Method and apparatus for telecommunications signal routing and data management
First Claim
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1. A telecommunications signal routing and data management apparatus for directing incoming telecommunications signals to devices connected thereto for receiving signals over a telephone subscriber line from a remote source for display, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a call router having a telephone subscriber line port connected to a telephone subscriber line and a plurality of signal receiving ports, wherein each of the signal receiving ports is designated to receive a distinct telecommunications signal type, wherein the router is further adapted to receive a telecommunications signal at the telephone subscriber line port, identify the type of telecommunications signal received, and route the telecommunications signal to the receiving port designated to receive the identified signal type;
(b) means for converting telecommunications signals received from a telephone subscriber line port into digital signals and for converting digital signals into telecommunications signals for transmission over a telephone subscriber line, wherein the means further include a subscriber line port connected to one of the signal receiving ports of the router, wherein the device further includes a data port;
(c) a display device adapted to receive message signals and display messages in accordance with the message signals received;
(d) program memory for storing operating instructions;
(e) random access memory for storing data;
(f) a socket adapted to receive a programmable memory module;
(g) a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is connected to;
the data port of the signal converting means, the display, the program memory, the random access memory, and the socket, and wherein the microprocessor is adapted to;
receive operating instructions from the program memory, write data to and receive data from the random access memory, receive data signals from and transmit data signals to the data port of the signal converting means, transmit display message signals to the display so as to cause messages to be displayed on the display in accordance with the signals, and receive and transmit data signals to a programmable memory module received in the socket.
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Abstract
A telecommunications signal routing and data management apparatus for directing incoming telecommunications signals to devices connected thereto, or receiving message signals over a telephone subscriber line from a remote source for display, for receiving and transmitting data to and from a remote source over the telephone subscriber line and for storing received data on a programmable memory module is disclosed. The disclosed apparatus enables the uploading and display of postal rate information, uploading of equipment diagnostic information from a programmable memory module and the downloading of postal rate data onto a programmable memory module. Updating of postal equipment, for example, can be carried out with minimal interruptions to the use of the postal equipment.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A telecommunications signal routing and data management apparatus for directing incoming telecommunications signals to devices connected thereto for receiving signals over a telephone subscriber line from a remote source for display, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a call router having a telephone subscriber line port connected to a telephone subscriber line and a plurality of signal receiving ports, wherein each of the signal receiving ports is designated to receive a distinct telecommunications signal type, wherein the router is further adapted to receive a telecommunications signal at the telephone subscriber line port, identify the type of telecommunications signal received, and route the telecommunications signal to the receiving port designated to receive the identified signal type;
(b) means for converting telecommunications signals received from a telephone subscriber line port into digital signals and for converting digital signals into telecommunications signals for transmission over a telephone subscriber line, wherein the means further include a subscriber line port connected to one of the signal receiving ports of the router, wherein the device further includes a data port;
(c) a display device adapted to receive message signals and display messages in accordance with the message signals received;
(d) program memory for storing operating instructions;
(e) random access memory for storing data;
(f) a socket adapted to receive a programmable memory module;
(g) a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is connected to;
the data port of the signal converting means, the display, the program memory, the random access memory, and the socket, and wherein the microprocessor is adapted to;
receive operating instructions from the program memory, write data to and receive data from the random access memory, receive data signals from and transmit data signals to the data port of the signal converting means, transmit display message signals to the display so as to cause messages to be displayed on the display in accordance with the signals, and receive and transmit data signals to a programmable memory module received in the socket.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
(a) send data signals to the converting means to establish communications with a remotely located data processing device;
(b) identify the apparatus and programmable memory module to the data processing device; and
(c) retrieve data from a flash programmable read-only memory received in the socket and transmit the retrieved data to the data processing device.
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8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a means for identifying the apparatus, means for determining whether a programmable memory module is received in the socket, means for identifying the programmable memory module and a call switch connected to the microprocessor, and wherein upon receiving a signal from the call switch, the microprocessor is further adapted to:
(a) determine whether a programmable memory module is present in or absent from the socket, if the module is determined to be absent, cause a message signal to be sent to the display indicating the absence of the memory module, if the module is determined to be present, send data signals to the converting means to establish communications with a data processing device having a postal rate database, identify the apparatus and programmable memory module to the data processing device, and retrieve postal rate data from the postal rate database and store the postal rate data on the programmable memory module present in the socket.
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9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus has means for decrypting encrypted postal rate data.
Specification
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Current AssigneePitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
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Original AssigneePitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
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InventorsHagmajer, Stan T., Dlugos, Daniel F., Manduley, Flavio M., Sabulis, Stephen J.
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Primary Examiner(s)CHAN, WING F
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Application NumberUS09/470,730Time in Patent Office1,021 DaysField of Search379/93.11, 379/93.09, 379/93.14, 379/100.15, 379/100.16, 379/93.12, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 705/401, 705/403, 705/60, 705/61US Class Current379/93.11CPC Class CodesH04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. I...H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL m...H04M 1/71 Substation extension arrang...H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication sy...
