Telecomputer Corporation, Ltd.

Arie Sonesh

Amiram Carmon

The present invention relates to apparatus for use with a telephone system having a plurality of stations each of which becomes active when the station goes off-hook and one of a plurality of keys at the station is actuated for selecting one of a plurality of outside central office (CO) lines connected to the stations through a key service unit (KSU). The apparatus of the present invention comprises a station control unit (SCU) associated with each station for connecting the same to the KSU; and a main control unit (MCU) by which the KSU is connected to the outside CO lines. The MCU comprises a microprocessor operated central control; and a multistate line control unit (LCU) operatively associated with each outside CO line for connecting each station in parallel to the selected CO line and/or to the central control in accordance with the state of the LCU operatively associated with the selected CO line. The present invention provides for effecting addressing between the MCU and the SCU's and for controlling the state of the LCU's as a consequence of such addressing when the MCU is operative such that the MCU manages connections of the system to the CO lines and signalling between the stations according to a predetermined plan contained in the control unit. With the arrangement described above, the MCU intercepts and controls internal dialing from the stations of the system selectively controlling, for example, access of the stations, or individuals using the system, to the CO lines.

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Jerusalem, Israel

Arie Sonesh