Methods and apparatus for providing an auxiliary communication line
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a switching device in a POTS communication system including twisted pair copper lines, the device having a plurality of main signal line inputs connected to respective main POTS telephone lines, an auxiliary line input connected to a POTS auxiliary telephone line, and a plurality of signal line outputs, to disconnect one of the main signal line inputs from a signal line output and connect the auxiliary line input to the signal line output, comprising the steps of:
- powering said device from power provided by the POTS system on said auxiliary signal line;
receiving a tone transmitted from a remote location to the device on said auxiliary line;
detecting the tone as a function of the duration of the tone; and
upon the detection of said tone, disconnecting a predetermined one of the main signal line inputs from a predetermined one of the signal line outputs and connecting the auxiliary signal line input to the predetermined signal line output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for using and/or switching to an auxiliary communication pathway to increase system reliability and/or reduce maintenance costs is disclosed. One feature is directed to a smart network interface device (SNID) implemented using latching relays. The SNID has very low power requirements and can be remotely controlled in a reliable manner through the use of simple tone signal commands over common POTS line pairs. Upon detecting a fault condition on a main line pair, the SNID is remotely instructed to disconnect the faulty line pair and switch the telephone customer'"'"'s line connected to the faulty line pair to an auxiliary line pair. To operate in a POTS telephone environment without the need for an additional power supply, the SNID is designed to be powered from the power available from the auxiliary line pair. The power supply circuitry of the SNID is designed to have a near infinite input impedance with regard to input signals below twenty volts. Tone signals which are readily generated by equipment commonly found within the telephone network are used as control signals to reduce the cost associated with providing a command transmitter. Control signals of relatively long durations, e.g., in excess of 0.1 second, are used to reduce the accuracy required of the tone generation and detection equipment needed and to reduce the chance of erroneous command signals.
34 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a switching device in a POTS communication system including twisted pair copper lines, the device having a plurality of main signal line inputs connected to respective main POTS telephone lines, an auxiliary line input connected to a POTS auxiliary telephone line, and a plurality of signal line outputs, to disconnect one of the main signal line inputs from a signal line output and connect the auxiliary line input to the signal line output, comprising the steps of:
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powering said device from power provided by the POTS system on said auxiliary signal line; receiving a tone transmitted from a remote location to the device on said auxiliary line; detecting the tone as a function of the duration of the tone; and upon the detection of said tone, disconnecting a predetermined one of the main signal line inputs from a predetermined one of the signal line outputs and connecting the auxiliary signal line input to the predetermined signal line output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A switching device, for use in a POTS communication system including twisted pair copper lines, the device having inputs connected to respective main signal lines and an auxiliary signal line, comprising:
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a matrix of latching relays, each latching relay having a first signal input, a second signal input, and an output connected to an end user'"'"'s line, each one of the first signal inputs being coupled to a different one of the main signal lines, the second signal input of each one of the latching relays begin coupled to the auxiliary signal line, each one latching relays coupling one of the first and second signal inputs to the output; and a power supply coupled to the auxiliary signal line and to the latching relays, the power supply having a high input impedance when the input signal is below twenty volts; and circuitry coupled to said auxiliary signal line for detecting a tone transmitted from a remote location on said auxiliary signal line and coupled to the plurality of latching relays, wherein in response to detection of the tone, the circuitry generates a set signal to cause a particular one of the latching relays to couple the second signal input to the output of the particular one of the latching relays. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification