Arrangement for managing multiple telephone lines terminating at a single location

• US 6,816,512 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jin, Yucheng, Chang, Kevin T., Waight, Matthew G., Lazarus, David B., Rosemary, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob A.
• Application Number:
  US09/752,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 370/442, 370/443, 370/458, 370/352, 370/356, 370/535, 398/45, 398/46, 398/58, 398/66, 398/74, 398/76, 398/98
• US Class Current: 370/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0605 Special codes used as synchronising signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1694 Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13012 Hybrid fiber coax, HFC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13031 Pulse code modulation, PCM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13203 Exchange termination [ET]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

An arrangement for controlling multiple telephone lines terminating in a single residence uses a multiplexer within a communications gateway and a plurality of demultiplexers, each demultiplexer coupled to a separate one of telephone lines. The communications gateway functions to convert all received analog telephony signals into a digital format and then multiplexes the digital signals onto a single telephone line connected to the residence. The various telephone lines in the residence are connected in series along the line, using a number of drop-off points. The demultiplexer on each telephone line is configured to recognize the time slots within the multiplexed signal destined for its associated telecommunications device. In a similar fashion, separate time slots are assigned for upstream transmission from each telecommunication device into the HFC network.

Claims

1. In a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, an arrangement for providing communication between one or more remote telecommunication devices and a plurality of N telecommunication devices in a single location, the arrangement comprising

a communications gateway disposed at an interface between the HFC network and the single location, the communications gateway for receiving a plurality of incoming analog telecommunications signals and converting said signals into digital signals, said communications gateway comprising

a multiplexer for combining the plurality of incoming digital telecommunication signals into a single output signal;

a plurality of N demultiplexers, each demultiplexer associated with a separate one of the plurality of N telecommunications devices, said plurality of N demultiplexers disposed along a single signal path and coupled at an end termination to the output from said communications gateway multiplexer.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the multiplexer is configured to combine the plurality of N digital signals into a frame format comprising a plurality of separate time slots for each communications device of the plurality of N communication devices.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein each frame further comprises an initial synchronization symbol to control timing between and among the plurality of N telecommunication devices.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein each frame is configured to include a first set of N receiving time slots, each associated with a separate telecommunication device, for receiving downstream digital signal transmission from the HFC network and destined for various ones of the plurality of N telecommunication devices.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein each frame is further configured to include a second set of N transmitting time slots, each associated with a separate telecommunication device, for transmitting upstream digital signal transmission from its associated telecommunication device into the HFC network.

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the communications gateway further comprises a processor for generating a scheduled ringing pattern from the plurality of N telecommunications devices.

7. The arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein the processor generates a ringing period of a predetermined time interval and assigns each telecommunication device a ringing sub-interval within the predetermined interval, wherein for any multiple devices assigned to ring during the same sub-interval, the processor generates out of phase ringing signals.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein the processor generates a six second ringing time interval with two second sub-intervals.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein said ringing pattern is a run time optimized scheduled pattern.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein said scheduled ringing pattern is user selected.