Apparatus for providing telephonic mass announcement service and methods for use therein
First Claim
1. Mass announcement apparatus for telephonically providing announcements to callers therefor comprising:
- a processor;
storage means for digitally storing a first plurality of announcements;
announcement circuit means for storing a second plurality of announcements and for producing a first time division multiplexed signal having a first plurality of recurring time slots wherein each announcement in said second plurality of announcements appears on a corresponding one of said first time slots;
interface means for producing a second time division multiplexed signal having a second plurality of recurring time slots;
switch means for establishing a first time slot connection between a time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slots in said first time division multiplexed signal and a time slot of said second plurality of recurring time slots in said second time division multiplexed signal and associated with a caller; and
means for interconnecting said processor, said storage means and said announcement circuit means; and
wherein said processor, in response to a telephone number dialed by said caller and associated with a selected one of said first plurality of announcements, instructs said switch means to establish said first time slot connection between said first and said second plurality of recurring time/slots, causes the selected announcement to be downloaded over said interconnecting means from said storage means to said announcement circuit means for storage therein as one of said second plurality of announcements, and instructs said announcement circuit means to play back said selected announcement on the time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slots so as to carry the selected announcement over the first time slot connection from said announcement circuit to said caller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for a telephone switch, e.g. a tandem switch, for providing a telephonic mass announcement service and methods for use therein in providing passive and/or interactive announcements as well as interactive mass announcement based custom call routing services. Specifically, mass announcements are provided by connecting an announcement circuit as one input to a time-space-time (T/S/T) switch located within a tandem telephone switch and permitting the central processor that controls the tandem switch to establish a time slot connection between that circuit and any caller. Digitized announcements are stored in a main announcement store contained within the tandem switch.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Mass announcement apparatus for telephonically providing announcements to callers therefor comprising:
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a processor; storage means for digitally storing a first plurality of announcements; announcement circuit means for storing a second plurality of announcements and for producing a first time division multiplexed signal having a first plurality of recurring time slots wherein each announcement in said second plurality of announcements appears on a corresponding one of said first time slots; interface means for producing a second time division multiplexed signal having a second plurality of recurring time slots; switch means for establishing a first time slot connection between a time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slots in said first time division multiplexed signal and a time slot of said second plurality of recurring time slots in said second time division multiplexed signal and associated with a caller; and means for interconnecting said processor, said storage means and said announcement circuit means; and wherein said processor, in response to a telephone number dialed by said caller and associated with a selected one of said first plurality of announcements, instructs said switch means to establish said first time slot connection between said first and said second plurality of recurring time/slots, causes the selected announcement to be downloaded over said interconnecting means from said storage means to said announcement circuit means for storage therein as one of said second plurality of announcements, and instructs said announcement circuit means to play back said selected announcement on the time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slots so as to carry the selected announcement over the first time slot connection from said announcement circuit to said caller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a communication system having a processor, means for digitally storing a first plurality of announcements, announcement circuit means for storing a second plurality of announcements and for producing a first time division multiplexed signal having a first plurality of recurring time slots wherein each announcement in said second plurality of announcements appears on a corresponding one of said first time slots, interface means for producing a second time division multiplexed signal having a second plurality of recurring time slots, switch means for establishing a first time slot connection between a time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slots in said first time division multiplexed signal and a time slot of said second plurality of recurring time slot in said second time division multiplexed signal and associated with a caller, and interconnection means for interconnecting said processor, said digitally storing means and said announcement circuit means;
- a method for telephonically providing an announcement to a caller therefor comprising the steps of;
establishing through said switch means said first time slot connection between the first and said second plurality of recurring time slots; downloading, in response to a telephone number dialed by said caller and associated with a selected one of said first plurality of announcements, the selected announcement over said interconnection means from said digitally storing means to said announcement circuit means for storage therein as one of said second plurality of announcements; and playing back said selected announcement from said announcement circuit on the time slot of said first plurality of recurring time slot so as to carry the selected announcement over the first time slot connection from said announcement circuit to said caller. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- a method for telephonically providing an announcement to a caller therefor comprising the steps of;
Specification