Patent US3657482A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3657482A
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Centralized identification and debiting system for telephone subscribers
Assignee: Italtel SpA
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Filing: 1971-04-14
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Granted: 1972-04-18
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Expires: 1991-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A central memory in a telephone exchange contains, in storage sections assigned to individual subscribers, binary words representing the current balances of their respective accounts together with possible classification information. An input multiple, whose leads are selectively energizable by a line finder in the presence of an incoming call, address the storage section assigned to the calling subscriber and, in the case of the subscribers within a predetermined class, concurrently transmits an identification of this subscriber to a code register via a buffer register under the control of a classification unit. The input multiple also receives, in the case of a toll call, counting pulses from a called subscriber to indicate the amount of the toll to be debited to the calling subscriber, each containing pulse causing the contents of the addressed storage section to be read out and promptly reinscribed after augmentation by one unit; read-out or augmentation in inhibited whenever the energization of the input multiple is due to an interrogation pulse occurring upon seizure of the register. A retrieval unit associated with the memory controls the classification unit and can also be operated, with inhibition of augmentation, for auditing and reclassification purposes.
Inventors
- 👤 Giorgio Dal Monte
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:05
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
374 words
In a communication system having a multiplicity of variously classified subscriber lines and facilities for making toll calls to be charged to the account of a calling subscriber of a predetermined classification, in combination: central-office equipment responsive to an incoming call for establishing a toll connection between a calling line and a called line; input circuitry energizable by said equipment to generate a code signal identifying the calling subscriber; computer means including a memory with a multiplicity of storage sections each assigned to a respective subscriber and capable of storing an amount representing the current balance of the subscriber''s account, said input circuitry extending to said memory for selectively addressing the storage section assigned to the subscriber identified by said code signal, said computer means further including read-out means for extracting the amount stored in any storage section upon the addressing of such section by said input circuitry, writing means connected to said read-out means for immediate reinscription of the extracted amount in the storage section so addressed, arithmetic means inserted between said read-out means and said writing means for augmenting said amount by one toll unit prior to reinscription, and retrieval means for determining the classification of a subscriber so identified; normally inactive coupling means controlled by said retrieval means; circuit means responsive to the establishment of a toll connection for applying to said input circuitry a number of counting pulses indicative of the number of toll units to be charged to the account of the calling subscriber, with resultant operation of said read-out, arithmetic and writing Means by said code signal once per counting pulse to augment the amount stored in a section of said memory addressed by said input circuitry; a source of interrogation pulses operable by said equipment in response to an incoming call for energizing said input circuitry with concurrent inhibition of said arithmetic means to activate said retrieval means; and recording means available for seizure by said coupling means upon ascertainment of said predetermined classification by said retrieval means for registering the identity of the calling subscriber together with the number of toll units charged to the latter''s account, said recording means being connected to said input circuitry for directly receiving said code signal therefrom upon such seizure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
374 words
In a communication system having a multiplicity of variously classified subscriber lines and facilities for making toll calls to be charged to the account of a calling subscriber of a predetermined classification, in combination: central-office equipment responsive to an incoming call for establishing a toll connection between a calling line and a called line; input circuitry energizable by said equipment to generate a code signal identifying the calling subscriber; computer means including a memory with a multiplicity of storage sections each assigned to a respective subscriber and capable of storing an amount representing the current balance of the subscriber''s account, said input circuitry extending to said memory for selectively addressing the storage section assigned to the subscriber identified by said code signal, said computer means further including read-out means for extracting the amount stored in any storage section upon the addressing of such section by said input circuitry, writing means connected to said read-out means for immediate reinscription of the extracted amount in the storage section so addressed, arithmetic means inserted between said read-out means and said writing means for augmenting said amount by one toll unit prior to reinscription, and retrieval means for determining the classification of a subscriber so identified; normally inactive coupling means controlled by said retrieval means; circuit means responsive to the establishment of a toll connection for applying to said input circuitry a number of counting pulses indicative of the number of toll units to be charged to the account of the calling subscriber, with resultant operation of said read-out, arithmetic and writing Means by said code signal once per counting pulse to augment the amount stored in a section of said memory addressed by said input circuitry; a source of interrogation pulses operable by said equipment in response to an incoming call for energizing said input circuitry with concurrent inhibition of said arithmetic means to activate said retrieval means; and recording means available for seizure by said coupling means upon ascertainment of said predetermined classification by said retrieval means for registering the identity of the calling subscriber together with the number of toll units charged to the latter''s account, said recording means being connected to said input circuitry for directly receiving said code signal therefrom upon such seizure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said circuit means comprises a first pulse generator and a second pulse generator, said equipment including a pulse distributor connected to both said pulse generators, said first pulse generator being actuatable by said equipment to transmit to said distributor a start pulse generating said interrogation pulse in the output of the distributor, said second pulse generator being actuatable by a toll signal on said called line to transmit to said distributor a train of rate pulses generating said counting pulses in the output of the distributor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said equipment includes a line finder, said input circuitry comprising a set of code conductors connectable to said circuit means via a part of said line finder for selective energization thereby.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
111 words
The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said retrieval means includes switch means for selectively energizing said code conductors independently of said line finder to address any one of said storage sections in response to an auditing pulse from said distributor, said retrieval means being connected to said read-out means for receiving the amount extracted from the section so addressed, said retrieval means further including command means for triggering said distributor to emit said auditing pulse in the absence of a counting pulse and control means for inhibiting said arithmetic means to prevent the augmentation of the amount to be reinscribed upon a triggering of said distributor by said command means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said retrieval means includes selectively operable blocking means for deactivating said writing means to prevent reinscription of an amount transmitted to said retrieval means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein each storage section of said memory includes first storage means for registering said amount and second storage means for registering classification information relating to the respective subscriber, said retrieval means being connected to said second storage means via said read-out means, said circuit means including a blocking lead connected to said arithmetic means for inhibiting the augmentation of an amount to be reinscribed upon energization of said code conductors by said interrogation pulse, part of said writing means being coupled to said read-out means over a feedback connection independent of said arithmetic means for reinscribing extracted classification information on said second storage means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination defined in claim 6 wherein said feedback connection includes blocking means for preventing reinscription of retrieved classification information, contact means selectively settable for feeding new classification information to said writing means, and command means for triggering said distributor to emit a timing pulse making said blocking means effective and energizing said contact means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said recording means includes a registration unit and a buffer register inserted between said input circuitry and said registration unit, said buffer register having a first part for receiving said code signal from said input circuitry, a second part for Receiving said rate pulse from said second pulse generator, and a third part for receiving an identification of a called subscriber from said equipment in response to destination signals emitted by the calling subscriber, said buffer register being provided with enabling means for conditioning said first part to receive said code signal upon the occurrence of a first rate pulse, said buffer register being further provided with cancellation means for clearing said third part without transmittal of its contents to said registration unit upon noncompletion of a call.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said equipment includes selector means responsive to a characteristic portion of said destination signals for establishing a toll connection recordable in said registration unit, further comprising discriminator means connected to receive at least part of said destination signals for maintaining said buffer register inoperative in the absence of said characteristic portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said buffer register includes transfer means linked with said distributor and triggerable by said equipment upon termaination of a call and deactivation of said coupling means for summoning said distributor to direct a transmittal of the contents of said buffer register to said registration unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3591723A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-18 | 1975-10-18 | 1976-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-18 | 1979-10-18 | 1980-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-18 | 1983-10-18 | 1984-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |