Equipment to coordinate establishment of audio and video connections through switching systems

Claim 2

A communication system comprising: first and second separate switching systems each being responsive to calling signals for interconnecting customer stations via respective first and second connections; control means connected between said systems and controlled by a calling one of said stations for selectively coupling calling signals received in said first system to said second system for actuating said second system to establish a second connection between said calling station and a called one of said stations; and means responsive to said control means after said second connection is established for thereupon establishing a first connection between said same calling and called stations in response to said calling signals.

Claim 3

The invention recited in claim 1 further comprising: means connecting said called station directly to said first and second switching systems for terminating respectively said first and second connections; means for indicating that said direct connection from said called station to said first switching system is busy to prevent the establishment of all connections via said first switching system to said called station after the establishment of said second connection; and means cooperating with said first switching system for removing said busy indication for allowing the exclusive establishment of said second connection to said called station.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein said removing means comprises timing means activated upon the completion of said second connection for timing a predetermined time interval after which said first connection is completed to said called station.

Claim 5

The invention recited in claim 1 wherein said first switching system includes circuitry controlled by said control means for establishing a portion of said first connection concurrent with the establishment of said second connection.

Claim 6

The invention recited in claim 4 wherein said first switching system comprises outpulsing means for sending directing signals representative of an address of said called station for controlling the establishment of said first connection, and further including means in said second switching system for controlling said outpulsing means to send only a portion of said directing signals before said second connection is established and the remaining portion after said second connection is established.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 1 including circuitry actuated after the establishment of said first and second connections for verifying that said established first and second connections originate at the same calling station.

Claim 8

The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein: said verifying circuitry includes means for connecting a special signal to said first connection; means at said calling and called stations coupling said special signal to said control means; and means in said control means for detecting said special signal to verify that said first and second connections originate at said calling station.

Claim 9

The invention recited in claim 7 including means activated by said detecting means for releasing said second connection when first and secoNd connections to said called station originate at different calling stations.

Claim 10

The invention recited in claim 1 wherein said first switching system includes means for recording said signals, and said control means includes digit detector means connected to said recording means for detecting a video service code in said signals for actuating said second switching system to establish a second connection between said calling and called stations.

Claim 11

In a communication system arranged to establish audio-only and video-audio call connections between calling and called customer line terminals: an audio line circuit and video line circuit for connecting each customer terminal respectively to an audio switching system and to a video switching system; means in said video line circuit responsive to a call connection established thereto via the video switching system for sending a signal to said audio line circuit; and means in said audio line circuit connecting said signal to the audio switching system for preventing the establishment of all call connections via said audio switching system to said audio line circuit prior to the establishment of a prescribed audio connection.

Claim 12

In a communication system arranged to establish audio-only and video-audio call connections between calling and called customer line terminals: an audio line circuit and video line circuit for connecting each customer terminal respectively to an audio switching system and to a video switching system; means in said video line circuit responsive to a call connection established thereto via the video switching system for sending a signal to said audio line circuit; and means in said audio line circuit connecting said signal to the audio switching system for preventing the establishment of all call connections via said audio switching system to said audio line circuit prior to the establishment of a prescribed audio connection.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 10 further including means actuated a predetermined time after the establishment of a call connection to said video line circuit for removing said signal to permit the establishment of said prescribed call connection via said audio switching system to said audio line circuit.

Claim 14

A video switching system for augmenting an audio switching system to furnish in response to a video service request signal a video path via a separate network in the video switching system in conjunction with an audio path established via said audio switching system comprising: means monitoring said audio switching system for detecting said request signal for actuating said video switching system; means actuated after detection of said signal for inhibiting the operation of said audio switching system to delay the completion of said audio path in response to a received address code; and means in said video switching system responsive to said code for establishing said video path through said separate network prior to the completion of said audio path by said audio switching system.

