US5408522A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modem pooling system
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1991-05-22
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Granted: 1995-04-18
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Expires: 2011-05-22
Abstract
Abstract In a modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units 5 1 to 5 n to a modem 9, each of the data terminal units 5 1 to 5 n is detected as to whether active or inactive; one data terminal (e.g. 5 1 ) is selected as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and the modem 9 is connected to the selected responsive terminal unit (e.g. 5 1 ), prior to an incoming call response of the modem 9.
Inventors
- 👤 Norimitsu Ikehata
- 👤 Takashi Aoki
- 👤 Hideyasu Mori
- 👤 Yuichi Yamazaki
- 👤 Hiroshi Mano
- 👤 Yoshikazu Sano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, comprising: modem state detecting means for detecting a standby state of said modem; data terminal state detecting means, responsive to a signal transmitted from each said data terminal units, for detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; responsive terminal selecting means for selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active by said data terminal state detecting means, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and connection control means for previously connecting the modem to the selected responsive terminal unit, prior to an incoming call response of the modem, while said modem state detecting means is detecting whether said modem is in the standby state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, comprising: modem state detecting means for detecting a standby state of said modem; data terminal state detecting means, responsive to a signal transmitted from each said data terminal units, for detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; responsive terminal selecting means for selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active by said data terminal state detecting means, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and connection control means for previously connecting the modem to the selected responsive terminal unit, prior to an incoming call response of the modem, while said modem state detecting means is detecting whether said modem is in the standby state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The modem pooling system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined priority order is changeable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The modem pooling system of claim 1, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means selects the responsive terminal unit, whenever any one of the data terminal units changes in state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The modem pooling system of claim 1, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means periodically selects the responsive terminal unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The modem pooling system of claim 1, wherein said data terminal state detecting means includes data terminal state register means for memorizing detected states of the data terminal units, and wherein said responsive terminal selecting means selects the responsive terminal unit in accordance with the detected states memorized in said data terminal state register means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The modem pooling system of claim 5, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means checks the detected states memorized in said terminal state register means in accordance with the predetermined priority order so as to select one data terminal unit having the highest priority as the responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units whose memorized states are active.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The modem pooling system of claim 6, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means checks the detected states memorized in said terminal state register means, when receiving a signal from said data terminal state detecting means indicative of a change in state of any one of the data terminal units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
150 words
A modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, comprising: modem state detecting means for detecting a standby state of said modem; data terminal state detecting means, responsive to a signal transmitted from each of said data terminal units, for detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; responsive terminal selecting means for selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active by said data terminal state detecting means, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and exchange service control means for controlling the exchange unit so that the modem is previously connected to the selected responsive terminal unit, when said modem state detecting means detects that the modem is in the standby state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
150 words
A modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, comprising: modem state detecting means for detecting a standby state of said modem; data terminal state detecting means, responsive to a signal transmitted from each of said data terminal units, for detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; responsive terminal selecting means for selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active by said data terminal state detecting means, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and exchange service control means for controlling the exchange unit so that the modem is previously connected to the selected responsive terminal unit, when said modem state detecting means detects that the modem is in the standby state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The modem pooling system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined priority order is changeable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The modem pooling system of claim 8, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means selects the responsive terminal unit, whenever the modem is returned to the standby state from other states.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The modem pooling system of claim 8, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means selects the responsive terminal unit, whenever any one of the data terminal units changes in state while the modem is in standby state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The modem pooling system of claim 8, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means periodically selects the responsive terminal unit while the modem is in standby state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The modem pooling system of claim 8, wherein said data terminal state detecting means includes data terminal state register means for memorizing detected states of the data terminal units, and wherein said responsive terminal selecting means selects the responsive terminal unit in accordance with the detected states memorized in said data terminal state register means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The modem pooling system of claim 13, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means checks the detected states memorized in said terminal state register means in accordance with the predetermined priority order so as to select one data terminal unit having the highest priority as the responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units whose memorized states are active.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The modem pooling system of claim 14, wherein said responsive terminal selecting means checks the detected states memorized in said terminal state register means, when receiving information from said modem state detecting means representing that the modem is returned to the standby state from other states.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, a method for controlling the connection between the data terminal units and the modem, comprising the steps of: detecting a standby state of said modem; detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, responsive to a signal transmitted from each of said data terminal units, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and previously connecting the modem to the selected responsive terminal unit, prior to an incoming call response of the modem, while said modem is detected as being in the standby state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a modem pooling system for enabling selective connection of a plurality of data terminal units to a modem, a method for controlling the connection between the data terminal units and the modem, comprising the steps of: detecting a standby state of said modem; detecting whether each of the data terminal units is active or inactive, responsive to a signal transmitted from each of said data terminal units, said signal indicating whether the data terminal units are active or inactive; selecting one data terminal unit as a responsive terminal unit from among the data terminal units determined to be active, in accordance with a predetermined priority order; and previously connecting the modem to the selected responsive terminal unit, prior to an incoming call response of the modem, while said modem is detected as being in the standby state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of detecting standby state of the modem, wherein the modem is previously connected to the selected responsive terminal unit, when the modem is detected to be in standby state.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said step of selecting is performed whenever the modem is returned to the standby state from other states.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said step of selecting is performed whenever any one of the data terminal units changes in state while the modem is in standby state.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said step of selecting is performed periodically while the modem is in standby state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-17 | 1998-10-17 | 1999-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-17 | 2002-10-17 | 2003-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-17 | 2006-10-17 | 2007-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |