Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5282244 | Virtual signaling network method A Common Channel Signaling Network such as the SS7 network is configured as a virtual signaling network, such that the network is shared in common among several users. Each user, which may be a private network operator, an ICO, a RBOC, a cellular mobile c... | 01/25/1994 |
| 5259023 | Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system A system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C, at the terminals callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a cal... | 11/02/1993 |
| 5255309 | Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system A system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C, at the terminals callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a cal... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5251248 | Telephone network having personal numbers for position-independent This invention allows a subscriber of a telephone network to receive a call by a telephone registered under his/her personal telephone number no matter where he/she carries the telephone with him/her by maintaining a reference table of a personal telephon... | 10/05/1993 |
| 5241580 | Method for validating customized telephone services A method for using an expert system to validate the customized call processing information (CCPI) records which permit a customer to customize services in a telephone network. The information corresponding to a CCPI record is converted into a set of "sche... | 08/31/1993 |
| 5241588 | Systems and processes providing programmable or customized customer telephone information services A method and apparatus for creating and implementing customer service procedures for individual customers of a telephone network. The method and apparatus provides for the creation and execution of customized call processing information (CCPI) records to ... | 08/31/1993 |
| 5239577 | Network and method for providing cross-media connections A network (10) for providing cross-context connections between subscribers comprises a plurality of directory databases for storing mappings between individual names, addresses and personal identification numbers of network subscribers in a plurality of t... | 08/24/1993 |
| 5222120 | Long distance telephone switching system with enhanced subscriber services A long distance telephone switching system is adapted to provide various enhanced subscriber services, such as an audio news and information service, conference calling, voice messaging, message storage and forwarding, and speed dialing, in addition to co... | 06/22/1993 |
| 5222125 | System for providing personalized telephone calling features A common adjunct switch integrated with a telecommunications network and associated with a plurality of predetermined telephone numbers prefixed by a common code is provided with a facility which allows telephone subscribers that are assigned respective o... | 06/22/1993 |
| 5220599 | Communication terminal apparatus and its control method with party identification and notification features A communication terminal apparatus connected to an integrated services digital network to transmit data from an outgoing call office to an incoming call office and a method of controlling the communication terminal apparatus, in which notification of a pe... | 06/15/1993 |
| 5218631 | Telephonic-interface game control system A control system CS interfaces a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn through a telephone network facility CO to accommodate game formats. At the terminals T1-Tn, callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is i... | 06/08/1993 |
| 5208848 | Telecommunications call processing This invention relates to a method and apparatus for establishing telecommunications calls. An intelligent peripheral is bridged to a call being dialed. If the intelligent peripheral recognizes a need to supply information for establishing a call, or for ... | 05/04/1993 |
| 5200994 | Communication terminal apparatus and control method with party identification features A communication terminal apparatus connected to an integrated services digital network to transmit data from an outgoing call office to an incoming call office and a method of controlling the communication terminal apparatus, in which notification of a pe... | 04/06/1993 |
| 5199062 | Telephone communications system including a digital telephone switch, a voice response unit and a stored program sequence for controlling both the switch and the voice response unit The present invention relates to a telephone communication system which includes a telephone switch having a plurality of incoming and outgoing lines for switching calls therebetween, an audio response unit for receiving audio communications from a user a... | 03/30/1993 |
| 5181238 | Authenticated communications access service This invention relates to arrangements for providing pre-authenticated access from a caller to a service provider. The caller dials the number of the service provider and subsequently enters a personal identification number (PIN) or other suitable authent... | 01/19/1993 |
| 5148469 | Direct pager access with full number dialing A paging system and method utilize a trunk interface module which is capable of recognizing unique identification numbers, which comprise the telephone number which a caller dials to reach a particular paging receiver. The relative-digit-independent truck... | 09/15/1992 |
| 5070525 | Method for avoiding call blocking Methods for avoiding a call blocking feature. In a first method a list is kept for the trunks previously used to call a particular telephone number. Each time that particular telephone number is called a different trunk, not on that list, is used to place... | 12/03/1991 |
| 5060258 | Call traffic control There are disclosed a method of call control (gapping) and a communications switching system in which such method is implemented, the system incorporating a call gapping arrangement for limiting the recurrence rate of successive call attempts for a partic... | 10/22/1991 |
| 5058152 | Anonymous interactive telephone system having direct connect feature A method and apparatus for establishing telephone communications between anonymous service subscribers and responding callers over public telephone lines employing the Direct Inward Dialing (DID) feature to enable complete confidentiality and mutual anony... | 10/15/1991 |
| 4987587 | Method and apparatus for providing 800 number service Apparatus and method for providing an on-site 800 number customer-made determination of a further action to be taken in response to a caller dialing an 800 number associated with the 800 number customer. A system 10 includes apparatus for receiving from a... | 01/22/1991 |
