Data transmission over the public switched network
First Claim
1. A system for connecting selected calling stations to a predetermined destination over the public telephone switched network, said public telephone switched network having central offices for effecting switched connections between station lines and trunks, and trunk switching facilities, divided into (a) a plurality of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) under control of Exchange Carriers (ECs), and (b) a plurality of Interexchange Customers (ICs) for providing telecommunication services between access facilities in one LATA and access facilities in another LATA, said ICs having a choice of Feature Group line-side and trunk-side switched access arrangements, with the charge of an EC for a call partially handled by an IC which interfaces with the EC via a Feature Group access facility trunk being borne solely by the IC and in no part directly by the calling station;
- comprising a group of modems situated at the location of at least one of said access facilities; and
communication channel means interconnecting each group of modems with said predetermined destination;
each of the modems situated at the location of an access facility having an associated dedicated means for interfacing with a respective Feature Group trunk accessed by said selected calling stations through an EC, and for extending communication over the interconnected communication channel means to said predetermined destination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A credit card authorization network which, among other advantages, allows telephone charges to be reduced. A credit card company, operating as an Interexchange Customer, provides trunk-protocol executing modems at a Feature Group B access facility. The modems are interfaced to the trunks, on a T1 digital link, by adapting FXS channel bank cards with a ground start option to translate between E&M signaling and ground start loop signaling.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for connecting selected calling stations to a predetermined destination over the public telephone switched network, said public telephone switched network having central offices for effecting switched connections between station lines and trunks, and trunk switching facilities, divided into (a) a plurality of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) under control of Exchange Carriers (ECs), and (b) a plurality of Interexchange Customers (ICs) for providing telecommunication services between access facilities in one LATA and access facilities in another LATA, said ICs having a choice of Feature Group line-side and trunk-side switched access arrangements, with the charge of an EC for a call partially handled by an IC which interfaces with the EC via a Feature Group access facility trunk being borne solely by the IC and in no part directly by the calling station;
- comprising a group of modems situated at the location of at least one of said access facilities; and
communication channel means interconnecting each group of modems with said predetermined destination;
each of the modems situated at the location of an access facility having an associated dedicated means for interfacing with a respective Feature Group trunk accessed by said selected calling stations through an EC, and for extending communication over the interconnected communication channel means to said predetermined destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- comprising a group of modems situated at the location of at least one of said access facilities; and
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16. A method of constructing a credit card authorization network over the public telephone switched network comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a group of dedicated trunk-protocol executing interfaces for respective Feature Group trunks, (b) providing an associated dedicated modem for each of said interfaces, together with means for operating the modem in accordance with a call extended through the respective Feature Group trunk, (c) providing a plurality of credit card authorization terminals for automatically accessing said Feature Group trunks through an Exchange Carrier, and (d) providing a communication channel for connecting said modems to a host computer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of constructing a special-purpose communications network over the public telephone switched network comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a group of dedicated trunk-protocol executing interfaces for respective Feature Group trunks, (b) providing an associated dedicated modem for each of said interfaces, together with means for operating the modem in accordance with a call extended through the respective Feature Group trunk, (c) providing a plurality of special-purpose terminals for automatically accessing said Feature Group trunks through an Exchange Carrier, and (d) providing a communication channel for connecting said modems to a host computer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A system for allowing a ground start loop modem to operate off a trunk over which communication is governed by the E&
- M trunk protocol comprising a ground start loop interface for the modem which includes means for executing the E&
M trunk protocol, and an FXS channel card with a ground start option, connected between the trunk and the modem interface, which includes means for translating between E&
M signaling and ground start loop signaling. - View Dependent Claims (23)
- M trunk protocol comprising a ground start loop interface for the modem which includes means for executing the E&
Specification