Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical... – Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
Patent
1989-03-08
1991-03-26
George, Keith E.
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
379 96, 379442, H04M 1100
Patent
active
050035800
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a device to allow a computer such as a personal computer to operate in conjunction with a telephone subset, and to a system embodying such a device.
BACKGROUND ART
The invention finds particular application where the signalling systems used by the telephone subset and the computer differ, as, for example, is the case where the telephone is a small business system (SBS) telephone. Such telephones are usually 4 wire telephones, having one pair for signalling and another pair for speech.
Many SBS systems use unique signalling methods between the subsets and the SBS switching equipment such as, for example, pulse string signalling, while a large number of personal computers use a standard signalling system.
It is desirable to incorporate telephone directory and call handling facilities into a personal computer so there will be no need for the telephone user to memorize various telephone numbers and call handling codes. These facilities can be displayed on the PC screen in the option menu format and selected as appropriate. For instance telephone directory information for internal and external calls can be stored in the computer and the computer can be programmed to emit dialling signals in the normal PC signalling code. Other features such as call forwarding, call back, hold etc. can also be included. However these signals will not be recognized by the SBS switching processor as it will only recognize signals in its own unique format.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This specification therefore discloses a device to allow a subset and a computer to be connected to the subset's switching system to permit at least some of the subset signalling functions to be performed by the computer. The arrangement also allows the computer to communicate with other computers connected either to the local subset switching system or to the general telephone network to which the switching system has access, including those connected to the network via similar switching systems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an adaptor circuit to enable an SBS station and a work station terminal to be connected to the station's voice and signalling lines from the SBS main equipment, the adaptor comprising a processor, a first interface circuit, a second interface circuit and a third interface circuit, the first interface circuit being arranged to provide an interface between the main equipment signal line and the processor, the second interface being arranged to provide an interface between the station signal line and the processor, and the third interface circuit being arranged to provide an interface between the work station terminal and the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to control the first and second interfaces so that in a first mode signals on said signal lines are passed between each other unaltered in format, and in a second mode when it is desired to use the work station keyboard to perform telephone call functions, the processor causes the station signal line and the main equipment signal line to be de-coupled from each other and couple them to the second and first interface circuits respectively, said processor having emulation programs stored therein to emulate the station through the first interface circuit and to emulate the main equipment through the second interface circuit.
Accordingly to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an adaptor circuit to enable an SBS station and a work station terminal to be connected to the station's voice and signalling lines from the SBS main equipment, the adaptor comprising a processor, a first interface circuit, a second interface circuit, a third interface circuit, and a first relay arrangement, wherein the first relay arrangement comprises first and second sets of changeover paths, the first set of changeover paths arranged to connect the signal line from the main equipment to either the station signal line or the first interface circuit, and the second set arranged to conne
REFERENCES:
patent: 4009342 (1977-02-01), Fahrenschon et al.
patent: 4306116 (1981-12-01), McClure et al.
patent: 4350848 (1982-09-01), Kariya et al.
patent: 4640989 (1987-02-01), Riner et al.
patent: 4689814 (1987-08-01), Warner, II
patent: 4860342 (1989-08-01), Danner
Duong Dzung M.
Stanbury Evan J.
George Keith E.
Standard Telephones and Cables Pty. Ltd.
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