US3560658A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Trunk usage recording and call charging equipment
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1968-10-18
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Granted: 1971-02-02
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Expires: 1988-10-18
Abstract
Abstract Equipment is disclosed in a communication switching office for counting the number of trunk circuit usages in a trunk group and after a predetermined number are counted for causing a call data record to be made. Certain trunk circuits of the group are equipped to access call recording circuitry and are controlled by a trunk group sample circuit during the establishment of calls thereover to make the data records which pertain to calls made of the entire group. Circuitry is also provided for indicating the traffic usage rate, or average trunk circuit holding time, and for recording it each time a call usage record is made. The rate information together with the call usage data serves as a basis for charging a calling customer.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter E Molloy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
Communication equipment comprising: means for recording call data; a trunk ground including a plurality of trunk circuits, only a prescribed one of said circuits being connectable to said recording means; and means activated subsequent to the establishment of a plurality of calls over selectable ones of said circuits for controlling the connection of the prescribed one of said circuits to said recording means to make a record of data for said calls.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
Communication equipment comprising: means for recording call data; a trunk ground including a plurality of trunk circuits, only a prescribed one of said circuits being connectable to said recording means; and means activated subsequent to the establishment of a plurality of calls over selectable ones of said circuits for controlling the connection of the prescribed one of said circuits to said recording means to make a record of data for said calls.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The equipment of claim 1 further comprising: means responsive to said plurality of calls over said selectable ones of said trunk circuits for deriving data pertaining to the holding time of said last-mentioned trunk circuits; and means cooperating with said deriving means for effecting the recording of said derived data by said activated recording means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The equipment of claim 1 further including: means for counting said calls; and wherein said counting means actuates said controlling means to make said record after a predetermined number of said calls are counted and after said prescribed one of said trunk circuits is used for serving one of said calls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The equipment of claim 3 further including: means for sending a signal to said counting means for indicating that said call record is made; wherein said counting means includes means for storing the accumulated total of said calls; and said counting means is responsive to the receipt of said signal for subtracting a fixed number from said total of calls stored in said storing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
Equipment in a communication switching office for recording call data pertaining to calls made on a trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunk circuits in said group; recording means connectable to at least one but less than all of prescribed ones of said circuits for making call records; means for counting the number of calls established on all of said circuits; and means actuated by said counting means after a predetermined number of calls are counted and during a subsequent call established on a prescribed one of said circuits for controlling the connection of said last-mentioned prescribed one of said circuits to said recording means for making a call record.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
Equipment in a communication switching office for recording call data pertaining to calls made on a trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunk circuits in said group; recording means connectable to at least one but less than all of prescribed ones of said circuits for making call records; means for counting the number of calls established on all of said circuits; and means actuated by said counting means after a predetermined number of calls are counted and during a subsequent call established on a prescribed one of said circuits for controlling the connection of said last-mentioned prescribed one of said circuits to said recording means for making a call record.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The invention claimed in claim 5 further including means for sending subtract and add signals to said counting means on each call over said circuits for indicating respectively whether or not said call record is made, and wherein said counting means is incremented upon the receipt of each of said add signals and is decremented on the receipt of each of said subtract signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention set forth in claim 6 further including: means for determining usage rate data on all of said circuits; and means actuated by said subtract signal for sending said rate data to said recording means to be recorded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
Equipment for recording trunk usages on a dedicated customer trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunk circuits in said group; means connected to each of said circuits for continuously indicating the average holding time of said circuits for calls thereover; and means actuated each time a predetermined plurality of calls on said group are established for making a single record of said average holding time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
Equipment for recording trunk usages on a dedicated customer trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunk circuits in said group; means connected to each of said circuits for continuously indicating the average holding time of said circuits for calls thereover; and means actuated each time a predetermined plurality of calls on said group are established for making a single record of said average holding time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The equipment recited in claim 8 also including means for generating a prescribed number identifying said customer, and wherein said record making means is controlled after said predetermined plurality of calls by said generating means for recording said identifying number with said holding time.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
128 words
A system for recording data pertaining to calls established over a customer dedicated trunk group comprising: means for recording call data; a plurality of trunk circuits in said group, a prescribed one of said circuits being connectable to said recording means; means connected to said circuits for determining the average holding time of said circuits for calls thereon; means foR counting calls over said circuits and for indicating a predetermined count; means actuated when said predetermined count is indicated for controlling the connection of a selected one of said prescribed circuits to said recording means; means subsequently activated for establishing a separate access path to said recording means; and means thereafter actuated for sending over said path said average call holding time for recording in said recording means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
128 words
A system for recording data pertaining to calls established over a customer dedicated trunk group comprising: means for recording call data; a plurality of trunk circuits in said group, a prescribed one of said circuits being connectable to said recording means; means connected to said circuits for determining the average holding time of said circuits for calls thereon; means foR counting calls over said circuits and for indicating a predetermined count; means actuated when said predetermined count is indicated for controlling the connection of a selected one of said prescribed circuits to said recording means; means subsequently activated for establishing a separate access path to said recording means; and means thereafter actuated for sending over said path said average call holding time for recording in said recording means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 10 further including: means for generating a signal indicative of a connection between the selected one of said circuits and said recording means; and wherein said establishing means is responsive to said signal for establishing said separate access path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention recited in claim 10 also including: means for generating a customer billing number; and wherein said generating means cooperates with said establishing means for conveying said number over said access path for recording by said recording means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a communication switching office: a plurality of trunk circuits; means responsive to calls to a called destination for establishing call connections on randomly