OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/extra.zip/TAM.DOC

Text File | 1994-06-09 | 11KB | 218 lines

TAM Sample Application

Caveat: Although the TAM sample included with this beta is a functional
answering machine, it does not contain the error recovery or feature set
required of a robust application.

Overview
The TAM application is designed to operate both as a standard telephone and
a telephone answering system.  When using either the telephone to take a
call, or the answering system to review messages, the application allows the
user to select either a desk telephone handset or an external
microphone/speaker as an input/output device.  This allows for private
reviewing of messages through the handset, and adds speakerphone capability
to a standard telephone through the microphone and speaker devices.

To implement this dual functionality, the application is defined to operate
in two distinct modes, a 'Telephone' mode and a 'Message Review' mode.  The
operating mode is set by the user, through the 'Mode' pulldown menu.

In 'Telephone' mode, the application acts as a standard telephone.  In this
mode, the system answers incoming calls, plays an announcement, and records
messages.  When system output is set to 'Handset', the desk telephone is
connected directly to the teleph one line.  When the output is set to
'Speaker', the telephone is taken off hook and the system microphone and
speaker are enabled.

In 'Message Review' mode, the application can play recorded messages to
either the speaker or telephone handset.  All message play controls are
located under the 'Play Control' menu.  Note that when message reviewing is
taking place, the system does not ans wer any incoming calls.

The handset volume is not adjustable under the sample application, but the
speaker volume (used for both speakerphone and message review operations)
can be set using the 'Volume' menu.

System Setup

1.  Copy tam.exe and the .tam files to a \tam subdirectory (or other
convenient subdirectory) on your system.

2.  If you wish to add a tam icon to the desktop:

  a.  Open the Templates folder and drag a copy of the Program icon to the
  desktop.

  b.  Enter the following information in Program Settings: path and filename
  of the executable (tam.exe); working directory; title for the icon
  (e.g. TAM).

3.  To start TAM, simply double-click on the TAM  icon (or enter
tam from an OS/2 command line).

The TAM application is mostly self sufficient, but there are some
initialization steps to perform when setting up a new answering system.
Below are specific instructions for the various initialization procedures.

Recording an Announcement

The first step in using the TAM sample application is to record a new
announcement.  This is done by selecting the 'Message Review' mode option
under the 'Mode' menu, and then selecting 'Record Announcement...' under the
'Configure' menu.  A three part dial og box is displayed.

The top portion of the dialog box is used for recording.  The 'Record
from...' box in the upper left hand corner of the dialog box determines the
input recording device.  The default device is set to 'Microphone' so if you
wish to record your announcement f rom the telephone handset, first select
the 'Telephone Handset' button in the 'Record from...' box.

After the input device has been chosen, click on the 'Begin Recording'
button and start speaking (once you hear a beep) into the input device you
have chosen.  When done, click on the 'End Recording' button.  To listen to
the announcement you just recorded, select an output device in the 'Play
to...' box, and click on the 'Play Announcement' button.  The announcement
plays to the output device selected.  If you wish to use the newly recorded
announcement, click on the 'Ok' button.  Otherwise, to keep the old a
nnouncement, click on the 'Cancel' button.

After closing the dialog box, make sure you place the application back into
telephone mode by selecting the 'Telephone' mode option in the 'Mode'
pulldown menu.

Setting the Ring Count
The ring count determines the number of rings before which the system
answers the telephone to record an incoming message.  The TAM application
has two ring counts, one for when messages are available, and one for when
no messages are available.  A common ' toll saver' feature is to set the
device to answer on the first ring when new messages are available, but not
to answer before the fourth ring when there are no new messages.  This
allows the user to hang-up when calling remotely before the system answers
when there are no messages available.

To set the ring count, select the 'Set Ring Count...' item in the
'Configure' menu.  A dialog box is displayed, prompting for the two types of
ring counts.  After entering a new ring count for when messages are
available and one for when no messages available, press the 'OK' button to
use the new counts, or press the 'Cancel' button to abort any changes.

Setting the Command Code
The TAM application allows the user to retrieve messages from a remote
telephone, by calling the device, and when prompted to record a message,
entering instead a 3-digit command code on the touch-tone keypad.  The
command code is configurable, and can be changed any time.  To set a new
command code, select the 'Set Command Code...' item on the 'Configure' menu.
A dialog box prompting for a new command code is displayed.  After entering
a new command code, press the 'OK' button to accept the change, or press the
'Cancel' button to abort any changes and keep the original code.

Using the Speakerphone
In addition to providing the answering machine function, the TAM application
turns any speaker/microphone connected to the Mwave board into a
speakerphone.

Initiating a Speakerphone Call
Before initiating a call for use woth the speakerphone, verify that the
application is in telephone mode by selecting the 'Telephone' option under
the 'Mode' pulldown menu, and that the system is connected to the handset by
selecting the 'Handset' item under the 'Mode' pulldown menu.

Note: These two options should always be set when you are not reviewing
messages.

The speakerphone call is initiated by dialing the desired number using your
standard desk phone.  After the number has been dialed, the speakerphone is
initiated by selecting the 'Speaker' option under the 'Mode' pulldown menu.
After this has been done, yo u can hang-up the telephone handset.

Speakerphone Volume Control
While the speakerphone call is in progress, the output volume of the speaker
can be adjusted by selecting a volume level from the 'Volume' pulldown menu.

Terminating a Speakerphone Call
To terminate a speakerphone call, leave the desk phone handset on hook, and
place the system back into handset connect mode by selecting the 'Handset'
item under the 'Mode' pulldown menu.

Reviewing Messages Locally
The number of active messages on the system is shown in the application
window whenever the application is open on the desktop.  If new messages
arrive while the application is in icon form, new messages can be detected
by the flashing of the icon text.  Th e title bar on the application window
also flashes if new messages have arrived since the last message review.

Playing Recorded Messages
To review messages, select the 'Message Review' mode from the 'Mode'
pulldown menu.  Incoming calls are not be answered while you are in this
mode.

Next, you should select the output device to which to play your messages.
You can play messages to either the telephone handset or the external
speaker.  To use the handset, select the 'Handset' option on the 'Mode'
pulldown menu.  To use an external speake r, select the 'Speaker' option on
the 'Mode' pulldown menu.  When using the speaker, you can adjust the
speaker volume be selecting a new volume level from the 'Speaker Volume'
pulldown menu.

When in message review mode, some of the entries on the 'Play Control'
pulldown menu become visible.  To start reviewing messages, select the
'First' item on the 'Play Control' pulldown menu.  This prompts the system
to play the first active message.  If the 'First' item is grayed on the
menu, then you have no active messages.

After the first message has played, you have a choice of either replaying
the message, keeping the message and playing the next message, or erasing
the message and playing the next message.  To replay the message, select the
'Repeat' option on the 'Play Co ntrol' pulldown menu.  To keep this message
and play the next message in the queue, select the 'Next' option.  To erase
this message and play the next message (if any), select the 'Erase' option.
After playing the second message, you can go back and play th e previous
message by selecting the 'Previous' option.

Note: When you have finished reviewing messages, you should always return
the system to telephone mode by selecting the 'Telephone' mode option under
the 'Mode' pulldown menu.

Message Positioning Controls
While a message is playing, you can step back 5 seconds in the message, step
forward 5 seconds in the message, or pause the message playback.  When
paused, the playback will remain stopped until unpaused (pause selected a
second time).  These options are pe rformed by selecting the 'Back 5
seconds', 'Ahead 5 seconds', or 'Pause' menu entries under the 'Play
Control' pulldown menu.

Message Speed Controls
As well as being able to skip around in a message using 'Step Back' and
'Skip Forward', the TAM application also allows you to set the play speed of
the message, so that you can play back messages at an accelerated or
decelerated rate.  To change the messa ge play speed, select a new speed
(either 'Play Slow', 'Play Normal', or 'Play Fast') from the 'Play Control'
pulldown menu.  The speed setting you choose remains in effect until you
exit the message review mode.

Reviewing Messages Remotely
Message review is also possible using a touch-tone telephone, when calling
from a remote location.  To gain access to the message review mode of the
application, first call the system and let the answering machine answer the
call.  When the announcement beg ins to play, enter the 3 digit command code
you selected during the application setup process.  The system now tells you
how many active messages you have.  At this point, you can begin entering
touch-tone keypad commands to review messages as described in the previous
section.  Below is a list of the available keypad command options:

Message Play Commands:
   Press '1' to play first/next active message
   Press '2' to erase current message and play next active message
   Press '3' to replay or restart the current message
   Press '4' to archive current message and play next active message*

Message Play Control Commands:
   Press '51' to back up 5 seconds in current active message
   Press '52' to pause and resume playing active message
   Press '53' to skip forward 5 seconds in current active message

Note: Message saving is not available under the sample application.  Remote
telephone command operation is one (of many) areas that can be greatly
enhanced in an actual TAM / Voice-Mail application.