Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Richard D Ray

Gregory F Beck

Douglas L Palmer

James Albert Fontana

Alistair Michael Egan

Lisa Walker

Method and apparatus for creating, editing, and processing an interactive system made up of event-actuated action items. In one aspect, an event interpreter for selecting action items for execution based on occurrences of events in an interactive system includes an input section by which the event interpreter receives a computer-usable signal indicating that an event has occurred, an event name generator for generating an event name based on the computer-usable signal, and an application selector for comparing the event name to the event identifier for action items stored in a file system and for selecting for execution an action item whose event identifier corresponds to the event name. In another aspect, the action items of the interactive system are displayed hierarchically using the file system editor. In this aspect of the invention, an interactive system application containing at least one event-actuatable action item is selected from the file system, a graphical representation of the at least one event-actuatable action item is displayed in a hierarchical arrangement, and an event identifier associated with the displayed action item of the selected interactive system application is displayed. The associated event identifier actuates the action item in response to the occurrence of a physical event corresponding to the event identifier.

User-definable interactive system

In a two-line telephone controller which includes a line select switch which operates complementarily to a force busy relay that allows an unselected telephone line to be forced to a busy state, a method for using the force busy relay also to place an active line on hold. The method includes detecting an incoming call on an inactive line, switching the line select switch to the inactive line, receiving an instruction to place the active line on hold, and responding to the hold instruction by closing an off-hook relay so as to connect the force busy switch across the active telephone line, opening a first handset select switch for the active telephone line, and closing a second handset select switch so as to select the incoming call on the ringing line. Because the force busy switch is connected across the formerly-active telephone line, loop current is maintained, thereby placing and maintaining the formerly-active call on hold.

Two-line telephone controller with hold feature

A communications control board, has, provided on a single board, an arrangement for performing standard modem/facsimile/telephone control functions as well as circuitry for performing functions, such as audio play and audio-line input and output functions. In one embodiment, a soundboard may be provided with text-to-speech control functions in conjunction with the single-board controller.

Communication control board with audio functions

A computer-controlled communication board which includes a data access arrangement which functions as an intermediary between multiple telephone lines, a data communication device such as a fax/modem/voice chipset, and a standard telephone handset. The data access arrangement has a line select switch which switchably connects one of the multiple telephone lines to the data communication device via a single transformer and associated 2/4 converter. Off-hook switches are provided for each telephone line so that the data communication device can cause the selected telephone line to go off-hook. Likewise, ring detectors are provided for each telephone line so that the data communication device can detect which of those lines is ringing. Telephone handset switches may be provided for each telephone line so that the telephone handset may be switchably connected to any one of the multiple telephone lines. The data access arrangement may be configured so that unused lines appear 'busy' to incoming calls, or it may be configured in a voice local mode in which the telephone handset may be used for play out and recording of audio information.

Growing community of inventors

Laguna Niguel, CA, United States of America

Richard D Ray