Claim 15

A video switching system for augmenting an audio switching system to furnish in response to a video service request signal a video path via a separate network in the video switching system in conjunction with an audio path established via said audio switching system comprising: means monitoring said audio switching system for detecting said request signal for actuating said video switching system; means actuated after detection of said signal for inhibiting the operation of said audio switching system to delay the completion of said audio path in response to a received address code; and means in said video switching system responsive to said code for establishing said video path through said separate network prior to the completion of said audio path by said audio switching system.

Claim 16

The invention set forth in claim 12 further including: digit outpulsing apparatus in said audio switching system responsive to said code for sending directing signals to control the establishment of said audio path; and wherein said inhibiting means connects to said digit outpulsing apparatus for controlling said apparatus to withhold a portion of said directing signals until said video path is established.

Claim 17

The invention set forth in claim 12 further including: a plurality of customer stations each having an audio line circuit and an associated video line circuit; said video line circuit comprising means responsive to a video path connection thereto for sending a busy signal to said associated audio line circuit; and said audio line circuit including means for connecting said busy signal to said audio switching system prior to the establishment of said audio path for preventing the establishment of all paths via said audio line circuit to said customer equipment.

Claim 18

The invention set forth in claim 14 wherein said video line circuit includes means automatically actuated after a predetermined time interval for removing said busy signal from said audio line circuit to permit the exclusive establishment of said audio path to said audio line circuit.

Claim 19

The invention recited in claim 14 including verifying circuitry comprising: means connecting a verify signal to said audio path; means at a calling and called one of said audio line circuits for coupling said audio path to said video switching system; and means in said video switching system connected to said coupling means for detecting said verify signal received via saiD calling and called line circuits to verify that said established audio and video paths connect to a common calling customer line.

Claim 20

The invention recited in claim 16 including means activated by said detecting means for releasing said video path to convert the connection from video-audio connection to an audio-only connection.

Claim 21

The invention recited in claim 12 further including: means for determining the busy-idle condition of a called line prior to establishment of said video path; and means for controlling said inhibiting means to proceed with the establishment of said audio path only when said called line is marked temporarily busy.

Claim 22

Equipment for controlling the establishment of separate audio and video connections via respective audio and video switching systems comprising: means in said audio system responsive to calling signals for establishing a portion of said audio connection between a calling and a called station; means in said video system for establishing said video connection between the calling and called stations in response to said signals; means in said audio system effective upon the completion of said video connection for busying said called station to all connections via said audio system; means controlling said audio system for completing the remainder portion of said audio connection at a predetermined time; and in which said busying means cooperates with said controlling means to unbusy said called station for allowing the exclusive establishment of said audio connection to said called station.

Claim 23

Equipment for controlling the establishment of separate audio and video connections via respective audio and video switching systems comprising: means in said audio system responsive to calling signals for establishing a portion of said audio connection between a calling and a called station; means in said video system for establishing said video connection between the calling and called stations in response to said signals; means in said audio system effective upon the completion of said video connection for busying said called station to all connections via said audio system; means controlling said audio system for completing the remainder portion of said audio connection at a predetermined time; and in which said busying means cooperates with said controlling means to unbusy said called station for allowing the exclusive establishment of said audio connection to said called station.

Claim 24

In a communication system including: two switching equipment units for establishing separate video and audio call connections via said respective equipment units between a pair of equipment terminals; means in a first one of said units responsive to a video service request signal received at the other one of said units for preventing the establishment of a connection via said other unit between said terminals; and means in the first unit responsive after a connection is established via said first unit between said terminals for controlling the establishment of a separate connection via said other unit between said terminals.

Claim 25

In a communication system including: two switching equipment units for establishing separate video and audio call connections via said respective equipment units between a pair of equipment terminals; means in a first one of said units responsive to a video service request signal received at the other one of said units for preventing the establishment of a connection via said other unit between said terminals; and means in the first unit responsive after a connection is established via said first unit between said terminals for controlling the establishment of a separate connection via said other unit between said terminals.

