Quotables
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?"
David Sarnoff, American radio pioneer ; 1921
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6002753 | Method and apparatus for interfacing computers to exchange telephone call business information An apparatus and method is provided for exchanging telephone call information between two computers, one of which is coupled to a computerized branch exchange (CBX) which services a plurality of telephone agents, the other of which contains telephone call... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5901211 | System and method for automatically transferring calls or allowing access A switching system for automatically transferring a call is provided. A detecting unit (80) is used to detect an event. First and second outputs (10, 20) are provided for receiving an incoming call. A switch (12) automatically switches from the first outp... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5895988 | Safety system for an electronic device having multiple power inputs A safety system for electronic devices having multiple power inputs includes dedicating a different power detector to each power input and includes disabling all of the power inputs upon detection that one input has been disabled. Each of the power inputs... | 04/20/1999 |
| 5870610 | Autoconfigurable method and system having automated downloading A method of upgrading a system, such as a computer, that supports a variety of devices includes locating and identifying a first supported device and determining location information related to a remote site at which device-level software is stored. The d... | 02/09/1999 |
| 5864755 | Method for allowing a mobile phone to receive a call through a wireless network for which it is not registered, for emergency purposes A method for operating a wireless telephone system to provide emergency service for a wireless telephone operating in the wireless telephone system. In the present invention, the wireless telephone system receives a request to connect the wireless phone t... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5857019 | Apparatus and method for providing a telephone user with control of the threshold volume at which the user's voice will take control of a half-duplex speakerphone conversation An improved speakerphone that may be viewed as a modification of a conventional half-duplex speakerphone that includes transmit and receive attenuators for alternatively isolating either a speaker or a microphone from a phone line. The attenuators are con... | 01/05/1999 |
| 5857091 | Machine and method for simulating a processor-based digital system A machine and method for allowing a simulated processor environment to interact with a simulated digital environment to simulate a processor-based system. Embodiments of the present invention contemplate that interaction between the processor environment ... | 01/05/1999 |
| 5847695 | Method and apparatus for implementing a dialpad on the surface of a mouse input device An interface device, such as a mouse input device, is used to provide input to a computer system or alternatively to a telephone system. The motion of the mouse input device over a first surface is detected. Selections made by a user on a mouse selection ... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5844980 | Queue managing system and method In a queue management system for servicing of a number of clients representing different client types, a controlling queue queues clients in a predetermined order. A queue manager allocates and reallocates a number of processing queues, less than the numb... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5841778 | System for adaptive backoff mechanisms in CSMA/CD networks A system for controlling traffic on a contention-based local area network (LAN) such as one according to the CSMA/CD or Ethernet specification. To selectively preempt low priority messages on the LAN so that high priority messages may be transmitted, the ... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5835926 | Multiple memory addressing using adjustable chip select By overlaying two memory banks to form a single, monolithic memory and setting a movable boundary point between those two banks, one can exceed the fixed addressing capability of a microprocessor. By moving the boundary, one can then access common-value m... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5832073 | Configurable I/O panel or telephony systems A configurable I/O panel assembly includes an upper and a lower I/O panel (connector plate), and a cover plate. A plurality of upper I/O panels is provided, from which the upper I/O panel is selected. Similarly, a plurality of lower I/O panels is provided... | 11/03/1998 |
| 5828742 | Caller discrimination within a telephone system A method is provided for a telephone subscriber to distinguish between callers. The method is accomplished by storing a pass code for a subscriber's telephone within a memory of the telephone system. Callers who have been informed of the pass code and who... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5825858 | Collaborative conference bridges A method and apparatus for executing a conference call session between parties provides collaboration between nodes having separate conference-bridging capabilities, so that selection from a number of alternative connectivity schemes can be based upon bri... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5825869 | Call management method and system for skill-based routing A call-management method and system for distributing calls to individuals, such as ACD agents, include storing a resume for each individual. In the preferred embodiment, each resume includes first data indicative of call-handling capabilities of the indiv... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5825873 | Interface for providing call control for a headset attached to a telephone providing call control for a headset attached to a telephone A host telephone is connected by an interface to an accessory item. The accessory item is, for example, a cordless headset, a headset amplifier, a remote telephone dialing device, a cordless handset or some other device which is connected to a telephone. ... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5821936 | Interface method and system for sequencing display menu items A method and system of sequencing menu items of a menu-driven user/system interface includes a resequencing of the menu items in response to the frequency of selection and/or a shift in the primary responsibility of a user. In one embodiment, an initial s... | 10/13/1998 |
| 5818924 | Combined keypad and protective cover A mechanical keypad is attached to the outside of a protective cover. A switch allows a personal intelligent communicator to be operated either with the user interface of a mobile telephone handset or with a graphical user interface. When the cover is clo... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5818904 | Collaborative trunk testing method and system A method and connectivity evaluation system for testing trunk lines dedicated by a centralized telecommunications system to a customer switching system, such as a PBX, includes allowing the trunk-seizing capability of the telecommunications system to be r... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5818921 | Signaling system and method for enabling PBX-PBX feature transparency across a switched public network A method and system for supporting private branch exchange features over a public switched network is provided. The proprietary private branch exchange call and feature control information is separated into standard ISDN public network protocol elements a... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5815562 | Apparatus and method for providing a user with one telephone number that rings phones on heterogeneous systems worldwide A server allows a worldwide telephone number associated with a local telephone to be shared by one or more remote telephones. A call placed to the worldwide telephone number rings at the local telephone and at least one of the remote telephones. The serve... | 09/29/1998 |
