DE2953255A1 - DATA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL STRUCTURE FOR A MESSAGE STORAGE SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

BLUMBAC *

•: - 'Vj-es £ ": V heels · kramer

ZWiRNER HOFFMANN

PATENi LAWYERS IN MUNICH AND WIESBADEN

Piitenlconsull Radßckt-Mreße 43 fiflfii Uiinrhen 60 Tolclon (C89) 88 36 03 / Bit 36 04 Telex 05-212313 Telegrams Patcntconsull Patenlconstilt Sonnonbeigei Strasse 43 i.?üfi Wioshoden Tclolrn (06121) 562943/561998 Tolex 04-186237 Telegrams Patomconsuil

PCT / US 79/01003 CORNELL-1

Western Electric Company Incorporated P 29 53 255.6

Data storage "and rewirming order for a Na ohriohtenspeieheranlage

Background of the invention

The invention relates to a message storage system which is connected to a telephone exchange for storing messages is switchable, with a variety of interface circuits, which o © have a first and a second port, a plurality of independent storage circuits; a plurality of control circuits each associated with one of the storage circuits are connected and generate memory control signals, the memory circuits in response to the Memory control signals store and retrieve information signals.

The message store operations are numerous known. For example, answering machines accept that the subscriber line of a telephone subscriber is connected

MUndien: R. Kramer Dipl.-Ing. . W, Weser Dipl.-Phys. Dr. rer. nat. · E. Hoflmann Dipl.-Ing. Wiesbaden: P. G. Bluinbadi Dipl.-Ing. · P. Bergen Prof. Dr. Jur. Dipl.-Ing., Pol.-Ass., Pat.-Λην /. until 1979 ■ · G. Zwirncr Dipl.-Ing. Dipl.-W.-Ing.

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incoming calls by means of a saved announcement on, record a message that a calling party wishes to convey to the called party, and give on command all messages stored for the called subscriber again. The message storage facilities currently available generally require equipment to be installed at the subscriber's premises. There are

but centralized systems have also become known. For example, U.S. Patent 3,141,931 discloses a centralized one Answering the telephone call who is in the office. In this known arrangement, everyone is a subscriber to the answering service an announcement and storage facility is assigned, and the subscriber can make a personal announcement on him Save assigned facility. Every caller who connects to the subscriber hears when the answering service is set in action, the personal announcement and has the option of a message in this subscriber associated facility. Later, the subscriber can play the saved messages through Selecting an appropriate code control. In a plant with a large number of subscribers for such a service is the use of a separate announcement device for each Participants impractical.

In U.S. Patents 2,998,489 and 3,728,486 there are centralized Discloses message storage and playback arrangements which operate in cooperation with a central office. Both facilities disclosed in said patents dials in

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Telephone subscriber receiving a stored message a destination station would like to give a code to access the recording device in a storage and relaying system then dials the number of the desired participant and dictates a message. The system saves the dialed number and the message in analog form on a magnetic tape storage device or similar Device. The systems are designed in such a way that they can establish a connection via the using the stored number Establish the telephone exchange to the destination station and then play the stored message. the known arrangements are primarily designed for the storage of individual messages and do not offer any solutions for the problems of a large centralized message storage facility in which storage facilities are shared by many subscribers and real-time access must be provided.

With centralized message storage facilities, the advantages are achieved by eliminating installations at the subscriber, for example, the elimination of space requirements at the subscriber and the reduction of maintenance costs due to the No journeys to the participant recognized. Well-known centralized plants, however, have to be economical and technological Difficulties led.

This problem is solved according to the invention in that a Processor with each of the multitude of control circuits

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is bound and generates control command signals that the control circuits generate interface control signals and coupler control signals in response to control command signals, that each of the interface circuits apply information signals in response to interface control signals a first port receives and sends out and at a second port receives and sends out that coupling circuits that with each of the control circuits and the second port of each of the interface circuits are connected, responding on coupler control signals from one of the control circuits, this control circuit connects to that interface circuit, which by the coupler control signals from the one. Control circuit is defined, and that this is an interface circuit in response to interface control signals from the one control circuit, information signals on the receives and sends out the first port and receives and sends out digitally coded signals on the second port.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, a large number of messages in the form of digitally coded signals are stored in a centralized one Stored message storage system which contains a shared storage arrangement to which a plurality of Participants in real-time operation are given access for the purpose of storage and retrieval. The storage arrangement comprises two or more digital memory systems and corresponding memory control circuits. A variety of subscriber interface circuits is connected to the storage control

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Claims (10)