selected ones of said circuits; means for counting the number of said connections; means actuated after a predetermined number are counted for generating a signal which indicates the need for a call data record; means for recording call data being connectable to prescribed ones but not all of said circuits; means actuated by said signal on a subsequent call connection established on one of said prescribed circuits for connecting said one circuit to said recording means; and means thereafter actuated for sending call data pertaining to all of said circuits via said one circuit to said recording means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a communication switching office: a plurality of trunk circuits; means responsive to calls to a called destination for establishing call connections on randomly selected ones of said circuits; means for counting the number of said connections; means actuated after a predetermined number are counted for generating a signal which indicates the need for a call data record; means for recording call data being connectable to prescribed ones but not all of said circuits; means actuated by said signal on a subsequent call connection established on one of said prescribed circuits for connecting said one circuit to said recording means; and means thereafter actuated for sending call data pertaining to all of said circuits via said one circuit to said recording means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention recited in claim 13 also including means for generating a sample mark, and wherein said mark is sent with said data for indicating that said data is obtained by sampling calls on said trunk circuits.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
243 words
A system for recording call data pertaining to calls established over a trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunks in said group; a switching network; means responsive to calls for controlling the establishment of connections to said circuits via said network; means generating an add signal during the establishment of each one of said connections; means for counting said add signals and for indicating a total count; means actuated by said counting means when said total count exceeds a predetermined number for generating a record signal; means connectable to prescribed ones of said circuits but less than all for recording call data; means for monitoring all subsequently established calls on said circuits to indicate the establishment of the next connection on one of said prescribed circuits; means activated both by said record signal and by an indication from said monitoring means for controlling the connection of said one of said prescribed circuits to said recording means; means actuated thereafter for sending call data over said connection for recording by said recording means; means subsequently activated for transmitting a subtract signal to said counting means which subtracts a fixed number from said total count; means connected to said circuits for indicating an average holding time of calls thereover; means actuated by said subtract signal for establishing a separate access path to said recording means; and means thereafter energized for sending said holding time to said recording means for recording on a separate call record.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
243 words
A system for recording call data pertaining to calls established over a trunk group comprising: a plurality of trunks in said group; a switching network; means responsive to calls for controlling the establishment of connections to said circuits via said network; means generating an add signal during the establishment of each one of said connections; means for counting said add signals and for indicating a total count; means actuated by said counting means when said total count exceeds a predetermined number for generating a record signal; means connectable to prescribed ones of said circuits but less than all for recording call data; means for monitoring all subsequently established calls on said circuits to indicate the establishment of the next connection on one of said prescribed circuits; means activated both by said record signal and by an indication from said monitoring means for controlling the connection of said one of said prescribed circuits to said recording means; means actuated thereafter for sending call data over said connection for recording by said recording means; means subsequently activated for transmitting a subtract signal to said counting means which subtracts a fixed number from said total count; means connected to said circuits for indicating an average holding time of calls thereover; means actuated by said subtract signal for establishing a separate access path to said recording means; and means thereafter energized for sending said holding time to said recording means for recording on a separate call record.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
109 words
Equipment for use in a communication switching system having: means for recording call data; a plurality of trunk circuits dedicated to serve one customer exclusively, only one of said trunk circuits having access to said recording means for recording data for all calls served by said circuits; comprisiNg the invention of means determining the number of calls served over said circuits; and means activated by said determining means upon the serving of a predetermined number of calls by said circuits and only upon the serving of a call by said one of said circuits having access for controlling said recording means to record data for each of said calls.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
109 words
Equipment for use in a communication switching system having: means for recording call data; a plurality of trunk circuits dedicated to serve one customer exclusively, only one of said trunk circuits having access to said recording means for recording data for all calls served by said circuits; comprisiNg the invention of means determining the number of calls served over said circuits; and means activated by said determining means upon the serving of a predetermined number of calls by said circuits and only upon the serving of a call by said one of said circuits having access for controlling said recording means to record data for each of said calls.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention set forth in claim 16 further comprising: means for deriving the average holding time of said trunk circuits on said calls; and wherein said controlling means is effective for controlling the recording by said recording means of the derived average holding time of said trunk circuits on said calls.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention set forth in claim 17 further comprising: means activated by said determining means for generating a number identifying said one customer; and wherein said activated controlling means is effective for controlling the recording of the generated identifying number by said recording means upon said recording of data for each of said calls.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention set forth in claim 16 wherein said controlling means includes means cooperating with said determining means for controlling consecutive recordings of data pertaining to the average holding time of said circuits, wherein each of said recordings is indicative of the establishment of a predetermined number of calls over said circuits.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention set forth in claim 19 further comprising: means activated by said determining means for generating a number identifying said one customer; and wherein said activated controlling means is effective for controlling the recording of the generated identifying number by said recording means upon said recording of data for each of said calls.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention set forth in claim 20 wherein: said determining means includes a counter circuit responsive to the serving of each of said calls over said trunk circuits for counting the number of said calls; and said counter circuit being responsive to the counting of said predetermined number for selectively activating said controlling means to control said recording means to make said recordings.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention set forth in claim 21 wherein said counter circuit is selectively activated under control of said controlling means to continue counting beyond said predetermined number until said one of said trunk circuits having access to said recording means is engaged on a call.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention set forth in claim 22 wherein said counter circuit is selectively recycled under control of said controlling means to begin again to count toward said predetermined number after both a counting to said predetermined number and a serving of a call over said one of said trunk circuits having access to said recording means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3115549A
Cited
US3105115A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-01 | 1974-08-03 | 1975-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-01 | 1978-08-03 | 1979-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-01 | 1982-08-03 | 1983-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |