Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
  • H04M11/002—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with telemetering systems
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/428—Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q11/00—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems
  • H04Q11/04—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems for time-division multiplexing
  • H04Q11/0428—Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
  • H04Q11/0435—Details
  • H04Q11/0471—Terminal access circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/38—Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/424—Arrangements for automatic redialling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/436—Arrangements for screening incoming calls, i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
  • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
  • H04M3/537—Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message, whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Definitions

• This invention relates to telemetry systems using telecommunications networks, and more specifically, to arrangements for initiating telemetry communications from remote locations of such systems.
• customer premises equipment of an end user of telemetry service initiates a remote telemetry telecommunications call to some centralized service bureau.
• Such arrangements are used, for example, to transmit a meter reading, report energy and appliance usage, report alarm or maintenance conditions or to forward burglar alarm signals or fire alarm signals from homes to service bureaus or directly to police or fire stations.
• a call is automatically set up to the service bureau and some identification of the caller is transmitted over the connection to the service bureau.
• the service bureau responds by dispatching police or fire equipment to the residence from which the alarm signal was received.
• Telemetry calls may also be initiated remotely for cases wherein the measuring system initiates a data report or a trouble report.
• calls initiated by customer premises equipment are considered inbound (i.e., inbound to a switch or service bureau) while calls initiated from the service bureau or switch are considered outbound.
• a problem with such arrangements is that a data stream being transmitted from the caller to the service bureau may be interrupted by such signals as a call waiting signal generated in a switching system if the residential customer from which the alarm signal is being transmitted has the call waiting feature and another customer happens to call during the telemetry call. Further, the use of such equipment limits the customer's ability to subscribe to telephone call screening features such as features which allow a customer to be denied toll service to a particular area if the service bureau happens to be located in this other toll area.
• a problem of the prior art therefore is that there is significant interference between a broad class of modern telecommunications services and remotely initiated telemetry reporting services or alarm services.
• a special service call such as a telemetry call
• reception of that access code causes the switching system to deactivate special features of the caller, for example, to deny incoming call waiting for the duration of the special service call and to deactivate outgoing call screening.
• the switching system further checks to ensure that calls placed following the access code are limited to calls to prespecified telephone numbers. Following the disconnect of the special service call, the customer's services special features, including, where appropriate, call waiting, are reactivated.
• such an arrangement breaks any link between customer features and the characteristics of a remote telemetry call to a service bureau or utility and does so at low cost by providing only a simple set of programmed checks, feature deactivation, and feature reactivation in a telecommunications switching system connected to the remote telemetry caller line.
• the call is billed to the called customer.
• most customers prefer this arrangement since they consider the telemetry call a part of the utility or alarm monitoring service and may not want to pay for services they do not direcdy use.
• This arrangement also permits calls to be originated from lines that have been denied most types of originating service, for example, from vacant homes.
• a standard meter interface unit used for telemetry reading of meters and controlling of devices is enhanced to provide inbound call control features.
• This unit disconnects the telephone when the inbound call is one of an emergency nature from a device such as an alarm or a medical monitor because of the high priority of the emergency signals.
• the incremental cost for providing remotely initiated telemetry calls is minimized.
• the telephone instrument on the line used for telephone and telemetry purposes is an integrated services digital network (ISDN) type of telephone
• ISDN integrated services digital network
• a special indicator in the initial call set up message performs the same function as is performed by the access code for a conventional analog signal line.
• the D-channel is used to communicate between the connected switching system and the customer telemetry equipment. With this type of arrangement, it is not necessary to disconnect the end user's telephone equipment during the telemetry call.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating connections for transmitting data from customer meters and devices; and FIGS.2-3 are flowcharts of actions performed in setting up connections from such meters and devices.
• COSU Central Office Service Unit
• COSU is connected to the Utility or third party provider by a dial up line, private line, or packet network.
• the following Inbound Utility Telemetry Service is described in terms of a meter reading service.
• the network architecture and switch features also support other applications such as fire alarms, security alarms, and appliance initiated service requests.
• FIG. 1, block 46 dials directly through the central office switch.21 to a central office service unit connected to the utility or third party service provider.
• Call features such as Call Waiting may disrupt the data stream causing errors or completely abort the call.
• Call screening lists may prohibit the MICC from placing the call. This disruption causes additional time consuming retransmission, reinitiated inbound telemetry calls, and an inability to place calls. If the telemetry call is allowed to proceed, the MICC may or may not invoke switch features available to end users.
• the MICC could activate Cancel Call Waiting.
• the MICC could not, however, suspend other end user line features since the end user has no direct suspension control over these features.
• This described Inbound Telemetry Service routes the call from the end user's line to a central office service unit 20 which will then communicate with a utility controller or position in a service bureau 60.
• the switch identifies the telemetry call based on an access code and a second dial tone is presented for the destination directory number.
• the switch deactivates the end user's line features disruptive to telemetry calls and reactivates the end user line features at the completion of the call.
• an Automatic Message Accounting (AMA) record can be produced charging the utility for the call (reverse charging). Since these calls have reverse charging, inbound telemetry calls could be allowed from lines that are unassigned for billing purposes (vacant houses etc.).
• AMA Automatic Message Accounting
• Calls to the utility from the central office service unit, can be delivered by a circuit switched network, packet network, or can be further directed by switch based Multiline Hunt Groups or by an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD).
• ACD Automatic Call Distributor
• the MICC goes off-hook and dials an access code.
• the switch recognizes the access code and gives a second dial tone.
• the switch activates/deactivates end user line features disruptive to the telemetry call.
• the MICC dials a local restricted group of telephone numbers which terminates through a utility telemetry trunk (UTT) to the central office service unit (COSU).
• the central office service unit and MICC perform a security exchange.
• the MICC instructs the COSU, via a telemetry protocol, which utility or third party service provider (referred to hereinafter, as utility) is to receive the MICC information. If desired, the utility or service provider may have an additional security dialog with the MICC. If the security exchange is not accepted, the call is dropped by the COSU.
• the COSU transmits the received MICC information to the specified utility or service provider.
• a two-way data exchange may take place between the utility and die MICC.
• the MICC will not make a telemetry call if the end user's line is busy.
• the MICC interrupts the telemetry call if an end user goes off-hook.
• the utility or COSU terminates the call by going on-hook.
• An AMA record is produced charging the utility or service provider for the call (reverse charging) from the end user.
• Access code calls are allowed, through translations, when the end user line is unassigned for billing purposes.
• the end user line has a class of service such as the Fast New Service Installation service offered by BellSouth
• the end user line can originate a limited class of calls (such as calls requesting service, made when a telephone customer moves into a previously vacant house having installed telephones or telephone jacks);
• the access code can be one of the limited class of calls which can be made by a line having that type of service.
• the MICC has requirements of being able to go off-hook, dial a string of digits, and initiating a dialog with the COSU. These requirements are:
• the telemetry call to the COSU is initiated by the MICC going off- hook.
• An access code precedes the directory number of the COSU destination.
• the first dial tone is the indicator to dial the access code.
• a second dial tone is an indicator to dial the directory number, required if the numbering plan of the switch does not allow the access code plus a directory number as a legitimate dialed number.
• a pause is required to wait for the second dial tone if needed.
• the MICC will not make the call if the end user's line is busy and the MICC interrupts its call if an end user goes off-hook when the telemetry call is connected.
• An application dialog is required between the MICC and the COSU to initiate the call, imtiate data transfer with the utility, and terminate the data transfer.
• a Utility Telemetry Trunk (UTT) for connecting a switch to a COSU is two way originating (inbound and outbound).
• the UTT operates with the same protocol as in the outbound only case but now &e switch is able to initiate the protocol to the COSU. Only one (multifrequency) ST pulse is used.
• the MICC accesses the utility by transmitting the directory number assigned to the trunks in the UTT group. Calls to other than UTTs are terminated. Successful calls are routed to die UTT groups associated with the destination COSU.