BLUMBACH: WES £, ^ SERGEN · KRAMER PATENT LAWYERS IN MUNICH AND WIESBADEN Patentconsult Kadeckestraße 43 8000 Munich 60 Telephone (089) 88J603 / 8 & 3604 Telex 05-212313 Telegrams Palentconsult Patentconsult Sonnenberger Straße 43 6200 Wiesbaden Telephone (04121) 562943/561998 Telex 04-186237 Telegrams Patentconsult PCT / US 79/01003 CORNELL-1 Western Electric Company Incorporated Claims / 1 .J Message storage system attached to a central office can be switched on for storing messages, with a large number of interface circuits (127a to 127n and 128a to 128n), each with a first and a second Have port, a plurality of independent memory circuits (114a to 1i4n), j a plurality of control circuits (113a to 113n), dj ^ e each connected to one of the memory circuits (114a to 1i4n) and generate memory control signals, whereby the memory circuits in response to the memory control signals Storing and reproducing information signals, characterized in that a processor (111) is connected to each of the plurality of control circuits and generates control command signals, that the control circuits (113a to 113n) each generate interface control signals and coupler control signals in response to control command signals,
that each of the interface circuits respond to Munich: R. Kramer Dlpl.-Ing. · W. Weser Oipl.-Phys. Dr. rer. nat. · E. Hoffmann Dlpl.-Ing. Wiesbaden: P.G. Blumbach Olpl.-Ing. · P. Bergen Prof. Or.Jur.Dipl.-Ing., Pat.-Ass., Pat.-Anw. until 1979 · G. Zwirner Dlpl.-Ing. Dipl.-W.-Ing. 030604/0120 ' Interface control signals receives and transmits information signals at a first port and at a second port receives and sends, that coupling circuits (115) connected to each of the control circuits and the second port of each of the interface circuits are connected, in response to coupler control signals from one of the control circuits, that control circuit with that interface circuit which is defined by the coupler control signals from the one control circuit will, . and that this is an interface circuit with response on interface control signals from the one control circuit receives and transmits information signals at the first port and receives and sends out digitally coded signals at the second port. 2. message storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the control circuits (I13a to 113n) independently in generating the interface control signals, the memory control signals and the coupler control signals from the other control circuits is working. 3. message storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface control signals from the plurality of control circuits (113a to 113n) via the coupling circuits (115) are transmitted to the plurality of interface circuits (127a to 127n). / -η ι 4. message storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that each interface circuit (127a to 127n) can receive analog signals and a coding / Decoding circuit (107) for converting analog signals into having digitally encoded signals and from digitally encoded signals to analog signals. 5. message storage system according to claim 1,. characterized in that each interface circuit (127a to 127n) a speed buffer circuit (116) for the reception and transmission of the information signals with a first signal transmission rate and for the reception and the transmission of digitally coded signals at the second port at the second signal transmission rate. 6. message storage system according to claim 1, those with a large number of subscriber stations via a telephone exchange is connected, which is designed so that there are control signals with the subscriber stations and with the Can exchange message storage system, characterized in that the first ports of the plurality of interface circuits (127a to 127n) connected to the central office den is that the interface circuits (127a to 127n) a receiver circuit (109) for receiving control signals transmitted from the central office, and a transmission circuit (119) for transmitting control signals 030604/0120 to the central office, and that the processor is connected to the interface circuits. and in response to those broadcast by the central office Control signals that generate control command signals. 7. Message storage system according to claim 1, those with a plurality of subscriber stations through a central office is connected, which is designed so that there are control signals with the subscriber stations and with the Exchanges message storage system, characterized in that that the message storage system has a data connection (123) for the exchange of control signals with the central office comprises that the message storage system is connected to the central office via the first ports of the plurality of interface circuits (127a to 127n) and the data connection is connected, and that the processor is connected to the data connection is on and responsive to that received from the central office over the data link Control signals that generate control command signals. 8. message storage system according to claim 1, which is connected to a plurality of subscriber stations, characterized in that, that the first ports of the plurality of interface circuits (127a to 127n) are connected to the subscriber stations, that the information signals sent out by the subscriber stations Control signals include that the interface switching tungen (127a to 127n) a receiver (118) for recording of the control signals sent out by the subscriber stations and that the processor with the plurality of interface circuits connected and responding to the control signals transmitted by the subscriber stations generate the control command signals. 9. message storage system according to claim 8, wherein the connection between the message storage system and the subscriber stations include a central office which is adapted to communicate control signals with the Participants and exchanges with the message storage system, characterized in that that the interface circuits (127a to 127n) one Receiver (109) for receiving control signals sent from the central office and the transmitter (119) for sending control signals to the central office, and that the processor also under In response to the control signals transmitted from the central office, the control command signals are generated. 10. message storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface circuit (127a up to 127n) has the following components: a detector device (117) for detecting information signals received by the memory area and for Generation of a message-present signal in time segments in which significant message information signals are fixed. 030604/0120 HS be asked, and a buffer (116), that the buffer has a memory (601) for storing post direction signals and that the memory (601) a Memory controller (606), a CRC generator / checking circuit (611) and a buffer control (612) for periodic route -has stored message signals, these components on the first occurrence of the message-present signal be switched off.