SOLID STATE DIAL SELECTOR SIGNALLING APPARATUS

• US 3,790,718 A
• Filed: 12/21/1970
• Issued: 02/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edgar W. Jenkins Jr
• Original Assignee: Edgar W. Jenkins Jr
• Inventors: Jenkins, Edgar W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US05/099,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 179/17D,99,84SS,18AD,1H,17E,37-40
• US Class Current: 379/181
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 5/02 with direct connection for all subscribers, i.e. party-line systems H04Q5/24 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention comprises a separate signalling apparatus for use with a party line communications system to signal the called party. Each station includes a dial selector interconnected to all telephone instruments of the other stations for producing an output to the associated decoder and ringer units when its station is dialed. The decoder unit provides a go or no-go signal to actuate the ringer only when its station is being called. Integrated chips and JK flip-flops provide a reliable solid state apparatus. For use with an intercom system, the stations share a single dial selector but the other components are the same.

Claims

1. In a dial party line communication system for a plurality of stations;

separate solid state signalling apparatus operable by dial pulses for association with each of the plurality of stations;

said signalling apparatus comprising means for independently producing dial pulses at each station;

dial selector means at each station connected together for stepping in like predetermined sequence by dial pulses originated from any station;

a plurality of output connections for each dial selector means activated in said like sequence; and

decode gate ringer means for each station respectively connected to an assigned output connection of the dial selector means of its station;

said associated ringer means activated by a unique number of pulses and responsive to selective operation only by the dial selector means of its station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising N number of stations and N number of output connections for each dial selector means;

the output connections of the dial selector means of Station No. N comprising a lead from the Nth number output connection to the N station decode ringer means; and

connections between the dial selector means and decode ringer means of all other respective stations being selectively from the output connections of the selector means in accordance with the station number.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for producing pulse dial pulse comprise a telephone and further comprising a connection from the decode ringer means to the telephone at each station.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising reset means at each station operable by its associated telephone to reset the dial selector means and the decode ringer means at the respective station.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a connection from each telephone to the connected together dial selector means of all stations.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each decode ringer means comprises a timer circuit;

bistable means responsive thereto; and

driver means responsive to the bistable means.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each dial selector means comprises a JK connected counting chain of flip flops and input means for operating the JK chain of flip flops in accordance with dial pulses received by said dial selector means;

the output connections from the dial selector means being respectively taken from the stages of the JK flip flop chain.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising reset means at each station for resetting the dial selector means at the respective stations;

and means responsive to the decode ringer means for causing ringing at each station. causing ringing at each station.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each dial selector means comprise a JK chain of flip flops and the output connections for each dial selector means comprises output leads for the respective stages of the JK flip flop chain.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the decode ringer means for each station comprises timing means;

bistable means responsive to the timing means; and

means for driving the ringing means in response to operation of the bistable means.

11. In a party line communication system, solid state signalling apparatus for association with a plurality of stations;

said signalling apparatus comprising means for independently producing dial pulses at each station;

dial selector means at each station operable in like stepping sequence by dial pulses originated from any station;

a plurality of output connections for each dial selector means adapted to be sequentially energized to a predetermined level of energization by the dial pulses until the dial selector means is reset;

decode gate ringer means for each station responsive only to selective operation of the associated dial selector means at the respective stations;

ringing means disposed at each station in the decode gate ringer means;

said decode gate ringer means comprising an input lead connected to one of said output connections;

capacitor charging means connected to each input lead;

means for causing the capacitor charging means to charge to a predetermined level in response to persistence of said predetermined energization level applied to said input lead;

means responsive to the predetermined level of capacitor charge to discharge the capacitor and means responsive to the capacitor charge and discharge to produce pulsing ringing signalling at said ringing means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means responsive to the predetermined capacitor charging level comprises unijuncTion means.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for independently producing dial pulses at each station comprises telephones;

and reset means at each station effective to reset the dial selector means upon hang up.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 comprising means at each station to render said means responsive to the capacitor charge and discharge ineffective upon answer at the station dialed.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each dial selector means comprises a chain of flip flops connected in stages for sequential operation to said predetermined level of energization in accordance with the dialed pulses.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising an input circuit for the chain of flip flops responsive to off hook condition of any station to arm the chain of flip flops for stepping by rendering the reset means ineffective.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said input circuit comprises settable means for precluding signals applied to the input circuit other than dial pulses from initiating stepping of the flip flop stages.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said input circuit further comprises gate mean respectively gated effective for each dial pulse to cause stepping of the flip flop stages.