| 4901341 | Method and apparatus for caller-controlled receipt and delivery of voice messages A line interface unit for caller-controlled receipt and delivery of voice and/or data meassages over a telephone system having a voice/data message facility, the message facility connectible to at least one calling station and a called station and normall... | 02/13/1990 |
| 4896346 | Password controlled switching system A password controlled switching system and method of operation for enrolling and storing passwords identifying lines and trunks of the switching system denied access thereto by other lines and trunks and which is operable upon a match of a calling party c... | 01/23/1990 |
| 4893330 | Method and apparatus for restricting credit card communication calls A method and an apparatus are disclosed to enable a public switching network to limit the geographical calling area of calls charged to a credit card. When a credit card call is originated, the called party number is included as part of the credit card va... | 01/09/1990 |
| 4878239 | Anonymous interactive telephone system with expanded outward calling features Disclosed is a method and apparatus for establishing anonymous telephone communications between service subscribers and responding callers over public telephone lines controlled by a public telephone company central switching office having the capability ... | 10/31/1989 |
| 4847890 | Anonymous interactive telephone system A method and apparatus for establishing telephone communications between service subscribers and responding callers through a central system while preserving confidentiality and mutual anonymity of the subscribers and callers. Incoming calls from callers ... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4837804 | Telephone answering voiceprint discriminating and switching apparatus A voice mail system is furnished with voiceprint analysis and comparison units. In a first mode, the system discriminates whether the voiceprint of a calling party coincides with a predetermined voiceprint. If the voiceprint of the calling party does coin... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4769834 | Inter-exchange carrier access This Inter-Exchange Carrier Access arrangement uses the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) capability of the central switching office to eliminate the need for the customer to dial an authorization code when accessing an inter-exchange carrier via a fa... | 09/06/1988 |
| 4625081 | Automated telephone voice service system An automated telephone voice service system includes a data store having a plurality of addressable voice storage message baskets defined therein and a control system coupled between the store and a large plurality of telephone lines of a telephone networ... | 11/25/1986 |
| 4506116 | Security dialing system for long distance telephone systems An automatic dialing system (ADS) for Touch Tone single or multiple trunk telephone systems that allows access to long distance dialing services including the access phone number of the service and the individual access code. The ADS used in a multiple tr... | 03/19/1985 |
| 4486626 | Method of and system for limiting access to a group of telephone trunks After a telephone switching system user has dialed sufficient digits to identify a call as extending beyond the system, the system attempts to route the call over trunks which will result in the least expense to the user. If all of these trunks are busy, ... | 12/04/1984 |
| 4446336 | Method for recording and updating stored messages in an announcement system A telephone switching office is disclosed having a public announcement system wherein new announcements can be recorded or priorly recorded announcements can be updated via the telephone network. The producer dials a number associated with the announcemen... | 05/01/1984 |
| 4371752 | Electronic audio communication system An advanced electronic telecommunication system is provided for the deposit, storage and delivery of audio messages. A Voice Message System (10) interconnects multiple private branch exchanges (12) of a subscriber with a central telephone office (22). Ind... | 02/01/1983 |
| 4321429 | Apparatus for selecting terminal equipment in telephone lines An apparatus for selectively granting priority use of telephone lines to a telephone or data transmitter each connected via the telephone lines to an exchange center. Access of the data transmitted to the exchange center is typically enabled by applicatio... | 03/23/1982 |
| 4317007 | Telephone-conferencing method and apparatus with monitor-only access A telephone conferencing and inquiry handling apparatus and method provide a plurality of incoming calls with access to one or more ongoing or new communications groupings or pools. Apparatus for monitoring the level of voice energy on the incoming lines ... | 02/23/1982 |
| 4232198 | Device for establishing conference calls via at least one telephone exchange switching system The invention concerns a device for use in establishing telephone conference calls, the object of the device being to enable an originating subscriber to connect a plurality of telephone exchange lines in parallel to provide a conference connection, utili... | 11/04/1980 |
| 4224479 | Method of controlling call traffic in a communication switching system Call traffic in a stored program controlled telephone switching system is controlled by performing code gapping on telephone calls to a particular called customer. Code gapping is performed by limiting the rate at which successive attempts may be made to ... | 09/23/1980 |
| 4113986 | Telephone controlled lock release arrangement Circuitry is disclosed for the automatic dial-up of an apartment telephone from a lobby telephone to provide voice communication therebetween via a central switching office and for controlling the establishment of a switched signaling path through a switc... | 09/12/1978 |
| 4064372 | Systems for and methods for PBX toll restriction Centralized toll restriction for private branch exchanges (PBXs) is performed by providing first and second memory addresses in the number translator of a central office switching system. The first and second addresses are matched with restricted telephon... | 12/20/1977 |
| 3944750 | Circuitry for providing call override in a PBX system In a telephone switching system wherein a plurality of line circuits are terminated in station sets, the line circuits are interconnectable to a plurality of trunk circuits through a multistage switching network. A call originated by a calling party to a ... | 03/16/1976 |