| 5802147 | System and method for notifying a user of awaiting messages A system for notifying a user of awaiting messages is provided. In the preferred embodiment, this system includes a messaging device (30), a lock system (20), a central computer (40) and a output device (50). Central computer (40) processes signals from l... | 09/01/1998 |
| 5770898 | Modular power management system with common EMC barrier A power management system for providing power to a main system, such as a telecommunications device, includes a number of modules that are joined by module-to-module interfaces that achieve a common EMC containment barrier. In one embodiment, a battery mo... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5768347 | Method of providing limited access to preserve privacy within a message system A method of preserving privacy in an electronic storage-and-retrieval message system includes providing access by designated persons to manipulating interface features for storage/retrieval information related to directing messages, while restricting acce... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5764279 | Method and apparatus for instantaneous in-band document exchange during a video conference A method and apparatus for "piggy backing" a FAX transmission on a video call. A document, in the form of modulated facsimile data, is received from a machine located in proximity of a sending station. The document is demodulated, packetized and a header,... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5764733 | Apparatus for providing enhanced addressing capability in voice messaging system networks Methods and apparatus are set forth which enable users of a network which supports the AMIS Analog Protocol to define numbering plans which shorten and simplify addressing an AMIS message to specific AMIS Sites. These user friendly numbering plans are ref... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5761297 | Interconnection mechanism for a tiltable telephone display unit The interconnection mechanism preferably attaches a display unit to the cover of a telephone in a manner that allows the display unit to be rotated relative to the telephone. The interconnection mechanism includes a rotation edge on the telephone cover th... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5761273 | Analog self-test circuitry for a trunk interface An integrated circuit is provided for a trunk interface which can test a trunk interface card. Switching circuitry couples tip and ring leads to signal detection circuitry which detects the typical ring and lead signal information. During testing, a test ... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5761205 | Logical port management for a public branch exchange An office point is connected to a central office using a plurality of basic rate interface (BRI) lines. A physical layer of the office point provides connection to the BRI lines. A second layer uses a first table for accessing terminal endpoint identifier... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5761294 | Method and system for connecting a digital phone limited to analog transmissions A method and system of enabling incoming and outgoing call capability for a digital telephone that is limited to analog transmissions include providing a converter that locally supports the protocol of the digital telephone, but that converts digitized si... | 06/02/1998 |
| 5757881 | Redundant field-defining arrays for a radiation system A system for applying radiation therapy includes a radiation source for emitting a radiation beam and includes redundant treatment field-defining arrays for shaping the radiation beam. The radiation beam is initially shaped by a multileaf collimator havin... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5739746 | Method and apparatus for determining user presence in vehicular communications systems A vehicular telecommunications system having user detection features. A telephone controller 504 is comprised in a vehicle and adapted to process a plurality of telephone signals. A telephone 37 is configured to receive telephone calls for the user from s... | 04/14/1998 |
| 5724392 | Automatic path delay compensation system Automatic cable compensation is provided by a cable connector having an encoder containing cable delay information. The encoder mates with decoding circuitry in a component of an open-loop system which in turn automatically and directly compensates for si... | 03/03/1998 |
| 5701334 | Path length delay compensation in an open-loop system One can compensate for signal propagation delay in an open-loop system of interconnected components by fixing overall path propagation time and selectively adjusting transmit timing at each of the interconnected components.... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5701120 | Partitioned point-to-point communications networks Partitioned point-to-point communications networks and configured to include a plurality of overlapping network portions, from "fully connected" point-to-point communications networks that are being expanded (to include additional sites), reconfigured and... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5699259 | Inventory control procedure An inventory control procedure which supplies materials at various stations along an assembly line without providing excess amounts of these materials. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention is an inventory control procedure which operates ... | 12/16/1997 |
| 5675631 | Methods for providing enhanced addressing capability in voice messaging system networks Methods are set forth which enable users of a voice messaging system network which supports the Audio Messaging Interchange Specification (AMIS) Analog Protocol to define numbering plans which shorten and simplify addressing an AMIS message to specific AM... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5642428 | Method and apparatus for determining playback volume in a messaging system Method and apparatus for use in conjunction with voice messaging systems for determining playback volume of a message so that a good representation is provided for a voice-related portion of the message and the playback volume of a loud sound is reduced. ... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5634035 | HDLC hardware engine and shared memory interface with access request/acknowledgement control and addressing scheme By handling initial processing of HDLC frames, an HDLC engine can free up a server microprocessor that would otherwise be tasked to respond to incoming frames. Sharing a memory with the microprocessor, the engine periodically accesses an address status ta... | 05/27/1997 |
| 5619513 | Fast, cost-effective method for memory testing Rapid and efficient memory testing is provided by using direct memory access techniques. This hardware-based scheme operates at a considerably faster rate than a software-dependent solution running on a system's central processor.... | 04/08/1997 |
