US3825689A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Message metering and storage system
Assignee: VIDOR CORP
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Filing: 1973-01-05
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Granted: 1974-07-23
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Expires: 1993-01-05
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a local metering system for metering information concerning each subscribers use of a telephone system. Each subscriber is associated with a unique location in memory. The subscriber lines are scanned in accordance with a binary addressing code from an address counter which does not necessarily access subscriber lines in their directory number order. The system storage output circuitry includes means for correlating the binary addressing with the subscriber line directory numbers. The system storage includes a circulating shift register memory which is stepped each time the address counter steps. The control circuitry and memory cyclically test the system each cycle of the address counter. Specific locations in memory are assigned predetermined codes. Failure of the memories to properly read out the code when addressed indicates an error condition. Additionally, a test pattern is employed at directory number address locations. Once each cycle of the address counter the test pattern is compared with information decoded from the address counter to determine if the data paths and storage of the system are operating properly.
Inventors
- 👤 J Baichtal
- 👤 Donald J Mc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:24
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A message metering system for metering the usage of a plurality of subscriber lines of a telephone system, the improvement comprising, a plurAlity of addressable line interface units for selecting, when addressed, selected ones of said subscriber lines, memory means having memory locations corresponding to each of said subscriber lines, means for cyclically addressing said line interface units and for concurrently addressing said memory means whereby each of said memory locations and each of the corresponding subscriber lines is accessed during each cycle for storing usage information derived from said subscriber lines in corresponding locations in memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A message metering system for metering the usage of a plurality of subscriber lines of a telephone system, the improvement comprising, a plurAlity of addressable line interface units for selecting, when addressed, selected ones of said subscriber lines, memory means having memory locations corresponding to each of said subscriber lines, means for cyclically addressing said line interface units and for concurrently addressing said memory means whereby each of said memory locations and each of the corresponding subscriber lines is accessed during each cycle for storing usage information derived from said subscriber lines in corresponding locations in memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said memory means includes a plurality of shift register stages with at least one stage per subscriber line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said shift register stages additionally include a plurality of test stages which are accessed sequentially for cyclically testing the message metering system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of claim 3 wherein one of said test stages is set to a binary one and another of said test stages is set to a binary zero and wherein said system further includes means for cyclically sensing whether or not said test stages are set to binary one and binary zero, respectively, to test for faults in the operation of the system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
A message metering system for metering the usage of a plurality of subscriber lines in a telephone system comprising, a plurality of gate means for selecting, when addressed, selected ones of said subscriber lines, memory means having memory locations, one for each of said subscriber lines and a plurality of test locations for test information, address means for sequentially addressing said gate means and said memory means to access sequentially said subscriber lines to store concurrently information in corresponding memory locations and to access sequentially said test locations to test said system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
92 words
A message metering system for metering the usage of a plurality of subscriber lines in a telephone system comprising, a plurality of gate means for selecting, when addressed, selected ones of said subscriber lines, memory means having memory locations, one for each of said subscriber lines and a plurality of test locations for test information, address means for sequentially addressing said gate means and said memory means to access sequentially said subscriber lines to store concurrently information in corresponding memory locations and to access sequentially said test locations to test said system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 5 wherein one of said test locations is set to a predetermined code and wherein said system further includes means for comparing the contents of said test locations with a standard derived from said address means to determine if said system correctly accesses said predetermined code.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said predetermined code includes one memory location having all one''s and another memory location having all zero''s and wherein said means for detecting includes an all one''s detector and an all zero''s detector for detecting if said one memory location has all one''s and whether said another memory location has all zero''s.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 5 further including a fixed address unit addressable by said address means for providing predetermined signals through said gate means to said memory means, and further including comparator means for comparing the signals derived from said fixed address units with a standard signal thereby testing said system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said address means includes an address counter for specifying addresses in said memory and for addressing corresponding subscribers through said gate means, and wherein said system further includes a decoder for decoding the address in said address counter to provide signals which form a standard which is compared with the corresponding contents of memory test locations to determine if the system is operating properly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 9 further including a decoder for sensing said address counter to enable the output of said comparator means whenever test locations are specified by said address counter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said address means further includes an address counter for specifying predetermined one''s of said subscribers and predetermined corresponding locations in said memory means, and wherein said system further includes a plurality of decoders for decoding predetermined addresses corresponding to test locations for enabling the output of test circuits.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said address counter counts over a range of 1024 addresses and said decoders specify 24 aDdresses for test locations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the subscribers have directory numbers from 000 to 999 and wherein the binary counter has a straight binary code with bit positions 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 which define the 1000 subscribers and 24 test locations as powers of 2 in accordance with their position in the code sequence with carries propagated from 0 to 9.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the subscribers are addressed by said address means in accordance with the subscriber code 9, 8, 7, 6, 0, 1, 5, 4, 3, and 2 as powers of 2 in accordance with their position in the code with carrier propagated from 0 to 9, and further including means for recoding and storing said straight binary code to said subscriber code for indicating in binary notation subscriber directory number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 11 further including means for storing the address corresponding to completed and terminated subscriber calls, storage means for storing a predetermined subscriber number, and comparator means f or comparing said predetermined number with said address for identifying when the metering system is outputing said predetermined subscriber number.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3427594A
Cited
US3697695A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-22 | 1978-01-21 | 1978-07-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-22 | 1982-01-21 | 1982-07-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-22 | 1986-01-21 | 1986-07-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |