Telephone extension system utilizing power line carrier signals

• US 4,479,033 A
• Filed: 03/29/1982
• Issued: 10/23/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Phonex Broadband Corp.
• Original Assignee: Astech, Inc. (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Brown, William M., Dunn, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, Gene Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brady, W. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/363,063
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2.51, 179/2 A, 179/2 AM, 179/3, 179/4, 179/2 EA, 370/69-71, 370/76, 340/310 R, 340/310 A
• US Class Current: 455/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

A power line telephone extension system for carrying electrical signals between a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a conventional telephone communication system and the subscriber'"'"'s remote transmit-receiver device, (such as a conventional extension telephone), over the AC electric power wires available to the subscriber which includes: master linking circuits for processing signals between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and the AC power wires; extension linking circuits for processing signals between the AC power wires and the subscriber'"'"'s remote transmit-receive device, such as a conventional extension telephone; and a directional coupler circuit electrically coupling the remote transmit-receive device and the telephone line. The extension system is quite suitable for use with the presently available, well known, conventional extension telephone that plugs in by the plug (modular or 4 prong) provided therewith, to the directional coupler. Thus, the extension phone can then be used along with the extension linking circuits at any location at the subscriber'"'"'s premises where there is access to the AC power wires.

Claims

1. A power line telephone extension system for carrying electrical signals between a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a conventional telephone communication system and the subscriber'"'"'s extension telephone over available electric power wires comprising,

(a) a master location including master linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and power wires,

(b) an extension location along said power wires including an extension telephone having a tip line and extension linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the extension telephone and power wires and

(c) a directional coupler electrically coupled between the extension linking circuits and the extension telephone,

(d) the directional coupler including first and second coils inductively coupled together

(e) the first coil being in electrical series with the extension telephone tip line and

(f) the second coil being coupled at one end to a first signal flow path in the extension linking circuits and at the other end to a second signal flow path in the extension linking circuits,

(g) whereby the power wires carry the electrical signals between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and extension telephone and signals from the extension telephone to the telephone line flow along the first path while signals from the telephone line to the extension flow along the second path.

2. A system as is claim 1 wherein,

(a) first and second signal flow paths are also provided in the master linking circuits,

(b) means are provided for coupling each of the master signal flow paths to the power wires,

(c) means are provided for coupling each of the extension signal flow paths to the power wires and

(d) means are provided for coupling each of the master signal flow paths to the telephone line

(e) whereby signals from the telephone line are carried along one master signal flow path, the power wires and one extension signal flow path, through the extension directional coupler to the extension telephone and signals are carried from the extension telephone through the directional coupler, along the other extension signal flow path, over the power wires and along the other master signal flow path to the telephone line.

3. A system as in claim 2 including:

(a) an extension transmitter in the first extension signal flow path and an extension receiver in the second extension signal flow path and

(b) a master receiver in the first master signal flow path and a master transmitter in the second master signal flow path,

(c) whereby the extension transmitter transmits to the master receiver and the master transmitter transmits to the extension receiver.

4. A system as in claim 3 wherein,

(a) master and extension power supplies are provided for powering the master transmitter and receiver and the extension transmitter and receiver respectively,

(b) power is provided at all times to the master receiver and the extension receiver.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein,

(a) means are provided at the extension location for feeding power from the power supply to the extension transmitter when the extension telephone is off-cradle and

(b) means are provided at the master location for feeding power from the power supply to the master transmitter when a ring signal appears on the telephone line and when the extension telephone is off-cradle.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein said last mentioned means at the master location turns on the master transmitter during the entire interval the extension telephone is off-cradle.

7. In a power line telephone extension system for carrying electrical signals including dial pulses that define, make and break time intervals between a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a conventional telephone communication system and the subscriber'"'"'s extension telephone over available electric power wires, wherein there is a master location including master linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and power wires, and an extension location along said power wires including an extension telephone and extension linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the extension telephone and power wires, the improvement comprising,

(a) means at the master location for detecting the edges of dial signal pulses received from the extension location and a monostable multivibrator set to operate in its unstable state for a predetermined time interval, and

(b) means for imposing the monostable multivibrator output dial pulses of predetermined time interval on the telephone line, wherein

(c) both the leading and trailing edges of the dial pulses are detected,

(d) the leading edges trigger means for generating pulses shorter than the break interval between the ideal make interval,

(e) the trailing edges trigger means for generating pulses longer than the break interval between the ideal make interval,

(f) means are provided for producing pulses coincident with said shorter and longer pulses and

(g) means are provided for applying said coincident pulses to said monostable multivibrator.

8. A power line telephone extension system for carrying electrical signals between a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a conventional telephone communication system and the subscriber'"'"'s conventional extension telephone over available electric power wires, comprising:

(a) a master location including master linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and power wires,

(b) an extension location along said power wires including said conventional extension telephone and extension linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the extension telephone and power wires,

(c) the electrical signals include an extension telephone off-cradle signal originating at the extension telephone,

(d) means are provided at the master location for detecting the edges of said cradle-off signal and producing a signal level representative thereof,

(e) switching means are provided coupling the master linking circuits to the telephone line, said switching emans being controlled by said signal level representative of cradle-off, and

(f) means at said extension location for generating dial pulses, and

(g) means at the master location for detecting both the leading and trailing edges of the dial pulses, and wherein;

(i) the leading edges trigger means for generating pulses shorter than the break interval between said interval,

(ii) the trailing edges trigger means for generating pulses longer than said break interval between said interval,

(iii) means are provided for producing pulses coincident with said shorter and longer pulses, and

(iv) means are provided for applying said coincident pulses to said monostable multivibrator.

9. In a power line telephone extension system for carrying electrical signals including ring signals between a subscriber'"'"'s telephone line of a conventional telephone communication system and the subscriber'"'"'s extension telephone over available electric power wires, wherein there is a master location including master linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the subscriber'"'"'s telephone line and power wires and an extension location along said power wires including an extension telephone an extension ringer and extension linking circuits for processing the signals, electrically coupled between the extension telephone and power wires, the improvement comprising,

(a) at the master location a master transmitter generates and transmits master carrier frequency to the extension location and said ring signals are detected in a ring detector circuit and turn on the master transmitter during the interval of each ring signal,

(b) all signals carried to the extension location from the master location are carried by a master carrier frequency,

(c) means at the extension location for detecting the occurrence of the master carrier frequency originating from the master transmitter,

(d) means responsive thereto for generating an oscillating signal substantially coincident with said occurrence, the frequency of said oscillating signal and the power thereof being suitable for driving the extension ringer, and

(e) means for coupling said oscillating signal to the extension ringer.