Method and apparatus for a self-terminating signal path
First Claim
1. An apparatus for reducing noise ingress, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one interruptible signal path extending from a supplier-side port through a user-side port, each of said interruptible signal paths comprising a conductor and a prescribed signal level connection point;
a signal source coupled to at least one of said interruptible signal paths, said signal source arranged to provide a signal to said conductor; and
at least one signal circuit, each signal circuit being arranged in one of said interruptible signal paths, each signal circuit configured to determine, based on a value of said signal, when said interruptible signal path is unterminated, and to interrupt and terminate said interruptible signal path to said prescribed signal level connection point when said interruptible signal path is determined by said signal circuit to be unterminated, wherein each of said signal circuits determines whether at least one of said interruptible signal paths is unterminated by determining an impedance on said conductor, and comparing said impedance to a reference value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Presented are method and apparatus embodiments to terminate an interruptible signal path when the interruptible signal path is unterminated. The apparatus can comprise a signal path from a supplier-side port thru a user-side port, a signal source arranged to provide a signal to the conductor; and a signal circuit arranged in the interruptible signal path. The apparatus can determine when the signal path is unterminated and, in that case, interrupt and terminate the signal path by putting a signal switching device in the appropriate state and/or sending signals from the signal path to a prescribed signal level connection point. When a user device is not connected or connected improperly, or the signals through the signal path are otherwise unterminated, the interruptible signal path can be interrupted and terminated. The method and apparatus embodiments can be used in various combinations with multiple signal paths having multiple signal branches.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for reducing noise ingress, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one interruptible signal path extending from a supplier-side port through a user-side port, each of said interruptible signal paths comprising a conductor and a prescribed signal level connection point; a signal source coupled to at least one of said interruptible signal paths, said signal source arranged to provide a signal to said conductor; and at least one signal circuit, each signal circuit being arranged in one of said interruptible signal paths, each signal circuit configured to determine, based on a value of said signal, when said interruptible signal path is unterminated, and to interrupt and terminate said interruptible signal path to said prescribed signal level connection point when said interruptible signal path is determined by said signal circuit to be unterminated, wherein each of said signal circuits determines whether at least one of said interruptible signal paths is unterminated by determining an impedance on said conductor, and comparing said impedance to a reference value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A signal splitter for reducing noise ingress, said signal splitter comprising:
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an interruptible signal path extending from a supplier-side port through an output of a user-side port, the interruptible signal path comprising one or more signal branches; a signal detector to detect a signal level on the interruptible signal path at the user-side port; a signal switching device arranged on a first branch of the one or more of signal branches, the signal switching device to selectively interrupt the first branch of the interruptible signal path when the interruptible signal path coupled to the user-side port is unterminated, wherein said signal switching device operates in said first state to maintain the interruptible signal path when a measured voltage at a first input of a signal comparison device connected through a prescribed resistance to the interruptible signal path is below a reference voltage at a second input of the signal comparison device, wherein the signal comparison device is connected in parallel with the interruptible signal path; and a coupler circuit to perform AC coupling between the signal detector and the signal switching device, wherein the signal detector, the coupler circuit, and the signal switching circuit connect in series to at least the first branch of the one or more signal branches in the interruptible signal path. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of terminating a port to prevent noise ingress comprising the steps:
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applying a current to a conductor of at least one interruptible signal path through at least one user-side port, each of said interruptible signal paths including one or more signal branches; determining whether each of said interruptible signal paths is terminated on a user side of a reference point; and interrupting and terminating each of said interruptible signal paths at a termination point when said interruptible signal paths are unterminated on the user side of a reference point in a predetermined acceptable arrangement, wherein at least one termination circuit is configured to interrupt and terminate one or more of said interruptible signal paths at one or more of said signal branches when a user device draws a current greater than a reference current value. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification