Data dial system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A data dial system comprising:
- a matrix switch having a first plurality of inputs, a first plurality of outputs, a second plurality of inputs and a second plurality of outputs, wherein a first input of the first plurality of inputs, responsive to a first control signal, connects to at least one of the first plurality of outputs, and a first output of the second plurality of outputs, responsive to the first control signal, connects to one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively, and wherein said matrix switch, responsive to a second control signal, disconnects the first input from the connected one of the first plurality of outputs, and disconnects the first output from the connected one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively;
a plurality of user terminals, with each of said plurality of user terminals operatively coupled to one of the first plurality of inputs and to one of the second plurality of outputs, respectively;
a plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, with each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones having a dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) keypad for generating DTMF signals;
a dial tone generator, coupled to each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, for providing a direct current biasing level for operating each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones;
a DTMF-ASCII converter, operatively coupled to said dial tone generator and responsive to each DTMF signal, for converting each DTMF signal to an ASCII signal; and
a processor, operatively coupled to said matrix switch and to said DTMF-ASCII converter, responsive to a first ASCII signal, for generating the first control signal for connecting the first input to at least one of the first plurality of outputs and for connecting the first output to one of the second plurality of inputs, and responsive to a second ASCII signal, for generating the second control signal for disconnecting the first input and the first output.
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Abstract
A data dial system having at least one matrix switch, one or more user terminals, one or more Touch-Tone push button telephones, and at least one processor. The matrix switch can switch the user terminals between various inputs and outputs. The Touch-Tone push button telephones, each of which has a dual-tone-multiple-frequency keypad, generates signals which can actuate the processor. The processor controls the operation of the matrix switch, for switching signals between signal sources and signal destinations by establishing connections and by performing disconnections of the various inputs and outputs of the matrix switch.
29 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A data dial system comprising:
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a matrix switch having a first plurality of inputs, a first plurality of outputs, a second plurality of inputs and a second plurality of outputs, wherein a first input of the first plurality of inputs, responsive to a first control signal, connects to at least one of the first plurality of outputs, and a first output of the second plurality of outputs, responsive to the first control signal, connects to one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively, and wherein said matrix switch, responsive to a second control signal, disconnects the first input from the connected one of the first plurality of outputs, and disconnects the first output from the connected one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively; a plurality of user terminals, with each of said plurality of user terminals operatively coupled to one of the first plurality of inputs and to one of the second plurality of outputs, respectively; a plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, with each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones having a dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) keypad for generating DTMF signals; a dial tone generator, coupled to each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, for providing a direct current biasing level for operating each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones; a DTMF-ASCII converter, operatively coupled to said dial tone generator and responsive to each DTMF signal, for converting each DTMF signal to an ASCII signal; and a processor, operatively coupled to said matrix switch and to said DTMF-ASCII converter, responsive to a first ASCII signal, for generating the first control signal for connecting the first input to at least one of the first plurality of outputs and for connecting the first output to one of the second plurality of inputs, and responsive to a second ASCII signal, for generating the second control signal for disconnecting the first input and the first output. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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2. A data dial system comprising:
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a matrix switch having a first plurality of inputs, a first plurality of outputs, a second plurality of inputs and a second plurality of outputs, wherein a first input of the first plurality of inputs, responsive to a first control signal, connects to at least one of the first plurality of outputs, and a first output of the second plurality of outputs, responsive to the first control signal, connects to at least one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively, and wherein said matrix switch, responsive to a second control signal, disconnects the first input from the connected one of first plurality of outputs, and disconnects the first output from the connected one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively; a user terminal, with said user terminal operatively coupled to one of the first plurality of inputs of said matrix switch and to one of the second plurality of outputs of said matrix switch; a "Touch-Tone" push button telephone having a dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) keypad for generating DTMF signals; a DTMF-ASCII converter, operatively coupled to said "Touch-Tone" push button telephone, responsive to each DTMF signal for converting each DTMF signal to an ASCII signal; and a processor, operatively coupled to Said matrix switch and to said DTMF-ASCII converter, responsive to a first ASCII signal for generating the first control signal for connecting the first input to at least one of the first plurality of outputs and the first output to one of the second plurality of inputs of said matrix switch, and responsive to a second ASCII signal for generating the second control signal for disconnecting the first input and the first output of said matrix switch. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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3. A data dial system comprising:
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a plurality of matrix switches, each of said plurality of matrix switches having a first plurality of inputs, a first plurality of outputs, a second plurality of inputs and a second plurality of outputs, with a first input of the first plurality of inputs, responsive to a first control signal, connecting to at least one of the first plurality of outputs, and a first output of the second plurality of outputs, responsive to the first control signal, connecting to at least one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively, and with each of said plurality of matrix switches, responsive to a second control signal, disconnecting the first input from the connected one of first plurality of outputs, and disconnecting the first output from the connected one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively; a plurality of user terminals, with each of said plurality of user terminals operatively coupled to one of the first plurality of inputs of said matrix switch and to one of the second plurality of outputs of said matrix switch; a plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, each of said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones having a dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) keypad for generating DTMF signals; a plurality of DTMF-ASCII converters, operatively coupled to said plurality of "Touch-Tone" push button telephones, responsive to each DTMF signal for converting each DTMF signal to a corresponding ASCII signal; and a plurality of processors, each of said plurality of processors operatively coupled to a respective one of said plurality of matrix switches and to a respective one of said plurality of DTMF-ASCII converters, responsive to a first ASCII signal for generating the first control signal, responsive to a second ASCII signal for generating the second control signal, for routing a communications channel through said plurality of matrix switches. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A data dial system comprising:
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switching means having a first plurality of inputs, a first plurality of outputs, a second plurality of inputs and a second plurality of outputs, for connecting, in response to a first control signal, a first input of the first plurality of inputs to at least one of the first plurality of outputs and for connecting a first output of the second plurality of outputs to one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively, for disconnecting, in response to a second control signal, the first input from the connected one of first plurality of outputs, and for disconnecting the first output from the connected one of the second plurality of inputs, respectively; output means, operatively coupled to one of the first plurality of inputs and to one of the second plurality of outputs, respectively, for outputting video messages and video menus to a caller; push button means for generating dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) signals; generating means, coupled to said push button means, for generating a direct current biasing level for operating said push button means; converting means, operatively coupled to said generating means, for converting DTMF signals to ASCII signals; and processing means, operatively coupled to said switching means and to said converting means, for generating the first control signal and the second control signal and for routing a communications channel through said switching means. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method, using a data dial system, for routing signals comprising the steps of:
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a. waiting for a caller to input a user signal on a push button keypad from a "Touch-Tone" push button telephone; b. determining if the caller inputs a first user signal or a second user signal; c. generating, in response to the first user signal, a first dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) signal from the first user signal; d. converting, in response to the first DTMF signal, the first DTMF signal to a first ASCII signal; e. generating, in response to the first ASCII signal, a first control signal; f. connecting, in response to the first control signal, a first input of a first plurality of inputs of a matrix switch to at least one of a first plurality of outputs; g. connecting, in response to the first control signal, a first output of a second plurality of outputs of the matrix switch to at least one of a second plurality of inputs; h. generating, in response to the second user signal, a second dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) signal from the second user signal; i. converting, in response to the second DTMF signal, the second DTMF signal to a second ASCII signal; j. generating, in response to the second ASCII signal, a second control signal; k. disconnecting, in response to the second control signal, the first input of the matrix switch from at least one of the first plurality of outputs; and l. disconnecting, in response to the second control signal, the first output of the matrix switch from at least one of the second plurality of inputs. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification