Remote testing system for electrical circuits
First Claim
1. A test system for testing from a test site a selectable one of a plurality of electrical circuits, comprising:
- testing means, connectible to the plurality of electrical circuits, for receiving a control signal from the test site and for generating and applying a test signal to the one of the plurality of electrical circuits selected in response to the control signal from the test site; and
synthesized voice means, connected to said testing means, for generating audible speech signals to verbally communicate a result from said testing means to the test site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for remotely testing electrical circuits, such as telephone circuits, includes a stand-alone unit which is located in the end office, for example, for remote access by use of an ordinary push-button telephone set sending dual tone multiple frequency signals. The apparatus has a twin-bus structure wherein one of the busses is an analog bus through which the telephone link is made and over which analog test signals are communicated; the other bus is a digital bus for communicating digital control and data signals with a microcomputer included within the apparatus. Operating between the two busses are suitable interface circuits for receiving the control signals from the telephone set and for communicating the analog test signals to a selected electrical circuit to be tested. The analog test signals are generated by an analog test signal circuit also connected between the analog and digital busses. The microcomputer, connected only to the digital bus, controls the operation of the apparatus in response to dual tone multiple frequency control signals received from the telephone set. Responses from the test are transmitted to the remote site as synthesized speech signals for verbally communicating the results through the telephone set.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A test system for testing from a test site a selectable one of a plurality of electrical circuits, comprising:
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testing means, connectible to the plurality of electrical circuits, for receiving a control signal from the test site and for generating and applying a test signal to the one of the plurality of electrical circuits selected in response to the control signal from the test site; and synthesized voice means, connected to said testing means, for generating audible speech signals to verbally communicate a result from said testing means to the test site. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A test system for testing, from a remote site, a selectable one of a plurality of telephone system circuits passing through a common site located remotely from the remote site, but connected with the remote site by a communications circuit, said system comprising:
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signal generating means, disposed at the remote site and connected to the communications circuit, for generating a first frequency-encoded control signal to select one of the plurality of telephone circuits to be tested and for generating a second frequency-encoded control signal to select a type of test to be performed on the selected circuit, said signal generating means including transmitter means for transmitting selectable dual tone multiple frequency signals as said first and second control signals; frequency-encoded communication means, disposed at the common site and connected with the communications circuit, for establishing two-way communication with said signal generating means so that said first and second control signals are received therefrom and so that responses can be communicated thereto; test means, disposed at the common site and connected with said frequency-encoded communication means, for generating a test signal in response to said second control signal and for controlling said frequency-encoded communication means to provide said responses; and selector means, disposed at the common site and connected with said test means and said frequency-encoded communication means, for communicating said test means with the selected circuit in response to said first control signal so that said test signals are imposed on the selected circuit in response to said second control signal. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus located at a common site for testing a selectable one of a plurality of electrical circuits which at least pass through the common site, comprising:
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an analog bus network through which analog electrical signals are communicated; a digital bus network through which digital electrical signals are communicated; first interface means, connected to said analog bus network and said digital bus network, for receiving through said analog bus network analog control signals; control means, connected to said digital bus network, for generating digital control signals in response to said analog control signals; analog test signal generating means, connected to said analog bus network and said digital bus network, for generating analog test signals with which to test the electrical circuits in response to said digital control signals; second interface means, connected to said analog bus network and said digital bus network, for communicating said analog test signals to one of the electrical circuits selected in response to said digital control signals; and wherein; said control means includes means for digitally determining a result from said analog test signals communicated by said second interface means; and said first interface means includes means for verbally communicating said result. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of remotely controlling the testing of a selectable one of a plurality of circuits within a telephone system, comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of control signals from a remote site; receiving the control signals at a local site having access to the plurality of circuits; selecting at the local site one of the circuits in response to the control signals; generating at the local site at least one test signal in response to the received control signals; communicating at the local site the at least one test signal to the selected circuit; monitoring at the local site the selected circuit for a response to the at least one test signal; measuring at the local site a response detected during the step of monitoring the selected circuit; generating at the local site an answer based on the measured response; and communicating the answer to the remote site by synthesized voice signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification