Ast Research, Inc.

Silicon Laboratories Inc.

Conexant Systems, Inc.

Mindspeed Technologies, Inc.

Loral Aerospace Corp.

Charles F Raasch

Jason S Kim

Sverrir Olafsson

Burk Beadle

Craig E Borden

Andrew B Webster

Nimesh Doshi

Robert T Otten

Michael K Goodman

Joel D Peshkin

Ismail I Eldumiati

Farzad Noorbehesht

Jim W Johnston

Andy Webster

Philippe Richard

Dean Grumlose

Gregory Allen Roberts

Frank Sacca

Mounir Ayoub

Mark A Conboy

A modem to modem communication system supports call waiting services by exchanging hold request and acknowledge signals before relinquishing the line servicing incoming calls. Thereafter, the modem to modem session is reestablished without having to redial. The hold request may be denied or accepted, and may define the duration a modem will hold before hanging up. The holding modem maintains the session by fooling the higher protocol layers, making them believe that the modem is not on hold. Three-way calling services are also used to free up the shared line for outgoing calls while maintaining the session with holding modems. A table may be employed to screen incoming calls through a comparison of the caller ID information with that in the table. The table may be within the modem or the host computer. A quick startup procedure for a modem system utilizes known characteristics of a previously established communication channel to reduce the initialization period associated with subsequent connections over the same channel.

Modem with hold and quick connect functionality

A modem to modem communication system supports call waiting services by exchanging hold request and acknowledge signals before relinquishing the line servicing incoming calls. Thereafter, the modem to modem session is reestablished without having to redial. The hold request may be denied or accepted, and may define the duration a modem will hold before hanging up. The holding modem maintains the session by fooling the higher protocol layers, making them believe that the modem is not on hold. Three-way calling services are also used to free up the shared line for outgoing calls while maintaining the session with holding modems. A table may be employed to screen incoming calls through a comparison of the caller ID information with that in the table. The table may be within the modem or the host computer.

Use of modem on hold for network management and telephone access

Using modems to place modem connections on hold and to maintain upper layer network connection

The present invention is directed to a method and system for operating a secondary diagnostic channel on a modem. The present invention is directed to the transmission of data on a previously defined UI frame. In this manner, various pieces of information may be sent over the secondary logic channel. The present application also discloses the use of a wild card request that allows the sending of multiple pieces of unrelated data at one time, through the use of a special format. The present application also discloses the use pseudo-unique call identification information that can be used to diagnose and prevent problems in various data connections. Modems can be configured to refer to information stored for previous connections to diagnose problems that may have occurred in the previous connection.

Modem identification and diagnostics

In a modem system connecting two modems over the telephone lines, a method is disclosed that transmits identification data regarding the two modems. Furthermore, the connection between the two modems may be optimized based upon information regarding the compatibility of the two modems. In addition, a secondary logic channel, which may remain open throughout the duration of the connection may also be used to transmit data about the modems. The secondary logic channel would only transmit data if the primary data channel is not being fully used. The secondary logic channel may be used to transmit various diagnostic information between the modems.

Processing diagnostic and identification data in an analog modem system

Modem on hold

A telephone line interface circuit which does not require a hookswitch relay is disclosed. An optoisolator is utilized to place a telephone line interface circuit on-hook and off-hook. In one embodiment, the optoisolator is controlled by an optoisolator control signal generated by a communications device such as a modem. An output of the optoisolator is coupled to an input of a DC control circuit. An output of the DC control circuit is coupled to a AC switch. When the optoisolator input control signal is activated, the optoisolator output enables voltage or current bias to the transistor, which places the telephone line interface circuit off-hook. When the optoisolator input control signal is deactivated, the optoisolator output disables voltage or current bias to the transistor, which places the telephone line interface circuit on-hook. In one embodiment, the DC control circuit is an electronic inductor comprising a pair of NPN transistors connected in a Darlington configuration. In one embodiment, the AC switch comprises a PNP transistor whose base is coupled to the output of the DC control circuit. In another embodiment the AC switch comprises an NPN transistor whose base is coupled to the input of the DC control circuit.

