UNPOWERED TWISTED PAIR LOOPBACK CIRCUIT FOR DIFFERENTIAL MODE SIGNALING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic circuit for receiving a differential mode signal on a first pair of conductors and transmitting a signal on a second pair of conductors, the circuit comprising:
- a first steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a first electrical signal on one of the second pair of conductors;
a second steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a second electrical signal on the other of the second pair of conductors, the first and second electrical signals together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal and wherein the first steering circuit and the second steering circuit are respectively combined to generate the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal; and
circuitry responsive to application of the DC voltage level and configured to disable the second steering circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus provide an IP telephone or similar device with a mechanism to receive and at least briefly loop back discovery signals received from a telecommunications device such as an Ethernet switch while not permitting the loop back of data packet signals. No mechanical relays are required and the circuitry can be fully integrated on an integrated circuit using commonly available techniques, if desired.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic circuit for receiving a differential mode signal on a first pair of conductors and transmitting a signal on a second pair of conductors, the circuit comprising:
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a first steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a first electrical signal on one of the second pair of conductors; a second steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a second electrical signal on the other of the second pair of conductors, the first and second electrical signals together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal and wherein the first steering circuit and the second steering circuit are respectively combined to generate the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal; and circuitry responsive to application of the DC voltage level and configured to disable the second steering circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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2. A method for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at a network device on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the network device on a second pair of conductors, the method comprising:
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receiving the differential mode signal; applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; generating a first electrical signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; and generating a second electrical signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit, the first and second electrical signals together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal being generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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3. A method for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at a network device on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the network device on a second pair of conductors, the method comprising:
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receiving the differential mode signal; applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; generating a first signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; generating a second signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit; and transmitting the first and second signals on the second pair of conductors.
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4. An apparatus for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at a network device on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the network device on a second pair of conductors, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the differential mode signal; means for applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; means for generating a first electrical signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; and means for generating a second electrical signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit, the first and second electrical signal together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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5. An apparatus for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at a network device on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the network device on a second pair of conductors, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the differential mode signal; means for applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; means for generating a first signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; means for generating a second signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal; and means for transmitting the first and second signals on the second pair of conductors.
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6. A system including a voice over IP telephone switch and at least one voice over IP telephone, the telephone including an apparatus for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at the telephone on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the telephone on a second pair of conductors, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the differential mode signal; means for applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; means for generating a first electrical signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; and means for generating a second electrical signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit, the first and second electrical signal together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal.
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7. A system including a voice over IP telephone switch and at least one voice over IP telephone, the telephone including an apparatus for controlling the loop back of a differential mode signal received at the telephone on a first pair of conductors and transmitted from the telephone on a second pair of conductors, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the differential mode signal; means for applying the differential mode signal to a first steering circuit and a second steering circuit; means for generating a first signal to be transmitted on a first one of the second pair of conductors with the first steering circuit; means for generating a second signal to be transmitted on a second one of the second pair of conductors with the second steering circuit, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal; and means for transmitting the first and second signals on the second pair of conductors. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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8. A system including a voice over IP telephone switch and at least one voice over IP telephone, the voice over IP telephone device for receiving a differential mode signal on a first pair of conductors and transmitting a loop back signal on a second pair of conductors, the device comprising:
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a first steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a first electrical signal on one of the second pair of conductors; and a second steering circuit responsive to the differential mode signal on the first pair of conductors and configured to generate a second electrical signal on the other of the second pair of conductors, the first and second electrical signals together constituting a loop back of the differential mode signal, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal generated using a signal level power of the received differential mode signal.
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Specification