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- Automatic Number Identification
-
-
- Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is nothing more than automatic means
- for immediately identifying the Directory Number of a calling subscriber. This
- process made it possible to utilize CAMA* (Centralized Automatic Message
- Accounting) systems in SxS, Panel, and Xbar #1 offices.
-
- The identity of the calling line is determined by ANI circuits installed
- in the types of CO's mentioned above. Xbar#5 offices have their own AMA
- (Automatic Message Accounting) equipment and utilize an AMA translator for
- automatically identifying the calling line.
-
- Before ANI was developed, each subscriber line (also called a local loop)
- had a mechanical marking device that kept track of toll charges. These devices
- were manually photographed at the end of the billing period and the amount of
- the subscribers bill was determined from that. This process was time
- consuming, so a new system (ANI) was developed.
-
- The major components of the ANI system used in SxS and Crossbar #1 are:
-
- Directory number network and bus arrangement* for connecting the sleeve (the
- lead that is added to the R(ing) and T(ip) wires of a cable pair at the MDF*
- (Main Distribution Frame));
-
- A lead of each line number through an identifier connector to the identifier
- circuit;
-
- Outpulser and Identifier connector circuit to seize an idle Identifier;
-
- Identifier circuit to ascertain the calling party's number and send it to the
- outpulser for subsequent transmission through the outpulser link to the ANI
- outgoing trunk;
-
- An ANI outgoing trunk to a Tandem office equipped with a CAMA system.
-
- The following is a synopsis of the ANI operations with respect to a toll
- call through a #1Xbar office. The call is handled in the normal manner by the
- CO equipment and is routed through an ANI outgoing trunk to a Tandem office.
- The identification process starts as soon as all digits of the called number
- are received by the CAMA sender in the Tandem office and when the district
- juncture in the Xbar office advances to its cut-through position (a position
- of the connecting circuits or paths between the line-link and trunk-link
- frames in the CO).
-
- Upon receiving the start identification signal from the CAMA equipment,
- the ANI outgoing trunk (OGT) establishes a connection through an outpulser
- link to an idle outpulser circuit. An idle identifier is then seized by the
- outpulser circuit through an internal Identifier connector unit. Then the
- identifier through the connector unit connects to the directory number network
- and bus system.
-
- At the same time, the identifier will signal the ANI trunk to apply a
- 5800Hz identification tone to the sleeve lead of the ANI trunk. The tone is
- transmitted at a two-volt level over the S lead paths through the directory
- number network and bus system. It will be attenuated or decreased to the
- microvolt range by the time the identifier circuit is reached, necessitating
- a 120dB voltage amplification by the amplifier detector equipment in the
- identifier to insure proper digit identification and registration operations.
-
- A single ANI installation can serve as many as six CO's in a multi-office
- building. The identifier starts its search for the calling line number by
- testing or scanning successively the thousands secondary buses of each CO.
- When the 5800Hz signal is detected, the identifier grounds corresponding leads
- to the outpulser, to first register the digit of the calling office and then
- the thousands digit of the calling subscriber's number. The outpulser
- immediately translates the digit representing the calling office code into its
- own corresponding three digit office code. The identifier continues its
- scanning process successively on the groups of hundreds, tens, and units
- secondary buses in the calling office, and the identified digits of the
- calling number are also registered and translated in the outpulser's relay
- equipment for transmission to the tandem office. The outpulser is equipped
- with checking and timing features to promptly detect and record troubles
- encountered (This process may be responsible for some of the cards found while
- trashing). Upon completion of the scanning process, it releases the identifier
- and proceeds to outpulse in MF tones the complete calling subscriber's number
- to the CAMA equipment in the tandem office in the format of KP+X+PRE+SUFF+ST
- where the X is an information digit. The information digits are as follows:
-
- 0-Automatic Identification (normal) 1-Operator Identification (ONI)*
- 2-Identification Failure (ANIF)*
-
- (There is also other types of outpulsing of ANI information if the calling
- line has some sort of restriction on it).
-
- When all digits have been transmitted and the ANI trunk is cut-through for
- talking, the outpulser releases.
-
- In the tandem office, the calling party's number is recorded on tape in
- the CAMA equipment together with other data required for billing purposes.
- This information, including the time of when the called station answered and
- the time of disconnect, goes on AMA tapes.
- The tapes themselves are usually standard reel to reel magnetic tape, and are
- sent to the Revenue Accounting Office or RAO at the end of the billing period.
-
- So, to sum the entire ANI process up:
-
- The toll call is made. The CO routes the call through ANI trunks where an idle
- identifier is seized which then connects to the directory number network and
- bus system while signalling the ANI trunk to apply the needed 5800Hz tone to
- the Sleeve. The identifier begins a scanning process and determines the
- calling office number and the digits of the calling subscriber's number, which
- is sent by way of the outpulser in MF tones to the CAMA equipment in the
- tandem office. The call information is recorded onto AMA tapes and used to
- determine billing.
-
- Note that your number does show up on the AMA tape, if the circumstances
- are correct, (any toll call, whether it is from a message-rate line or from a
- flat-rate line). However, the AMA tapes do not record the calling line number
- in any separated format. They are recorded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
-
-
- Misc. Footnotes (denoted by an asterisk in the main article)
- ---------------
-
- * ANIF-Automatic Number Identification Failure. This is when the ANI equipment
- does not work properly, and could occur due to a wide variety of
- technicalities. When ANIF occurs, something called ONI (Operator Number
- Identification) is used. The call is forwarded to a TSPS operator who requests
- the calling line number by saying something similar to 'What number are you
- calling from?'
-
- * CAMA-Centralized Automatic Message Accounting. CAMA is a system that records
- call details for billing purposes. CAMA is used from a centralized location,
- usually a Tandem office. CAMA is usually used to serve class 5 End Offices in
- a rural area near a large city which contains a Tandem or Toll Office. CAMA is
- similar to LAMA, except LAMA is localized in a specific CO and CAMA is not.
-
- * The Directory Number Network and bus system is a network involved with the
- ANI process. It is a grid of vertical and horizontal buses, grouped and
- classified as Primary or Secondary. There are 100 vertical and 100 horizontal
- buses in the Primary system. In the Secondary system, there are two sub-
- groups: Bus system #1 and Bus system #2, both of which have ten horizontal and
- vertical buses. These buses as a whole are linked to the Identifier in the ANI
- trunk and are responsible for identifying tens, hundreds, thousands and units
- digits of the calling number (After the Identifier begins its scanning
- process).
-
- * MDF-Main Distribution Frame. This is the area where all cable pairs of a
- certain office meet, and a third wire, the Sleeve wire, is added. The Sleeve
- wire is what is used in gathering ANI information, as well as determining a
- called lines status (off/on hook) in certain switching systems by presence of
- voltage. (voltage present on Sleeve, line is busy, no voltage, line is idle.)
-
- * ONI-Operator Number Identification. See ANIF footnote.
-
- NOTE: There are also other forms of Automatic Message Accounting, such as LAMA
- (Local Automatic Message Accounting). LAMA is used in the class 5 End Office
- as opposed to CAMA in a Toll Office. If your End Office had LAMA, then the ANI
- information would be recorded at the local level and sent from there. The LAMA
- arrangement may be computerized, in which it would denoted with a C included
- (LAMA-C or C-LAMA).
-
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-