Coordinated multiple telephone station system
First Claim
1. A cluster calling system for use with a dial-up telephone network to contact and interface a central data station for possible multiple inquiries during single dial-up, comprising:
- at least one cluster of telephone terminals adapted to be connected for accessing a call line of said dial-up telephone network, said terminals including means to formulate data signals for inquiries;
at least one transmit-receive unit adapted to be connected to said dial-up telephone network for individually interfacing said cluster of telephone terminals through said dial-up network and adapted to be coupled to said central data station, said transmit-receive unit further including means operable upon a dial-up communication with said cluster to poll each of said telephone terminals in said cluster for the existence and communication of data signals manifesting an inquiry to said central data station and to terminate communication with said cluster upon completion of a poll sequence of said telephone terminals absent the existence of data signals manifesting an inquiry to said central data station.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system incorporating a cluster of several telephone stations or terminals to interface with one or more frequently called remote data stations for economy of dial-up connection in accommodating communication with multiple terminals of the cluster during a single call to a remote station. With a call from one terminal to a remote data station, a transmit-receive unit interfaces the cluster with the data station setting the terminals in the cluster in a polling sequence to accommodate additional communications. The system preserves an "off-hook" state polling the individual terminals in the cluster to accommodate further communication from the cluster terminals to the central data station. Polling is facilitated by a cluster counter in the transmit-receive unit coordinated with logic indicating the state of each terminal in the cluster.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A cluster calling system for use with a dial-up telephone network to contact and interface a central data station for possible multiple inquiries during single dial-up, comprising:
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at least one cluster of telephone terminals adapted to be connected for accessing a call line of said dial-up telephone network, said terminals including means to formulate data signals for inquiries; at least one transmit-receive unit adapted to be connected to said dial-up telephone network for individually interfacing said cluster of telephone terminals through said dial-up network and adapted to be coupled to said central data station, said transmit-receive unit further including means operable upon a dial-up communication with said cluster to poll each of said telephone terminals in said cluster for the existence and communication of data signals manifesting an inquiry to said central data station and to terminate communication with said cluster upon completion of a poll sequence of said telephone terminals absent the existence of data signals manifesting an inquiry to said central data station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification