ACD: Automatic call distributor. An automated (usually software-driven) system that connects incoming calls to agents based on a distribution algorithm. The system also gathers traffic-analysis statistics, such as number of calls per hour, average time holding, and call length.
agent: An operator, transcriber, telemarketing or sales representative, or other employee. In this guide, agent refers to any person using an analog station device who can be connected to a caller or recorded message through the MSI/SC board.
A-Law: A pulse-code modulation (PCM) algorithm used in digitizing telephone audio signals in E-1 areas.
analog: In this guide, analog refers to agent communications between a headset and the MSI/SC or to the loop-start type of network interface.
asynchronous function: Allows program execution to continue without waiting for a task to complete. See synchronous function.
automatic call distribution: See ACD.
baseboard: A term used in voice processing to mean a printed circuit board without any daughterboards attached.
blocking mode: When a telephone call cannot be completed, it is said that the call is "blocked." In blocking mode, it is said that the caller is "receiving a busy."
channel: 1. When used in reference to a Dialogic digital expansion board, a data path, or the activity happening on that data path. 2. When used in reference to the CEPT telephony standard, one of 32 digital data streams (30 voice, 1 framing, 1 signaling) carried on the 2.048 MHz/sec E-1 frame. (See time slot.) 3. When used in reference to a bus, an electrical circuit carrying control information and data.
data structure: C programming term for a data element consisting of fields, where each field may have a different type definition and length. The elements of a data structure usually share a common purpose or functionality, rather than being similar in size, type, etc.
daughterboard: In the context of this guide, the MSI/SC daughterboard assembly. The daughterboard enables the MSI/SC hardware to interface to analog station devices.
device: Any computer peripheral or component that is controlled through a software device driver.
digital: Information represented as binary code.
DIP switch: A switch usually attached to a printed circuit board with two settings- on or off. DIP switches are used to configure the board in a semipermanent way.
driver: A software module that provides a defined interface between a program and the hardware.
DTMF: Dual Tone Multi-Frequency. DTMF refers to the combination of two tones which represents a number on a telephone key pad. Each push-button has its own unique combination of tones.
E-1: Another name given to the CEPT digital telephony format devised by the CCITT that carries data at the rate of 2.048 Mbps (DS-1level). This service is available in Europe and some parts of Asia.
event: An unsolicited communication from a hardware device to an operating system, application, or driver. Events are generally attention-getting messages, allowing a process to know when a task is complete or when an external event occurs.
Extended Attribute functions: Class of functions that take one input parameter (a valid Dialogic device handle) and return device-specific information.
full-duplex: Transmission in two directions simultaneously, or more technically, bi-directional, simultaneous two-way communications.
host PC: The system PC in which Dialogic hardware and software are installed and applications are run and/or developed.
IRQ: Interrupt request. A signal sent to the central processing unit (CPU) to temporarily suspend normal processing and transfer control to an interrupt handling routine. Interrupts may be generated by conditions such as completion of an I/O process, detection of hardware failure, power failures, etc.
loop start interfaces: Devices, such as an analog telephones, that receive an analog electric current. For example, taking the receiver off hook closes the current loop and initiates the calling process.
Mu-Law: The PCM coding and companding standard used in Japan and North America (T-1 areas).
MSI/SC: Modular Station Interface. An SCbus-based Dialogic expansion board that interfaces SCbus time slots to analog station devices.
PC: Personal computer. In this guide, the term refers to an IBM Personal Computer or compatible machine.
PCM: Pulse Code Modulation. The most common method of encoding an analog voice signal into a digital bit stream. PCM refers to one technique of digitization. It does not refer to a universally accepted standard of digitizing voice.
rfu: Reserved for future use.
SCbus: Signal Computing bus. A hardwired connection between Switch Handlers (SC2000 chips) on SCbus-based products for transmitting information over 1024 time slots to all devices connected to the SCbus.
SCbus routing functions: Setup communications between devices connected to the SCbus. These functions enable an application to connect or disconnect (make or break) the receive (listen) channel of a device to or from an SCbus time slot.
SCSA: Signal Computing System Architecture. A generalized open-standard architecture describing the components and specifying the interfaces for a signal processing system for the PC-based voice processing, call processing and telecom switching industry.
Signal Computing System Architecture: See SCSA.
SpringBoard: A Dialogic expansion board using digital signal processing to emulate the functions of other products. The SpringBoard is a development platform for Dialogic products such as the D/121B.
SRL: Standard Runtime Library containing Event Management functions, Standard Attribute functions, and data structures that are used by all Dialogic devices.
Standard Attribute functions: Class of functions that take one input parameter (a valid Dialogic device handle) and return generic information about the device. The Dialogic SRL contains Standard Attribute functions for all Dialogic devices. Standard Attribute function names are case-sensitive and must be in capital letters. See Extended Attribute functions.
synchronous function: Blocks program execution until a value is returned by the device. Also called a blocking function. See asynchronous function.
T-1: The digital telephony format used in North America and Japan that carries data at the rate of 1.544 Mbps (DS-1 level).
time slot: In a digital telephony environment, a normally continuous and individual communication (for example, someone speaking on a telephone) is (1) digitized, (2) broken up into pieces consisting of a fixed number of bits, (3) combined with pieces of other individual communications in a regularly repeating, timed sequence (multiplexed), and (4) transmitted serially over a single telephone line. The process happens at such a fast rate that, once the pieces are sorted out and put back together again at the receiving end, the speech is normal and continuous. Each individual pieced-together communication is called a time slot.
ziptone: Short burst of a specified tone to an ACD agent headset usually indicating a call is being connected to the agent console.
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