Connecting Application Server to VIM NT8B89DA

[BikeTours]

I am exploring how to connect an application server with its associated telephony board to Norstar. Ideally we will be connecting to an FXS interface that will also provide disconnect supervision.

An earlier posting confirmed my suspicion that it would be difficult to use an analog interface to connect Norstar to the application server. One posting suggested that a Voice Mail Interface, if still available, could be used.

Again, I actually work for the application server developer, and unfortunately I don't have access to a Norstar switch or indepth Norstar documentation. I was able to source some on-line documentation that suggested the same thing; for analog connections requiring Disconnect Supervision a Voice Mail Interface Unit is required.

I was not able to source much information on the NT8B89DA Voice Mail Interface unit, nothing much more than its function:

"It allows the connection of a third party stand-alone auto attendant/voice mail system to a Norstar. This interface provides the basics of intergration; forward to personal greeting, return to operator, and message notification."

I have some additional questions on this unit that I hope you Norstar gurus can answer.



The VIM sounds like what I am looking for, it sounds like it is an FXS device, providing battery current, ringing and dialtone, but in addition disconnect supervision as well.

Question 1:
Can you confirm that indeed the VIM has this functionality?


At its most basic my application needs to off-hook when a call rings in, process the call and then on-hook again, when the remote end hangs up. Likely the call will come in from the PSTN over a DID trunk, or a Norstar extension will connect to the application server while in a conference call with a PSTN caller. If digits [calling number etc] are provided off the network the application maybe able to use that information.

Since the VIM was designed for voicemail connections, my concern is that it maybe looking for return signals that my application server won't provide. Hence the following quesitons:

Question 2:
Should my application server be able to work to the VIM unit without issue?
Question 2b:
Will the VIM unit provide anything on the network like calling line ID, or voice mail box ID - something like that?



Thanks in Advance

 

[Bgun]

Are you working with MS speech server to a dialogic board off of the Norstar?

 

[BikeTours]

Different application server, and different telephone board but since the boards have to be designed to a common telephony interface I am sure the issues are the same.

Does the VIM provide a basic FXS interface [dialtone, ringing, and battery] with disconnect supervision to anything attached behind it?

 

[Bgun]

I have setup MS speech though the dialogic card and am still developing the application side, however the VMI answers (2) rings it will pass Caller ID and dtmf. My application transfers to a dn connected to the FXS card and then the VMI is done with the call, the server is completly IVR so I dont need to pass dtmf. I went this route because the problems your facing now.

 

[Bgun]

Also disconnect supervision is don on the CO side.

 

[BikeTours]

If I understand you right you have your application server hanging off the VMI unit. The way your application functions it processes the call using voice only, and as a final stage it transfers the call back through the VMI unit and to a Norstar extension.

Assuming you have a call coming in from the PSTN a Norstar trunk card, that presumably has Disconnect Supervision, faces the Central Office. This trunk card terminates the call, and then the Norstar equipment routes the call to the VMI Unit and onto your application server.

The good news that I understand from your message is that the VMI seems to act like a regular POTS interface; it answers a ring signal and forwards calling Line ID and DTMF information.

I would infer from your message that the Central Office lines bringing traffic into the Norstar are DID, and that the Norstar routes traffic directly to the VMI port using this DID information. Effectively then the VMI can be assigned a directory Number like any other extension on the system and have a PSTN call route directly to it.


Question

Is my understanding of your overall design correct? Is my assumption that you can assign the VMI a DN number and route PSTN traffic directly to the VMI interface via a CO DID service correct?




I am still not clear on the disconnect supervision question.


Presumably you will have fewer issues in recognizing remote disconnects because your application server would typically be the first device to on-hook. There undoubtedly will be a situation where a remote PSTN caller on-hooks as soon as they hear they are into an IVR system. The Norstar trunk card would then see the disconnect supervision signal from the Central Office but persumably your application server would still be off-hook and would not automatically on-hook UNLESS!

I understand that the VMI unit is capable of providing a disconnect supervision signal, presumably it picks that information off the Norstar trunk facing the Central Office.

Question
Does your application server see a disconnect supervision signal on the VMI line such that it knows to on-hook and reset the line, or are you forced to use something like a voice activity detection process when as in the above situation a caller on-hooks before stepping through the whole IVR application?