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US5327484A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Calling system for short duration data transactions

Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1992-04-30
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Granted: 1994-07-05
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Expires: 2012-04-30
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Abstract

Abstract A system and a method for completing over a communication switching system a series of short duration calls directed to a common destination and initiated from a plurality of sources connected to a call queuing apparatus linked to the communication switching system. When the dedicated link from the call queuing apparatus to the communication switching system is in use, subsequent calls in the series are queued. Without relinquishing control of the link, these calls are thereafter connected to the communication switching system, preferably on a first-come first-serve basis. The invention allows the overhead of call setup, both cost and setup time, to be spread over the entire series of calls, as opposed to being borne by each call in the series.

Inventors

  • 👤 Francis J. Connell
  • 👤 Travis H. Gordon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 20:32
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/403; G06Q20/4037; H; H04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/493

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 136 words
A method of completing each call in a burst of calls a) originating from a plurality of sources each connected to a line concentrator and b) directed to a common destination, wherein said method comprises the steps of: establishing an initial connection between a first one of said sources and said common destination through a communication path extending from said line concentrator to said common destination; queuing subsequent calls in said burst of calls in said line concentrator when said communication path to said common destination is in use; inhibiting the release of said communication path for the duration of said burst of calls; and completing each subsequent call in said burst of calls by establishing a connection between a different one of said sources and said common destination, wherein said connection includes said communication path.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 136 words
A method of completing each call in a burst of calls a) originating from a plurality of sources each connected to a line concentrator and b) directed to a common destination, wherein said method comprises the steps of: establishing an initial connection between a first one of said sources and said common destination through a communication path extending from said line concentrator to said common destination; queuing subsequent calls in said burst of calls in said line concentrator when said communication path to said common destination is in use; inhibiting the release of said communication path for the duration of said burst of calls; and completing each subsequent call in said burst of calls by establishing a connection between a different one of said sources and said common destination, wherein said connection includes said communication path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said call completion step includes the steps of: determining the order in which each subsequent call is received; and establishing said connection for each said subsequent call on a first-come first-serve basis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said method includes the step of receiving an off-hook signal from a different source in said line concentrator for each call.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said queuing step includes the step of placing calls waiting to be completed on hold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said method includes the step of completing each call via a) a dedicated link between said line concentrator and an originating switch and b) a dedicated link between said common destination and a terminating switch, wherein said switches are arranged to allow said sources to communicate only with said common destination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said method includes the step of: initiating calls from said sources to said line concentrator which, in response to said calls, requests connection to said database for each call through the emission of an off-hook signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 165 words
A method of completing each call that services a short duration data transaction in a series of such calls which a) are initiated within a short time period from a plurality of devices, and b) which are destined to a database, wherein said method comprises the steps of: establishing an initial communication path between a call queuing apparatus connected to said devices and said database for the purpose of completing the first one of said calls; queuing in said queuing apparatus all subsequent incoming calls while said communication path is in use; without releasing said communication path between said calls, completing each call in said series of calls by establishing a connection which includes at least a first segment and a second segment, wherein said first segment includes said communication path, and said second segment includes a path from said line concentrator to a different one of said devices; and releasing said communication path when the last call in said series of calls has ended.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 165 words
A method of completing each call that services a short duration data transaction in a series of such calls which a) are initiated within a short time period from a plurality of devices, and b) which are destined to a database, wherein said method comprises the steps of: establishing an initial communication path between a call queuing apparatus connected to said devices and said database for the purpose of completing the first one of said calls; queuing in said queuing apparatus all subsequent incoming calls while said communication path is in use; without releasing said communication path between said calls, completing each call in said series of calls by establishing a connection which includes at least a first segment and a second segment, wherein said first segment includes said communication path, and said second segment includes a path from said line concentrator to a different one of said devices; and releasing said communication path when the last call in said series of calls has ended.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 203 words
In a communication switching system which includes a) an egress switch connected to a database, and b) an access switch connected to a line concentrator linked to a plurality of devices, a method of completing calls from said devices to said database, wherein said method comprises the steps of: a) for a first group of calls, initiated sequentially by said plurality of devices to said database, establishing an initial connection between said database and a first one of said devices which requested access to said database, wherein said initial connection includes a communication link between said line concentrator and said database; b) queuing in said line concentrator all incoming calls within said group of calls while said communication link is in use; c) maintaining said communication link for all subsequent calls in said group of calls; and d) completing each subsequent call in said group of calls by establishing a connection which includes said communication link and a different path between said line concentrator and each one of said devices; e) releasing said communication link between said line concentrator and said database at the end of said group of calls; and f) repeating steps a) through e) for each subsequent group of calls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 203 words
In a communication switching system which includes a) an egress switch connected to a database, and b) an access switch connected to a line concentrator linked to a plurality of devices, a method of completing calls from said devices to said database, wherein said method comprises the steps of: a) for a first group of calls, initiated sequentially by said plurality of devices to said database, establishing an initial connection between said database and a first one of said devices which requested access to said database, wherein said initial connection includes a communication link between said line concentrator and said database; b) queuing in said line concentrator all incoming calls within said group of calls while said communication link is in use; c) maintaining said communication link for all subsequent calls in said group of calls; and d) completing each subsequent call in said group of calls by establishing a connection which includes said communication link and a different path between said line concentrator and each one of said devices; e) releasing said communication link between said line concentrator and said database at the end of said group of calls; and f) repeating steps a) through e) for each subsequent group of calls.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 141 words
A system of completing each call in a burst of calls a) originating from a plurality of sources each connected to a line concentrator and b) destined for a common destination, wherein said system comprises: means for establishing an initial connection between a first one of said sources and said common destination through a communication path extending from said line concentrator to said common destination; means for queuing subsequent calls in said burst of calls in said line concentrator when said communication path to said common destination is in use; means for inhibiting the release of said communication path for the duration of said burst of calls; and means for completing each subsequent call in said burst of calls by establishing a connection between a different one of said sources and said common destination, wherein said connection includes said communication path.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 141 words
A system of completing each call in a burst of calls a) originating from a plurality of sources each connected to a line concentrator and b) destined for a common destination, wherein said system comprises: means for establishing an initial connection between a first one of said sources and said common destination through a communication path extending from said line concentrator to said common destination; means for queuing subsequent calls in said burst of calls in said line concentrator when said communication path to said common destination is in use; means for inhibiting the release of said communication path for the duration of said burst of calls; and means for completing each subsequent call in said burst of calls by establishing a connection between a different one of said sources and said common destination, wherein said connection includes said communication path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said call completion means includes: means for determining the order in which each subsequent call is received; and means for establishing said connection on a first-come first-serve basis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 39 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said line concentrator is connected to an originating switch and said database is connected to a terminating switch and said switches are arranged to allow said sources to communicate only with said database.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said calls are initiated by said sources emitting only an off-hook signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said queuing means includes means for placing calls waiting to be completed on hold.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 38 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said sources initiate calls to said concentrator which initiates calls to said common destination through the emission of an on-hook signal to establish a connection between said devices and said common destination.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 169 words
A system of completing each call that services a short duration data transaction in a series of such calls which are initiated within a short time period from a plurality of devices and which are destined to a database, wherein said system comprises: means for establishing an intitial communication path between a call queuing apparatus connected to said devices and said database for the purpose of completing the first one of said calls; means for queuing in said call queuing apparatus all incoming calls while said communication path is in use; without releasing said communication path between said calls, means for completing each call in said series of calls by establishing a connection which includes at least a first segment and a second segment, wherein said first segment includes said communication path, and said second segment includes a path from said call queuing apparatus to a different one of said devices; and means for releasing said communication path when the last call in said series of calls has ended.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 169 words
A system of completing each call that services a short duration data transaction in a series of such calls which are initiated within a short time period from a plurality of devices and which are destined to a database, wherein said system comprises: means for establishing an intitial communication path between a call queuing apparatus connected to said devices and said database for the purpose of completing the first one of said calls; means for queuing in said call queuing apparatus all incoming calls while said communication path is in use; without releasing said communication path between said calls, means for completing each call in said series of calls by establishing a connection which includes at least a first segment and a second segment, wherein said first segment includes said communication path, and said second segment includes a path from said call queuing apparatus to a different one of said devices; and means for releasing said communication path when the last call in said series of calls has ended.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 176 words
In a communication switching system which includes a) an egress switch connected to a database, and b) an access switch connected to a line concentrator linked to a plurality of devices, a system for repetitively completing groups of calls from said devices to said database, said system comprising: for each group of calls, means for establishing an initial connection between said database and a first one of said devices which requested access to said database, wherein said initial connection includes a communication link between said line concentrator and said database; means for queuing in said line concentrator all incoming calls for said group of calls while said communication link is in use; means for maintaining said communication link for all subsequent calls in said group of calls; means for completing each subsequent call in said group of calls by establishing a connection which includes said communication link and a different link between said line concentrator and each one of said devices; and means for releasing said communication link at the end of said group of calls.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 176 words
In a communication switching system which includes a) an egress switch connected to a database, and b) an access switch connected to a line concentrator linked to a plurality of devices, a system for repetitively completing groups of calls from said devices to said database, said system comprising: for each group of calls, means for establishing an initial connection between said database and a first one of said devices which requested access to said database, wherein said initial connection includes a communication link between said line concentrator and said database; means for queuing in said line concentrator all incoming calls for said group of calls while said communication link is in use; means for maintaining said communication link for all subsequent calls in said group of calls; means for completing each subsequent call in said group of calls by establishing a connection which includes said communication link and a different link between said line concentrator and each one of said devices; and means for releasing said communication link at the end of said group of calls.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3969589A Cited
US4599493A Cited
US4922519A Cited
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US4899373A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-07-04 1998-01-03 1998-07-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-07-04 2002-01-03 2002-07-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-07-04 2006-01-03 2006-07-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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