Method and apparatus for determining and reporting the operational status of an integrated services hub

• US 7,245,702 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mahaney, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US09/702,933
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 379/15.01, 379/32.04, 379/33, 379/413, 379/27.06, 379/27.01, 379/29.04, 379/9.05, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 379/207.02, 379/207.04, 379/48
• US Class Current: 379/15.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5614 User Network Interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5625 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5663 Support of N-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5665 Interaction of ATM with other protocols

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for determining and reporting the operational status of an integrated services hub. The AC power supply and wide area network connection of the integrated services hub are monitored, and a signal is sent to a user upon detecting a problem. The AC power supply is preferably monitored through a bit on a power supply status register. The wide area network connection is preferably monitored through a network status register on a line interface chip or chip set residing in the integrated service hub and connected to the wide area network. The warning signal is preferably an audible warning tone played through a telephone receiver connected to the integrated services hub.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a customer premises integrated services hub supporting a plurality of telephone lines for determining the operational status of the customer premises integrated services hub, comprising:

(a) a plurality of subscriber line interface circuits (SLIC), the number of SLICs equaling the number of telephone lines, with a separate SLIC corresponding with and connected to each of the telephone lines,

(b) at least one subscriber line access circuit (SLAC) connected to the SLICs to detect an off-hook condition in the telephone lines;

(c) a power monitor for monitoring the status of AC power to the integrated services hub;

(d) a backup battery powering the integrated services hub when AC power fails; and

(e) a telephony controller, the telephony controller receiving notification from the power monitor regarding the status of AC power to the integrated services hub, the telephony controller receiving notification from the SLAC of an off-hook condition in the telephone lines, and the telephony controller activating a warning signal on at least one telephone line that the backup battery is powering the integrated services hub in response to notifications from the power monitor that AC power has failed and from the SLAC that an off-hook condition has occurred.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the warning signal is an audible warning tone played in a telephone receiver connected to the integrated services hub.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the audible warning tone is generated by a digital signal processor residing in the integrated services hub.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telephony controller and the power monitor are software components that run on a central processing unit.

5. An apparatus in a customer premises integrated services hub supporting a plurality of telephone lines for determining the operational status of the customer premises integrated services hub, comprising:

(a) a plurality of subscriber line interface circuits (SLIC), the number of SLICs equaling the number of telephone lines, with a separate SLIC corresponding with and connected to each of the telephone lines;

(b) at least one subscriber line access circuit (SLAC) connected to the SLICs to detect an off-hook condition in the telephone lines;

(c) a network connection monitor for monitoring the status of a wide area network connection to the integrated services hub; and

(d) a telephony controller, the telephony controller receiving notification from the network connection monitor regarding the status of the wide area network connection to the integrated services hub, the telephony controller receiving notification from the SLAC of an off-hook condition in the telephone lines, and the telephony controller activating a warning signal on at least one telephone line that the wide area network connection has failed in response to the notifications from the network connection monitor and the SLAC.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the warning signal is an audible warning tone played in a telephone receiver connected to the integrated services hub.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the audible warning tone is generated by a digital signal processor residing in the integrated services hub.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the telephony controller and the network connection monitor are software components that run on a central processing unit.

9. In a customer premises integrated services hub of the type having a wide area network connection for coupling voice signals, a power supply receiving power from an AC power circuit in the customer premises, a backup battery powering the integrated services hub when the AC power fails, and at least one telephone line for coupling to a telephone receiver in the customer premises, apparatus for notifying a user of a telephone receiver that the backup battery is powering the integrated services hub, comprising:

(a) at least one subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC), the number of SLICs equaling the number of telephone lines, with a separate SLIC corresponding with and connected to each of the telephone lines,

(b) at least one subscriber line access circuit (SLAC) connected to the SLICs to detect an off-hook condition in the telephone lines;

(c) a power monitor for monitoring the status of AC power to the integrated services hub; and

(d) a telephony controller, the telephony controller receiving notification from the power monitor regarding the status of AC power to the integrated services hub, the telephony controller receiving notification from the SLAC of an off-hook condition in the at least one telephone line, and the telephony controller activating a warning signal on the at least one telephone line that the backup battery is powering the integrated services hub in response to the notifications from the power monitor that AC power has failed and from the SLAC that an off-hook condition has occurred.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the warning signal is an audible warning tone played in a telephone receiver connected to the integrated services hub.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the audible warning tone is generated by a digital signal processor residing in the integrated services hub.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the telephony controller and the power monitor are software components that run on a central processing unit.

13. In a customer premises integrated services hub of the type having a wide area network connection for coupling voice signals, a power supply receiving power from an AC power circuit in the customer premises, a backup power supply for powering the integrated services hub when the AC power fails, and at least one telephone line for coupling to a telephone receiver in the customer premises, apparatus for notifying a user of a telephone receiver that the wide area network connection has failed, comprising:

(a) at least one subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC), the number of SLICs equaling the number of telephone lines, with a separate SLIC corresponding with and connected to each of the telephone lines;

(b) at least one subscriber line access circuit (SLAC) connected to the SLICs to detect an off-hook condition in the telephone lines;

(c) a network connection monitor for monitoring the status of a wide area network connection to the integrated services hub; and

(d) a telephony controller, the telephony controller receiving notification from the network connection monitor regarding the status of the wide area network connection to the integrated services hub, the telephony controller receiving notification from the SLAC of an off-hook condition in the at least one telephone line, and the telephony controller activating a warning signal on the at least one telephone line that the wide area network connection has failed in response to the notifications from the network connection monitor and the SLAC.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the warning signal is an audible warning tone played in a telephone receiver connected to the integrated services hub.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the audible warning tone is generated by a digital signal processor residing in the integrated services hub.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the telephony controller and the network connection monitor are software components that run on a central processing unit.