• the Cancel Call Waiting feature is a feature for customers who normally have Call Waiting to cancel that feature for the following call.
• the Dial Call Waiting feature is a feature whereby customers can activate call waiting by dialing a prescribed number: canceling this feature means that Call Waiting will not be active during the telemetering call.
• Automatic Recall is a feature whereby if the customer dials a predetermined code then a call to the most recently dialed number will be established as soon as the party at that number is available. Clearly, an end user would not wis a to have the telemetry call reinitiated when the COSU became available. Reverse Billing is activated in order to charge the utility for the call.
• Audible Message Waiting signal (usually a stuttered dial tone) is deactivated, so ti at the equipment in the MICC receives normal dial tone, and tiien reactivated because the end user did not yet receive an audible or visual (e.g., message waiting lamp) message waiting signal
• Screen list Blocking and NPA (Numbering Plan Area) Code Restrictions are deactivated to allow the telemetry call to proceed even if the destination would normally be blocked by the customer from making ordinary calls. Other features may be added to this list, if such features would interfere with an inbound telemetry call.
• the COSU signals on-hook to the UTT. This action will cause the switch to transmit a disconnect (800 ms. open) to the MICC.
• the MICC presents an on-hook to the switch and become inactive.
• the switch signals on-hook to the COSU.
• the COSU informs the utility of the terminated call.
• the switch initiates a disconnect (800 ms. open) to the MICC.
• the MICC signals on-hook to the switch and become inactive.
• the switch indicates on-hook to the COSU.
• the COSU indicates on-hook to die switch.
• the COSU informs the utility of the terminated call.
• the end user initiates a telemetry call disconnect by going off-hook.
• the MICC detects die end user off-hook and informs the COSU via a changed signal level.
• the COSU indicates on-hook to die switch.
• the switch signals on-hook to the COSU.
• the COSU informs the utility of the terminated call.
• a data signal can be used by die MICC to inform the COSU of an end user off-hook.
• the MICC initiates d e disconnect by going on-hook.
• the switch indicates on-hook to die COSU.
• the COSU indicates on-hook to die switch.
• the COSU informs the Utility of the terminated call.
• an AMA record is generate ⁇ .
• AMA structure code 00500, Call type 005 is used.
• Standard AMA definitions are used except that originating NPA & Number and terminating NPA & Number are exchanged. This exchange allows for reverse billing to the utility. Answer is defined as die time at which die COSU goes off-hook.
• Disconnect is defined as die time at which die COSU or MICC goes on-hook.
• a special AMA record can be used for such telemetry calls; such a special record may or may not need die end user number and uses a special record indication to identify a telemetry record. Calls to the utility can further be directed by switch based Multiline
• a Multiline Hunt Group distributes inbound utility calls according to one of several types of hunting lists and hunting arrangements.
• the switch based ACD provides intelligent distribution of incoming utility calls and provides management information to die utilities to provide for efficient management of call center resources. For example, the ACD can level die load of die incoming telemetry calls over the utility telephone lines, provide alternate routing of the inbound telemetry calls, and provide call and call center operations data.
• the physical connections between the COSU and die utility are die same as in Outbound service.
• the communications protocol allows for two way initiation, data transfer, and disconnect scenarios.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of die operation of applicant's invention.
• a terminal such as a personal computer (PC) 10 at the office of a utility is connected by a line or connected over an interoffice trunk to a telephone switch 21. Alternatively, it may be connected via a packet network Integrated Services Digital Network
• ISDN Internet Services Inc.
• COSU central office service unit
• the COSU is located herein in a first central office tiiat includes switching system (switch) 21.
• This COSU 20 is connected to a plurality of central office switches, such as switch 21 and 22 by utility telemetry trunks (UTT) which are simple interoffice analog or digital trunks today.
• UTT utility telemetry trunks
• Each of the switches 21 and 22, which may be housed in different wire centers, has a switching network, 23 and 24, respectively, for transmitting communications signals, such as voice signals, and including die meter reading and device control signals of this invention.
