Telephone line interface architecture using ringer inputs for caller ID data

• US 6,298,133 B1
• Filed: 03/04/1998
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Scott, Jeffrey W., Welland, David R., Hein, Jerrell P., Sooch, Navdeep S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US09/034,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.03, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.09, 379/93.36, 379/142, 379/377, 379/378, 379/379, 379/382, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.22, 379/412, 379/399
• US Class Current: 379/399.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/06 Dc level restoring means; Bias distortion correction ; Decision circuits providing symbol by symbol detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/033 using the transitions of the received signal to control the phase of the synchronising-signal-generating means, e.g. using a phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/573 Line monitoring circuits for detecting caller identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/001 Current supply source at the exchanger providing current to substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/02 providing ringing current or supervisory tones, e.g. dialling tone or busy tone

Abstract

A capacitive interface may be utilized to provide a linear output from the TIP and RING phone lines to ringer circuitry. Because the interface provides a linear signal, the input provided to the ringer circuitry may also be utilized for other functions in addition to ringer detection functions. More particularly, the outputs of the capacitive interface may also be connected to caller ID circuitry input lines so as to also provide caller ID data. The use of common inputs for the ringer circuitry and the caller ID circuitry eliminates the need for a separate caller ID interface.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a phone line side integrated circuit capable of being coupled to phone lines;

powered side circuitry capable of being coupled to the phone line side integrated circuit through an isolation barrier;

ringer detection circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the ringer detection circuitry including ringer circuitry inputs; and

caller ID circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the caller ID circuitry including caller ID circuitry inputs, the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs coupled together,

wherein a transmitted signal provided across the isolation barrier is utilized to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side integrated circuit.

2. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier being a capacitive barrier.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals.

4. The communication system of claim 3, further comprising the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more isolation capacitors.

5. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising an attenuating interface connected between the phone lines and the ringer detection circuitry, outputs of the interface coupled to both the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs.

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein the interface is a linear capacitive interface.

7. The communication system of claim 6, further comprising:

the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more capacitors,

wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals.

8. A method of providing a communication system capable of being coupled to a phone line, comprising:

coupling an isolation barrier between powered circuitry and a phone line side integrated circuit;

coupling integrated ringer circuitry and integrated caller ID circuitry within the phone line side integrated circuit to at least one common integrated circuit input for receiving both caller ID and ringer data; and

utilizing a digital signal transmitted across the isolation barrier to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side integrated circuit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the isolation barrier is a capacitive isolation barrier, the method further comprising utilizing the capacitive isolation barrier to isolate the powered circuitry and the phone side integrated circuit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising passing digital data across the isolation barrier.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

attenuating signals from the TIP and RING phone lines to integrated circuit voltage levels; and

coupling the attenuated signals to the common integrated circuit input.

12. An interface architecture for connecting an integrated circuit to a phone line, comprising:

a caller ID circuitry input;

a ring detection circuitry input; and

a common integrated circuit input node coupled to both the caller ID circuitry input and the ring detection circuitry input, the inputs configured to receive a common attenuated signal representative of data on TIP and RING phone lines,

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to communicate with an isolation barrier and configured such that a signal received from across the isolation barrier is utilized to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the integrated circuit.

13. The architecture of claim 12, further comprising a linear interface coupled between the integrated circuit input node and the TIP and RING phone lines, the linear interface attenuating data TIP and RING phone lines.

14. The architecture of claim 12, further comprising a multiplexer coupled between the common integrated circuit input node and the caller ID circuitry, the multiplexer selectively providing caller ID data from the common integrated circuit input node to the caller ID circuitry in response to at least one control signal.

15. The architecture of claim 14, the multiplexer having inputs for transmitting caller ID data and having inputs for transmitting off-hook data from the TIP and RING lines.

16. A method for providing caller ID and ringer data from a phone line to caller ID circuitry and ringer circuitry within an integrated circuit, comprising:

coupling the phone line to an input node of the integrated circuit, the coupling being performed through an interface which attenuates a signal on the phone line but which does not isolate the integrated circuit;

providing caller ID data from the input node to caller ID circuitry within the integrated circuit;

providing ringer data from the input node to ring detection circuitry within the integrated circuit;

configuring the integrated circuit to communicate with an isolation barrier; and

utilizing a digital signal transmitted across the isolation barrier to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the integrated circuit.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing caller ID data from the input node to caller ID circuitry within the integrated circuit through a multiplexer, the multiplexer selectively providing as an output either caller ID data or off-hook data.

18. The method of claim 16, the interface being a capacitive interface.

19. A communication system, comprising:

a phone line side integrated circuit capable of being coupled to phone lines;

powered side circuitry capable of being coupled to the phone line side integrated circuit through an isolation barrier;

wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals, the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more isolation capacitors;

ringer detection circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the ringer detection circuitry including ringer circuitry inputs; and

caller ID circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the caller ID circuitry including caller ID circuitry inputs, the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs coupled together,

wherein the digital signals are communicated at least in part bidirectionally through the same isolation capacitor.

20. The communication system of claim 19, the isolation barrier formed solely with capacitors.

21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein a transmitted signal provided across at least one capacitor of the isolation barrier is utilized to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side integrated circuit.

22. A communication system, comprising:

a phone line side integrated circuit capable of being coupled to phone lines;

powered side circuitry capable of being coupled to the phone line side integrated circuit through an isolation barrier;

wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals, the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more isolation capacitors;

ringer detection circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the ringer detection circuitry including ringer circuitry inputs; and

caller ID circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the caller ID circuitry including caller ID circuitry inputs, the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs coupled together,

wherein a transmitted signal provided across at least one capacitor of the isolation barrier is utilized to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side integrated circuit.

