Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Alan D Eyre

David Jeffrey Westergaard

Robert Barrie Turnbull

Bruce W Yee

Brian Clifford McKinney

Michael J Lucas

Brian Lawrence Buckler

Jerry Allan Freestone

Jim Paarsmarkt

Zygmunt Pasturczyk

A local CPE broadcasts incoming call information to at least one remote CPE. Before or after at least one ring tone is received, the local CPE is taken off-hook. An incoming voice message is received, and the incoming voice message is broadcast over a communications network to the remote CPE. Alternatively, incoming caller data is received, a corresponding voice message is determined as a function of at least a portion of the incoming caller data, and the voice message is broadcast over a communications network to the remote CPE. As a further alternative, the caller data is broadcast over the communications network, and the corresponding voice message is determined by the remote CPE. As yet another alternative, incoming call information is announced using on-hook customer premises equipment (CPE). An indication of an incoming CPE alerting signal (CAS) tone is received, a frequency shift keying (FSK) signal is detected as a result of receiving the indication. A corresponding voice message is determined as a function of at least a portion of the FSK signal, and the voice message is announced.

Remote broadcast of call announce and call screening information

A multi-line key telephone system not having a key service unit includes three analog telephone lines to which up to eight, three-line telephones may be connected to provide enhanced service features with cost-effectiveness. System reliability is maintained, notwithstanding a power dependency of the telephones, by including POTS telephones to provide uninterrupted essential telephone service in the event of a power outage. Both data and voice communications between two or more of the three-line telephones is achieved by converting an input digital bit stream from either a digital or analog source into a corresponding out-of-band binary FSK radio frequency output signal that is transceivingly communicated between the three-line telephones as data packets within a TDM frame. The out-of-band signal thus permits analog voice communications on the same line to proceed without interference. A telephone initiating a communications session acts as a master station, establishing inter-station communications synchronous at the frame level and asynchronous at the packet level. The called telephone functions as a slave station in a second time slot synchronized to a first time slot in the TDM frame received from the master. Temporary storage of data in firmware buffers and controlled timing at both the master and slave permits these stations to function within their respective TDM frame time slots.

Key telephone system without common control

A multi-line key telephone system not having a key service unit includes three analog telephone lines to which up to eight, three-line telephones may be connected to provide enhanced service features with cost-effectiveness. System reliability is maintained, notwithstanding the power dependency of the telephones, by including POTS telephones to provide uninterrupted essential telephone service in the event of a power outage. Both data and voice communications between two or more of the three-line telephones is achieved by converting an input digital bit stream from either a digital or analog source into a corresponding out-of-band binary FSK radio frequency output signal that is transceivingly communicated between the three-line telephones as data packets within a TDM frame. The out-of-band signal thus permits analog voice communications on the same line to proceed without interference. A telephone initiating a communications session acts as a master station, establishing inter-station communications synchronous at the frame level and asynchronous at the packet level. The called telephone functions as a slave station in a second time slot synchronized to a first time slot in the TDM frame received from the master. Temporary storage of data in firmware buffers and controlled timing at both the master and slave permits these stations to function within their respective TDM frame time slots.

A multi-line key telephone system not having a key service unit includes three analog telephone lines to which multiple telephone stations may be connected for enhanced communications between stations. Each station is connected by a modem to a single telephone line and includes a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART) communicating with the modem, a microprocessor and a digital signal processor for effecting voice and data transfers and communicating time division multiplex protocol control to another telephone station on the same line. The UART includes a synchronizer with a master clock for defining positions of voice and data packets within a TDM frame having a predetermined data bit structure, and a receiver for acquiring a first valid packet header and start bit and issuing a sync pulse to adjust the master clock to conform to the timing of a new communication session. A receive data register in the UART temporarily stores data packets indexed to a first position within a TDM frame, and a receive voice buffer accumulates and temporarily stores voice packets indexed to a second position within the TDM frame. Transmitted data and voice packets are initially accumulated and stored as data and voice bytes in respective transmit data and voice registers of the UART from which the bytes are coupled to a transmitter for packetizing and subsequent transmission to the telephone line via the modem under control of the synchronizer.

An apparatus and method for remotely answering a door. The apparatus includes a switch, a telephone transmitter and an a telephone receiver positioned near the door. At least one telephone station is operable to place a telephone call to a remote telephone identified by a pre-determined telephone number. An interface detects actuation of the switch and signals the telephone station to place the telephone call in response to actuation of the switch and places the telephone transmitter and receiver in communication with the telephone to establish telephonic communication between the telephone transmitter and receiver and the remote telephone.

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Calgary, Canada

Alan D Eyre