Claim 26

Equipment for establishing audio and video path connections between respective calling and called customer audio and video line circuits comprising: an audio switching system for controlling the establishment of said audio path and a video switching system for controlling the separate establishment of a video path; said audio switching system including a switch train responsive to directive signals for extending a connection between customer line circuits; a converter connected to said calling customer audio line circuit in response to a request for service signal by said calling customer; and means for storing calling customer generated signals and including means for outpulsing directive signals corresponding to said stored signals for controlling the operation of the switch train; said video switching system including a prefix digit detector for detecting a video service code sent by said calling customer and stored in said converter; a video controller activated by said detector for controlling the establishment of said video path from said calling customer video line circuit to said called customer video line circuit; and means in said controller concurrently actuated to send an inhibit signal to said outpulsing means which withholds outpulsing of directive signals corresponding to one of the stored signals to prevent establishment of said audio path; means in said called customer video line circuit for sending a busy signal to said called customer audio line circuit prior to completion of said audio path thereto; means in said called customer audio line circuit coupling said busy signal to said audio switching system for preventing all call connections to said called customer audio line circuit; MEANS in said video switching system subsequently actuated for sending a signal to said outpulsing means for controlling the sending of the withheld directive signals to complete the extension of said audio path; and and in which circuitry of said called customer video line circuit is operationally synchronized with extension of said audio path to remove said busy signal for permitting the establishment of said audio path to said called customer audio line circuit.

Claim 27

Equipment for establishing audio and video path connections between respective calling and called customer audio and video line circuits comprising: an audio switching system for controlling the establishment of said audio path and a video switching system for controlling the separate establishment of a video path; said audio switching system including a switch train responsive to directive signals for extending a connection between customer line circuits; a converter connected to said calling customer audio line circuit in response to a request for service signal by said calling customer; and means for storing calling customer generated signals and including means for outpulsing directive signals corresponding to said stored signals for controlling the operation of the switch train; said video switching system including a prefix digit detector for detecting a video service code sent by said calling customer and stored in said converter; a video controller activated by said detector for controlling the establishment of said video path from said calling customer video line circuit to said called customer video line circuit; and means in said controller concurrently actuated to send an inhibit signal to said outpulsing means which withholds outpulsing of directive signals corresponding to one of the stored signals to prevent establishment of said audio path; means in said called customer video line circuit for sending a busy signal to said called customer audio line circuit prior to completion of said audio path thereto; means in said called customer audio line circuit coupling said busy signal to said audio switching system for preventing all call connections to said called customer audio line circuit; MEANS in said video switching system subsequently actuated for sending a signal to said outpulsing means for controlling the sending of the withheld directive signals to complete the extension of said audio path; and and in which circuitry of said called customer video line circuit is operationally synchronized with extension of said audio path to remove said busy signal for permitting the establishment of said audio path to said called customer audio line circuit.

Claim 28

Call verification equipment for verifying a completed audio call connection as well as an associated video call connection established in response to a single call request and interconnecting respective pairs of audio and video lines by a separate switching network comprising: means for connecting a verify signal to said audio call connection for propagation to a calling and called one of said audio lines interconnected thereby; means for determining the identity of a calling and called ones of said video lines interconnected by said associated video call connection; and means connected to particular ones of said audio lines responding to the determined indentity of said video lines for detecting said verify signal to assure the establishment of compatible connections via said separate networks.

Claim 29

Call verification equipment for verifying a completed audio call connection as well as an associated video call connection established in response to a single call request and interconnecting respective pairs of audio and video lines by a separate switching network comprising: means for connecting a verify signal to said audio call connection for propagation to a calling and called one of said audio lines interconnected thereby; means for determining the identity of a calling and called ones of said video lines interconnected by said associated video call connection; and means connected to particular ones of said audio lines responding to the determined indentity of said video lines for detecting said verify signal to assure the establishment of compatible connections via said separate networks.