out of said address storage registers, said control means being connected to said keyboard and operating in response to the telephone operation command codes received therefrom, said control means also connected to said address code detection means so as to control the entry and removal of address codes on the transmission medium; whereby communications by a subscriber terminal with either said second or said third subscriber terminals is determined at said first subscriber terminal by the use of the address code selected from the address storage registers.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
System as recited in claim 21, wherein said means for assigning a unique address code for identifying each pair of siad subscriber terminals comprises a central address distributor for distributing said address codes to the subscriber.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as recited in claim 28, wherein said control means includes: register detection means connected to said address storage registers for determining an available address storage register at a terminal; and a memory connected to said keyboard for determining which of said address storage registers contains the address associated with the operation or communication taking place at a subscriber terminal at a given time.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
62 words
System as recited in claim 28, wherein said control means at a first terminal includes means for selecting a first address code from a first address storage register identifying a communication between said first terminal and a second terminal, for sending on the transmission medium to a third terminal, thereby effecting a call transfer from said first terminal to said third terminal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
72 words
System as recited in claim 30, wherein said control means also includes dial means for entering a transfer address code dialed by said keyboard into a second address storage register, said transfer address code identifying said third terminal, and means for removing said transfer address code from said second address storage register for sending on the transmission medium to said third terminal together with said first address from said first address register.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
49 words
System as recited in claim 31, wherein said control means includes timing means for entering said transfer address code into a first assigned usbperiod within a period (P) on said transmission medium, and means for entering said first address code into a second assigned subperiod in said period (P).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
71 words
System as recited in claim 27, further comprising assignment means for the terminals for assigning both a first subperiod within a period (P) on said transmission medium for the transmission of a handshaking code identifying the terminal to be called, and a second subperiod within said period (P) for distributing address codes to the terminals, each of said distributed address codes serving to uniquely identify a communication between two particular terminals.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
65 words
System as recited in claim 27, further comprising, at each subscriber terminal, a digital telephone having circuits for converting analog voice signals into a digital code formal for sending over said transmission medium, and circuitry for converting digital data received on said transmission medium into an audible analog signal, said digital telephone being connected to said keyboard for transmitting telephone operation commands to said keyboard.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
293 words
A telephone communications system having a plurality of subscriber telephone terminals connected to a transmission medium and one or moRe data terminals connected to said transmission medium comprising: address code detection means at each of said terminals, for detecting address codes intended for receipt by respective terminals; a plurality of address storage registers at each terminal for storing address codes for communicating with other terminals; control means at each terminal for controlling the entry and removal of address codes into and out of said address storage registers, said control means including logic means for receiving operation commands for maintaining calls in the form of a first address code in a first address storage register for communication with a second terminal, and said logic means also providing for the storage of a second address code in a second address storage register for communication with a third terminal; address code sending means responsive to said control means at each terminal for sending an address code from one of said address storage registers on the transmission medium for detection and receipt by another terminal; handshaking assignment means for the terminals including means for assigning a first one of a plurality of subperiods within a period (P) for communicating requests for service by a calling terminal; and means for assigning another one of said subperiods for communicating an address code for identifying a communication between a calling terminal and a called terminal; whereby requests for service are made by a calling terminal by sending an address from one of said address storage registers on the transmission medium in said first subperiod for receipt by a called terminal, and subsequent communications between said calling and called terminals are made by sending another address code in said second subperiod.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
293 words
A telephone communications system having a plurality of subscriber telephone terminals connected to a transmission medium and one or moRe data terminals connected to said transmission medium comprising: address code detection means at each of said terminals, for detecting address codes intended for receipt by respective terminals; a plurality of address storage registers at each terminal for storing address codes for communicating with other terminals; control means at each terminal for controlling the entry and removal of address codes into and out of said address storage registers, said control means including logic means for receiving operation commands for maintaining calls in the form of a first address code in a first address storage register for communication with a second terminal, and said logic means also providing for the storage of a second address code in a second address storage register for communication with a third terminal; address code sending means responsive to said control means at each terminal for sending an address code from one of said address storage registers on the transmission medium for detection and receipt by another terminal; handshaking assignment means for the terminals including means for assigning a first one of a plurality of subperiods within a period (P) for communicating requests for service by a calling terminal; and means for assigning another one of said subperiods for communicating an address code for identifying a communication between a calling terminal and a called terminal; whereby requests for service are made by a calling terminal by sending an address from one of said address storage registers on the transmission medium in said first subperiod for receipt by a called terminal, and subsequent communications between said calling and called terminals are made by sending another address code in said second subperiod.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |