FoneALIVE! User's Guide

FoneALIVE! is a new product designed to automatically detect unattended
telephone access system lockups. Once it detects the lockup, it removes
power from the system for 30 seconds which restores proper operation and
is called a restart.

FoneALIVE! will work with any of the following applications:

a. Any computer/modem combination.
b. Both internal and external modems can be monitored.
c. Fax machines can be monitored.
d. Voice mail systems can be monitored.
e. Normal voice telephone operation is ignored.

FoneALIVE! contains the following features and functions:

1. Circuit Breaker - Provides short circuit protection.

2. Power Switch (lighted rocker switch on front panel) - Provides a means
to turn off power to the FoneALIVE! unit and any device connected to it.

3. Disable Switch - Provides a means for an operator to disable the
monitoring features when local use requires abnormal telephone usage.
When disabled, the status display is extinguished.

4. RINGS-COUNT - This function will detect when the system fails to
answer incoming telephone rings. When a ring is answered, the rings count
is cleared to zero. When the 7th consecutive unanswered ring occurs, a
lockup condition is detected and a restart is conducted. 

5. BAD-CALLS - This function will detect system lockups when the caller
is connecting to the system, but the system is not responding properly to
caller requests. An example would be a modem operating in auto-answer
mode with it's computer locked up. When a call (off-hook condition) is
longer than 25 seconds and shorter than 45 seconds in duration, that call is
classified as a bad call. A counter records the number of bad calls received.
When a normal call is received (duration greater than 45 seconds), the bad
calls count is cleared to zero. When the 7th consecutive bad call occurs, a
lockup condition is detected and a restart is conducted.

6. OFF-HOOK-TIMER - This function is designed to detect when a caller
hangs up, but the system doesn't place the modem back on-hook. This
function also detects when the system goes off-hook to answer a call but
locks up before servicing that call. When a call is answered, but dial-
tone/voice/fax/modem energy is absent for longer than four minutes, a
lockup condition is declared and a restart is conducted.

7. EVENT - This function is provided so the system can conduct outbound
calls while unattended. If your EVENT activity becomes locked-up, a two
hour timer expires and a restart is conducted.

The EVENT function is commanded ON/OFF through the use of modem
commands which send a series of switch-hook signals within a specified time
period. If you intend to use the EVENT function, please refer to Appendix
A, Detailed Event Instructions.

8. Restart Counts - When restarts occur, the "A" display for active and
awaiting calls changes to the restart count. This is a warning that restarts
have occurred and may warrant further investigation as to what is causing
them. After one hour, restart counts of 4 or less will self clear and the
number will change back to "A". The next paragraph provides more details.

9. FAIL Protection - This function provides automatic protection against
excessive restarts of the monitored system when a permanent failure occurs.
If the telephone line goes dead, FoneALIVE! will see this as an off-hook
condition and the OFF-HOOK-TIMER would cause restarts about every six
and one half minutes. If the monitored device were to fail, then restarts
would occur during every 7th ring. These excessive power cycles could
cause further damage to the monitored system. To prevent excessive restarts
yet allow the monitored system to recover from temporary failures, two
separate timers are involved.

When the first restart occurs, a 60 minute timer is started. When the 60
minute timer expires and the FoneALIVE! device has not accumulated 5
restart counts, the restart counts are cleared to zero. This will allow up to
four restarts per 60 minutes without going to failed status. If the 5th restart
occurs during the 60 minute period, the FoneALIVE! device goes to failed
status. In failed status, the FoneALIVE! device no longer monitors the
telephone line, but starts a 120 minute retry timer.

When the 120 minute retry timer expires, the restarts counter is decremented
by two counts from 5 to 3; the 60 minute timer is restarted; and a restart is
conducted which increments the restarts count back to 4. If the monitored
system recovers properly, no further restarts will occur for the next 60
minutes, and the 60 minute timer will expire and clear the restarts count
back to zero. If the monitored system does not respond properly; the next
restart will cause a failed status, start the 120 minute retry timer, and
repeat this sequence every 120 minutes. This feature reduces excessive restarts
while allowing an unattended system to recover if the temporary problem
disappears.