23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the transmitted signal includes a clock signal.

24. The communication system of claim 22, wherein ringer detection circuitry is powered at least in part by power transmitted across the isolation barrier.

25. A method of providing a communication system capable of being coupled to a phone line, comprising:

coupling an isolation barrier between powered circuitry and a phone line side integrated circuit, wherein the isolation barrier is a capacitive isolation barrier;

utilizing the capacitive isolation barrier to isolate the powered circuitry and the phone side integrated circuit;

passing digital data across the isolation barrier; and

coupling integrated ringer circuitry and integrated caller ID circuitry within the phone line side integrated circuit to at least one common integrated circuit input for receiving both caller ID and ringer data,

wherein the digital data is communicated across at least one capacitor of the capacitive isolation barrier, at least some of the digital signals being bidirectionally communicated through the same capacitor.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the digital data includes a clock signal.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising utilizing a digital signal transmitted across the capacitive barrier to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side circuitry.

28. A method of providing a communication system capable of being coupled to a phone line, comprising:

coupling an isolation barrier between powered circuitry and a phone line side integrated circuit, wherein the isolation barrier is a capacitive isolation barrier;

utilizing the capacitive isolation barrier to isolate the powered circuitry and the phone side integrated circuit;

passing digital data across the isolation barrier;

coupling integrated ringer circuitry and integrated caller ID circuitry within the phone line side integrated circuit to at least one common integrated circuit input for receiving both caller ID and ringer data; and

utilizing a digital signal transmitted across the capacitive barrier to provide a power supply for at least a portion of the phone line side integrated circuit.

29. The method of claim 28, the digital signal including clock information.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising communicating in both a forward and reverse direction through the same isolation capacitor of the capacitive isolation barrier.

31. A communication system, comprising:

a phone line side integrated circuit capable of being coupled to phone lines;

powered side circuitry capable of being coupled to the phone line side integrated circuit through an isolation barrier wherein the isolation barrier comprises one or more discrete isolation elements;

ringer detection circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the ringer detection circuitry including ringer circuitry inputs; and

caller ID circuitry integrated within the phone line side circuitry, the caller ID circuitry including caller ID circuitry inputs, the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs coupled together,

wherein signals are communicated at least in part bidirectionally through the same isolation element of the isolation barrier.

32. The communication system of claim 31, further comprising the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier being a capacitive barrier.

33. The communication system of claim 31, wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals.

34. The communication system of claim 33, further comprising the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more isolation capacitors.

35. The communication system of claim 31, further comprising an attenuating interface connected between the phone lines and the ringer detection circuitry, outputs of the interface coupled to both the ringer circuitry inputs and the caller ID circuitry inputs.

36. The communication system of claim 35, wherein the interface is a linear capacitive interface.

37. The communication system of claim 36, further comprising:

the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry, the isolation barrier comprising one or more capacitors,

wherein the phone line side integrated circuit and the powered side circuitry are configured to communicate across the isolation barrier through digital signals.

38. A method of providing a communication system capable of being coupled to a phone line, comprising:

coupling a capacitive isolation barrier between powered circuitry and a phone line side integrated circuit, wherein the isolation barrier is comprised of one or more discrete isolation elements; and

coupling integrated ringer circuitry and integrated caller ID circuitry within the phone line side integrated circuit to at least one common integrated circuit input for receiving both caller ID and ringer data,

wherein data is communicated across at least one element of the capacitive isolation barrier, at least some of the data being bidirectionally communicated through the same isolation element.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising utilizing the capacitive isolation barrier to isolate the powered circuitry and the phone side integrated circuit.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising passing digital data across the isolation barrier.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

attenuating signals from the TIP and RING phone lines to integrated circuit voltage levels; and

coupling the attenuated signals to the common integrated circuit input.

42. An interface architecture for connecting an integrated circuit to a phone line, comprising:

a caller ID circuitry input;

a ring detection circuitry input;

a common integrated circuit input node coupled to both the caller ID circuitry input and the ring detection circuitry input, the inputs configured to receive a common attenuated signal representative of data on TIP and RING phone lines,

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to communicate with an isolation barrier comprising one or more discrete isolation elements and configured such that transmitted and received signals are communicated at least in part bidirectionally through the same isolation element of the isolation barrier.

43. The architecture of claim 42, further comprising a linear interface coupled between the integrated circuit input node and the TIP and RING phone lines, the linear interface attenuating data TIP and RING phone lines.

44. The architecture of claim 42, further comprising a multiplexer coupled between the common integrated circuit input node and the caller ID circuitry, the multiplexer selectively providing caller ID data from the common integrated circuit input node to the caller ID circuitry in response to at least one control signal.

45. The architecture of claim 44, the multiplexer having inputs for transmitting caller ID data and having inputs for transmitting off-hook data from the TIP and RING lines.

46. A method for providing caller ID and ringer data from a phone line to caller ID circuitry and ringer circuitry within an integrated circuit, comprising:

coupling the phone line to an input node of the integrated circuit, the coupling being performed through an interface which attenuates a signal on the phone line but which does not isolate the integrated circuit;

providing caller ID data from the input node to caller ID circuitry within the integrated circuit;

providing ringer data from the input node to ring detection circuitry within the integrated circuit;

configuring the integrated circuit to communicate with an isolation barrier; and

configuring the integrated circuit to communicate at least in part bidirectionally through one isolation element of the isolation barrier.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

providing caller ID data from the input node to caller ID circuitry within the integrated circuit through a multiplexer, the multiplexer selectively providing as an output either caller ID data or off-hook data.

48. The method of claim 46, the interface being a capacitive interface.