Telephonic communications – Audio message storage – retrieval – or synthesis – Message management
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-24
2001-03-20
Knepper, David D. (Department: 2748)
Telephonic communications
Audio message storage, retrieval, or synthesis
Message management
C379S093070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205206
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to voice messaging systems, and more particularly, to a method for integrating a voice messaging system card (VxC) with a PBX.
2. Prior Art
The VXII Voice Mail System developed by Executone Information Systems and implemented in a line of PBX systems (i.e., integrated digital system (IDS)), has the capability of exchanging control signals through both in-band signals using DTMF tones, and through the use of asynchronous RS-232 communications. While the RS-232 signaling does not replace all of the functionality of the in-band signaling, the use of the RS-232 signaling eliminates the requirement that the IDS provide DTMF receivers for each of the serial line interface (SLI) ports connected to the VXII.
With the development of the VxC card and its first uses, it requires the use of an IDS serial port and an external cable connecting the VxC to the IDS CPU. Additionally, an external monitor and keyboard are required for the programming and monitoring of the operation of the VxC. All of these additional components increase the cost of providing voice mail to low end systems.
The voice card operates on a DOS platform, and generally uses a memory manager for efficiently using memory locations contained within the operating environment. QEMM is one type of memory manager that has been used. However, its use requires royalty payments to Quarter Deck, and is therefore not desirable in the present invention.
In previous implementations of the VxC card, a dual port RAM of the card acted as if it were an OPX card, and the RS-232 connector on the VxC card was connected to a serial port on the IDS. A keyboard and monitor were attached to the keyboard and VGA connectors respectively. With this configuration, the VxC card could operate within an existing IDS without requiring any code changes on the IDS.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for integrating a voice mail system into lower end PBX systems with a reduced cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for integrating a voice mail system into a PBX that eliminate the use of RS-232 asynchronous signaling to provide control of the voice mail system.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method for integrating a voice mail system into a PBX that eliminates the need for an external monitor and keyboard.
These and other objects of the invention are realized in one embodiment thereof by providing a method for integrating a voice mail/messaging system into the backplane of a public branch exchange (PBX) telephone system comprising the steps of: providing a voice messaging card (VxC) for connection to the backplane of the PBX system; dedicating a random access memory (RAM) on said voice messaging card for communicating with the PBX via the PBX backplane; establishing two-way communication between the voice messaging card and the PBX over the backplane; and controlling the voice messaging card to provide voice mail functions to the users of the PBX telephone system.
Connection over the dual port RAM take precidence over other previous know connections. Although programming through the use of the RS-232 and external cable will not be entirely disabled, it will be ignored when the dual port RAM configuration is recognized and initialized.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5046188 (1991-09-01), Molnar
patent: 5329579 (1994-07-01), Brunson
patent: 5519766 (1996-05-01), Jones
patent: 5928347 (1999-07-01), Jones
Hersh Israel J.
Tanski Frank
Dilworth & Barrese LLP
Inter-Tel, Inc.
Knepper David D.
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