Remote access for cable locator system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling the operation of a plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters associated with buried cable of a communication conveyance, wherein said plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters lack telecommunication capability, the system comprisinga spare communication line coupled between a first, control transmitter with telecommunication capability and said plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters, the spare communication line coupled in series between the first, control transmitter through the plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters;
- a receive unit in each transmitter coupled to the spare communication line; and
a transmit unit in each transmitter coupled to the spare communication line, the combination of the receive units and transmit units used to transmit operating control messages from the first, control transmitter to predetermined ones of the remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transmitting operational control messages to a plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters uses a spare communication line associated with each transmitter to carry the control messages from unit to unit. In the case of a fiber optic cable, the control message is transferred from an incoming telephone line associated with a first cable-locating transmitter to a spare optical fiber. The control message then propagates down the fiber to the next transmitter (where this transmitter does not otherwise have accessibility to a telephone line). This transmitter converts the optical signal to an electrical signal and either uses the control message (if indeed destined for that particular transmitter), or re-converts it to optical form and sends it further along the spare fiber to the next remote cable-locating transmitter further down the line.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the operation of a plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters associated with buried cable of a communication conveyance, wherein said plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters lack telecommunication capability, the system comprising
a spare communication line coupled between a first, control transmitter with telecommunication capability and said plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters, the spare communication line coupled in series between the first, control transmitter through the plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters; -
a receive unit in each transmitter coupled to the spare communication line; and
a transmit unit in each transmitter coupled to the spare communication line, the combination of the receive units and transmit units used to transmit operating control messages from the first, control transmitter to predetermined ones of the remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of transmitting operation control messages to at least one remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters that lack telecommunication capability, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first, control cable-locating tone transmitter including telecommunication capability;
defining a spare communication line existing between said first, control cable locating tone transmitter and a second, remotely disposed cable-locating transmitter; and
transmitting operation control messages across said spare communication line between said first and second transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
defining, in sequence, a spare communication line between each adjoining remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitter; and
transmitting operation control messages from the first, control cable-locating tone transmitter through the plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters.
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9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein each operation control message includes transmitter address information identifying the particular transmitter in the plurality of remotely-disposed cable-locating transmitters that is predetermined to receive and use the operation control information.
Specification