POTS battery removal for IP/ATM-based network equipment

• US 20060239417A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Edmon, Eugene L., Dement, Mark Lamar, Walker, Bryan David
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

The present invention discusses a method and apparatus for selectively providing a power to an alarm system, such as the power source provided by a telephone company, to alarm equipment located at customer'"'"'s premises in a Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) telephone network. This power source is commonly used to power the POTS lines in a Service Provider'"'"'s network. Two signals, one relating to the optical connectivity of the network and one relating to the connectivity of virtual circuits, are monitored at the customer premises. A logical operation is performed so as to remove a power source if either of the two signals is lost.

Claims

1. A method for selectively providing power to customer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:

obtaining a signal related to connectivity of a communication link; and

selectively providing power the CPE based on the at least one obtained signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the signal further comprises obtaining a virtual circuit of the communication link and obtaining a signal related to optical connectivity of the communication link.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connectivity of a virtual circuit further comprises an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) signal at a customer premises.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the signal related to optical connectivity further comprises a signal from a device that converts between optical signals received from the communication link and electronic signals usable in a CPE.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively providing power further comprises:

performing a logical operation on the signal to determine whether to provide power.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing power further comprises reducing power upon the loss of the signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the power is provided to an alarm system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the alarm system notifies an outside emergency unit.

11. An apparatus for selectively providing power to customer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:

a circuit that receives a signal related to connectivity of a communication link; and

a processor that selectively provides power to the CPE based on the signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication link comprises Fiber to the Premises (FTTP).

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication link comprises voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the signal comprises a virtual circuit of the communication link and a signal related to optical connectivity of the communication link.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the connectivity of a virtual circuit further comprises an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) signal at the CPE.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one signal related to optical connectivity further comprises a signal from a device that converts between optical signals received from the communication link and electronic signals usable in the CPE.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein selectively providing power further comprises a logical gate that performs a logical operation on the obtained signals to determine whether to provide power.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein providing power further comprises reducing power from a power source upon the loss of the signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the power is provided to an alarm system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the alarm system notifies an outside emergency unit.