• Each of the switches comprises control processor means 26, operative under die control of a program 28, stored in memory 27 for controlling the operations of the switch.
• CU 30 receives from the COSU or from PC 10 through die service unit a signal to transmit data to trigger the MICC into the telemetry mode. Telemetry and control signals are then exchanged between CU 30 and COSU 20 or utility controller 10 and die data received from CU 30 is transmitted from COSU 20 to PC 10 for processing by the utility. Similarly, utility control signals are sent from PC 10 to COSU 20 for transmission to CU 30 to control devices at die customer's home.
• FIG. 1 uses an analog line, transmitting voice band signals, ringing or tone alerting signals, and using direct current detection of supervision.
• ringing as used herein is used for convenience and because of its common use, but is meant to describe any process of customer alerting, including, for example customer tone alerting.
• ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
• the UTT is a conventional interoffice trunk such as an analog or digital E & M type trunk or a common channel signaling trunk.
• Such trunks have arrangements whereby a change of supervision at one end is signaled to die oti er end by a tone (E & M) or by an out of band tone or data signal.
• E & M tone
• Such a trunk passes a supervisory signal, detected at a line circuit and passed by die switch processor to one end of the trunk, to die COSU to effect a disconnect of tiiat unit when a customer goes off-hook in the middle of a utility access call.
• the MICC or COSU detects the off-hook and signals on-hook to die switch to terminate the telemetry call so that die end-user may originate a call.
• the COSU is expanded from prior art COSUs to be connected by trunks to a plurality of switches, such as switch 21,...,22, and is connectable by a plurality of trunks (a trunk group) to each such switch.
• the COSU is also connected to a plurality of utilities and enhanced service providers such as alarm security maintenance, only one of which is shown, which simultaneously establish calls to different customers.
• FIG. 1 shows details of a control unit.
• a protection circuit 40 is used to protect the rest of die control unit 30 against damage caused by electrical signals carrying excessively high energy. Effectively, diis is over-voltage protection. Such protection circuits are well known in the prior art.
• alert circuit 42 is used to detect the initial alerting tones used for signaling a request for a connection to d e meter interface communication circuit (MICC) 46.
• the alert circuit continuously monitors the line when the line is on- hook in order to detect such signals. When such signals are detected, it activates the meter interface communication circuit which communicates with PC 10 to exchange the reading information from meters and the control information on meters 50 and the control information for controlling devices 48.
• the COSU goes on-hook which triggers switch 21 to send a 800 millisecond minimum open loop signal to the CU to signal a disconnect.
• die central office will treat the line as being on- hook. If the customer should pick up his telephone instrument while the outbound communication between the PC and die meter interface unit is going on, switch 21 will detect the off-hook and cause d e communication between the PC and die meter interface unit to be aborted by sending a disconnect signal to die MICC and an on- hook signal to the COSU to terminate die connection. For an inbound telemetry call, the switch receives an off-hook signal from the CU to indicate a request for service.
• die CU 30 and die MICC 46 performs additional functions.
• the MICC 46 controls a switch 52 on customer line 50.
• the MICC 46 applies an off hook signal to the customer line 50.
• the interface unit then places a call to die utility or service bureau.
• the switch 52 on an end user's line overrides the normal telephone customer connection which might otherwise inhibit or block alarm calls whenever the customer is using the line or wishes to use die telephone 54.
• the switch 52 which is controlled by MICC 46 disconnects the customer telephone whenever an alarm device sends out a message, such as an alarm message from alarm device 49, so tiiat the message from the alarm device 49 is transmitted widiout interruption.
• a message such as an alarm message from alarm device 49
• the end user has priority over die telemetry call, and die telemetry call will be disconnected if the end user goes off-hook; the connection dirough switch 52 will not be opened in that case.
• a smart appliance 47 which can be remotely controlled and which can send a report message, for example, a trouble indication message. For such messages, me customer's telephone is not disconnected and, if the customer chooses to make a call while the message is being transmitted, the message is simply retransmitted after the customer disconnects.