Telephone line interface circuit without hookswitch relay

A communication system includes a controller, a data pump under the control of the controller and a data access arrangement under the control of the controller. The controller establishes a data communication session with a remote communication system using the data pump and the data access arrangement. The controller then places the communication session in an on-hold state for a period of time and generates an indication relating to a status of the on-hold state. The controller may generate a sound as an indication or may transmit data relating to the status. The sound may be generated by toggling a relay in the data access arrangement, by transmitting a tone or by transmitting an audio sample. The audio sample may be generated by a codec controlled by the controller. The indication is generated to provide a progress notification relating to the period of time, a warning notification relating to the period of time or an expiration notification of the period of time.

Communication on hold notifier

An apparatus and method emulates mouse pointer functions utilizing a keyboard having an additional special function key. When the special function key is depressed, designated keys on the keyboard are interpreted as 'mouse keys' which may be used to direct a pointer on a computer screen in a manner similar to a conventional mouse pointer. In one embodiment, the keys used as cursor movement keys during normal operation are designated as 'mouse keys' which effect the movement of the pointer on the screen when the special function key is depressed. In addition, other keys may be used as left and right mouse buttons and as mouse lock keys. In one embodiment, the pointer speed is gradually increased when the user continuously holds any of the cursor movement keys down for a preselected interval. The data generated by the 'mouse keys' are indistinguishable from data provided by conventional mouse pointer devices so that a conventional mouse driver and standard command protocol may be used in accordance with the present invention.

Keyboard pointing device

Circuits and methods for providing electrical communication between the keyboard and PC board of a notebook computer, and notebook computers employing such circuits and methods. A plurality of contacts electrically coupled to a keyboard and a plurality of contacts electrically coupled to a PC board are brought into electrical communication when the keyboard engages or is mounted to a housing or a PC board of the notebook. In presently preferred embodiments, physical contact may be provided between the two sets of contacts or an elastomeric material, or other type of bridge circuit, may be used to provide electrical connectivity between the two sets of contacts.

Easily changeable notebook keyboard

A memory mapped keyboard controller within a peripheral controller for use in an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) computer provides a method and apparatus for efficiently monitoring and reading a keyboard switch matrix. In a first mode of operation, the controller activates all the columns and monitors all the rows in the switch matrix to detect when any one or more of the rows becomes active, indicating that at least one key on the keyboard has been pressed. When any row in the matrix is detected as active, then the keyboard controller enters a second mode wherein it selectively activates individual columns and monitors the rows in the switch matrix to detect which row and column contain the activated switch. When the switch location is determined, this location is interpreted by the keyboard controller into a scan code for the ISA computer.

Memory mapped keyboard controller

A method and apparatus for downloading instructions and other information to a peripheral controller for use in an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) compatible computer provides a system which downloads instructions from the ISA compatible computer to an random access memory (RAM) accessible by the peripheral controller. The peripheral controller then executes these instructions to emulate the functions of conventional INTEL 8042 and 8742 series integrated circuits. The peripheral controller also provides other features not provided by the conventional 8042 or 8742 by executing other downloaded instructions located in the RAM.

Method and apparatus for down-loading instructions from a host computer

A security system for stand alone and portable computer hosts which utilizes both a hardware key and a password key to enable-access to the computer host. The entry of the password key and the hardware key is monitored by the keyboard controller. The keyboard controller alters a status bit during the POST portion of the host code if access is granted. The host security is divided into two levels of security, a first administrative level and a second user level. The administrative level is accessible by the entry of a first password or by the hardware key and enables access to all levels of the host SET-UP configuration. The user level is accessible by the entry of a second password and only enables access to a limited portion of the setup configuration.

Security system for a stand-alone computer

An ISA-compatible computer system includes an additional function key on its keyboard. The additional function key does not have a defined function for conventional ISA-standard computers. When a conventional alphanumeric key or function key is activated on the keyboard, the computer system is interrupted using IRQ1 and the key information is communicated to the computer system so that the computer system can respond in a conventional manner using a conventional keyboard interrupt handling routine. When the additional function key and an alphanumeric key are activated in combination, a second interrupt different from the IRQ1 interrupt is activated (e.g., IRQ15). The computer system responds to the second interrupt by inputting an identification of the activated alphanumeric key and performing a selected predetermined function in response thereto. The handling of the second interrupt is performed by a separate interrupt handling routine within the computer system so that conventional terminate and stay resident (TSR) programs that intercept conventional keyboard inputs cannot readily intercept keyboard input initiated by the additional function key.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, CA, United States of America

Charles F Raasch