19. In a party line communication system, signalling apparatus for association with a plurality of stations;

said signalling apparatus comprising means for independently producing dial pulses at each station;

dial selector means at each station respectively interconnected and operable in like stepping sequence by dial pulses originated from any station except the dial selector means at the dialing station;

means at each station precluding stepping of its dial selector means when the associated station is dialing;

a like plurality of output connections for each dial selector means;

said output connections of each dial selector means sequentially energized to a predetermined level of energization by the dial pulses except for the dialing station dial selector output connections;

decode gate ringer means for each station connected to only one output connection of its station and responsive only to selective operation of the associated dial selector means at the respective stations to respectively different numbers of dialed pulses;

ringing means disposed at each station responsive to operation of the decode gate ringer means, delay means in the decode gate ringer means precluding operation of the ringing means for a predetermined period after energization of the decode gate ringer means whereby ringing at unselected stations is avoided, said dial selector means comprising a chain of JK connected flip flop stages; and

said output connections being in circuit with the respective stages.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said JK chain of flip flop stages comprises an input circuit;

means in said input circuit for discriminating dial pulses and stepping the flip flop stages in accordance with dial pulses only.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said input circuit further comprises means responsive to signals occasioned by any station preparing to transmit dial pulses;

said last mentioned means arming the dial selector means.

22. Signalling apparatus for use in conjunction with a party line communications system having a plurality of stations with a telephone instrument at each station comprising, in combination, a plurality of dial selector means respectively at the stations and having respectively a different output connection for each of said stations;

each dial selector means comprising a JK chain of flip flop stages connected as a stepping counter;

the output connections respectively connected to different stages for the stations;

decode gate means at each station responsive to an output connection of the dial selector means respectively for each station;

means connecting each telephone instrument to the dial selecting means to enable dial selective signalling of any other station;

said decode gate means of any station dialed being cOnnected to signal calling at the station dialed;

each of said decode gate means comprising an input lead connected to the output connection to which it is responsive;

capacitor charging means;

means for causing the capacitor charging means to charge to a predetermined level via the input lead in response to calling the associated station;

means responsive to the predetermined level of capacitor charge to discharge the capacitor; and

means responsive to the capacitor charge and discharge to produce pulsing ringing signalling at the called station.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 comprising reset means at each station between the telephone instrument and its decode gate means.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 comprising means at each station to render said means responsive to the capacitor charge and discharge ineffective upon answer at the station dialed.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said dial selector means comprises an input circuit for the chain of flip flops responsive to off hook condition of any station to arm the chain of flip flops for stepping in accordance with dialed pulses.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said input circuit comprises settable means for precluding signals applied to the input circuit other than dial pulses from initiating stepping of th flip flop stages.

27. In a party line intercom communication system, signalling apparatus for association with a plurality of stations;

said signalling apparatus comprising means for independently producing dial pulses at each station;

dial selector means common to all stations and operable in stepping sequence by dial pulses originated from any station;

output connections for the dial selector means adapted to be sequentially energized to a predetermined level of energization by the dial pulses;

decode gate ringer means for each station responsive respectively to said output connections by selective operation of the common dial selector means; and

ringing mean disposed at each station responsive to operation of the decode gate ringer means at each station;

said dial selector mans comprising a chain of JK connected flip flop stages; and

said output connections being in circuit with the respective stages.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said JK chain of flip flop stages comprises an input circuit;

means in said input circuit for discriminating dial pulses and stepping the flip flop stages in accordance with dial pulses only.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said decode gate ringer means each comprise an input lead connected to one of said output connections;

capacitor charging means;

means for causing the capacitor charging means to charge to a predetermined voltage level in response to persistence of said predetermined energization level applied to said input lead;

means responsive to the predetermined level of capacitor charge to discharge the capacitor; and

means responsive to the capacitor charge and discharge to produce pulsing ringing signalling at the ringing means disposed at the dialed station.