• HG. 1 also includes an automatic call distributor (ACD) 24 which is used to distribute calls from a plurality of central office service units to a number of ports in the utility or service bureau 60.
• Switches 71,...,72 are connected to a second central office service unit 70 which is connected to ACD 24.
• ACD 24 is also connected to an overflow service bureau 61 for processing overflow utility traffic.
• the call distributor 24 allows for peaks of traffic from ones of the switches 21,...,22; 71,...,72.
• outputs of central service units 20, 70, 73 can be connected direcdy by a private line, or by a dial-up connection to a single port or to a hunt group via switching network 23 to utility or service bureau 60.
• FIG.2 illustrates the actions performed in an office in response to a remote telemetry call.
• Block 702 indicates tiiat die office receives an origination.
• Block 704 shows the beginning of digit collection.
• Test 706 is used to determine whedier the initial digits are die digits of a special access code such as #67 for identifying tiiis special class of calls. If this is not a special access code tiien the call is treated conventionally (action block 708). If it is a special access code tiien the interfering features assigned to die line are suspended for this call (action block 710) and reverse billing is activated (action block 712).
• die features that are canceled for the duration of die telemetry call are call waiting, screening list outgoing call blocking, outgoing call blocking for specific numbering plan areas (NPAs), and user features such as automatic callback (end user automatically calls last incoming number), automatic recall; (end user automatically calls last outgoing number), audible message waiting signal (stuttered dial tone), and denied origination service.
• NPAs numbering plan areas
• user features such as automatic callback (end user automatically calls last incoming number), automatic recall; (end user automatically calls last outgoing number), audible message waiting signal (stuttered dial tone), and denied origination service.
• any feature which might interfere with the establishment of the telemetry call and d e tone signaling required to transmit data over the telemetry call connection is canceled for the duration of die telemetry call.
• Automatic recall is one feature that is not activated after die call is completed because die last number is now mat of die utility or service bureau, although it would be possible to program the switch to reinstate the feature using the automatic recall number stored in the switch prior to the telemetry call.
• the switch 21 checks for the legitimacy of the dialed number (test 714). Test 714 is necessary to prevent customers from simply making all their calls collect calls by having them dial a special access code. If test 714 finds that die dialed number is that of one of die service bureaus which offer the telemetry service, then the call is completed to me dialed number (action block 716). If not, the call is rejected (action block 717).
• the meter interface communications circuit 46 can perform a handshake operation witii the service bureau, including a password, so that unauthorized callers cannot access a service bureau. Subsequentiy, when the call has been completed and either end disconnects (action block 718), a billing record is prepared for the call, the billing record including reverse charges, and die suspended features for that line are reinstated (action block 722).
• FIG. 3 shows corresponding actions for an ISDN line.
• An ISDN switch receives a set up message from an ISDN line as die initial action (block 802).
• the set up message includes die called directory number.
• the switch checks the Service Access Point Identifier (SAPI) field (test 806) of die set-up message to determine whether or not this is a telemetry call. If it is not a telemetry call, the call is given conventional ISDN call treatment (action block 808). If it is a telemetry call, then the line features are suspended (action block 810) and die rest of the call is handled in essentially die same way as previously described for telemetry calls from analog lines.
• SAPI Service Access Point Identifier

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
• Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)
• Radio Relay Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27169267

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (9)

Citations (3)

• 1993
  • 1993-03-17 RU RU94045829A patent/RU2111625C1/ru active
  • 1993-03-17 WO PCT/US1993/002421 patent/WO1993019555A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-03-17 HU HU9402641A patent/HU215038B/hu not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-03-17 CZ CZ19942283A patent/CZ286799B6/cs not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-03-17 AU AU39215/93A patent/AU668553B2/en not_active Expired
  • 1993-03-17 NZ NZ251541A patent/NZ251541A/en unknown
  • 1993-03-17 BR BR9306124A patent/BR9306124A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1994
  • 1994-09-19 FI FI944331A patent/FI944331A0/sv unknown
  • 1994-09-19 NO NO943476A patent/NO309839B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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