Network interface device having cavities for housing test circuitry
First Claim
1. An enclosure for housing a plurality of line modules therein, each line module for electrically connecting an incoming service provider telephone line to a subscriber telephone line, the enclosure comprising:
- a service provider compartment into which the incoming service provider telephone line is introduced;
a subscriber compartment having a base surface at which at least one line module is connected, wherein the connection between said service provider telephone line and said subscriber telephone line is made at said line module;
a bottom defined by a generally planar bottom surface, said bottom surface being a certain distance from said base surface; and
a cavity in said base surface in said subscriber compartment extending downwardly from said base surface toward said bottom surface of said enclosure, said cavity being of a dimension to house additional electronics therein, said additional electronics in said cavity being electrically connected to said line module; and
wherein said line module is connected to said enclosure at said base surface such that said line module is located above said cavity.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network interface device (NID) including a plurality of cavities beneath the base surface of the NID. Each cavity extends downwardly between the base surface of the NID and the bottom of the NID defined by bosses and extensions extending downwardly from the base surface. Each cavity provides sufficient space for additional electronics, such as a test circuit, to be housed in the NID. The test circuit is housed within the cavity and is electrically connected between the incoming telephone company line and the jack of a line module. The line module is mounted above the test circuit by mating connecting means on the bottom of the line module to cooperative connection means on the base surface. When mounted in this manner, the bottom of the line module is approximately flush with the flat base surface of the NID base, such that mounting the test circuit in the cavity does not cause the line module to extend upwardly any farther from the base surface than would occur if the line module was housed in a conventional NID without a cavity. Therefore, the height of the NID is preferably not affected by the cavities. Also, each cavity preferably does not extend outwardly beyond the footprint of the line module and therefore the cavities do not increase the overall length or width of the NID.
98 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An enclosure for housing a plurality of line modules therein, each line module for electrically connecting an incoming service provider telephone line to a subscriber telephone line, the enclosure comprising:
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a service provider compartment into which the incoming service provider telephone line is introduced; a subscriber compartment having a base surface at which at least one line module is connected, wherein the connection between said service provider telephone line and said subscriber telephone line is made at said line module; a bottom defined by a generally planar bottom surface, said bottom surface being a certain distance from said base surface; and a cavity in said base surface in said subscriber compartment extending downwardly from said base surface toward said bottom surface of said enclosure, said cavity being of a dimension to house additional electronics therein, said additional electronics in said cavity being electrically connected to said line module; and wherein said line module is connected to said enclosure at said base surface such that said line module is located above said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification