Telephonic communications – Diagnostic testing – malfunction indication – or electrical... – Using portable test set
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-29
2001-06-26
Nguyen, Duc (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Diagnostic testing, malfunction indication, or electrical...
Using portable test set
C379S019000, C455S423000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252942
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to communication systems and is particularly directed to a new and improved craftsperson's test set, that is configured of an integrated combination of hand-held test set base station and a detachable wireless handset. Such a ‘wireless butt set’ architecture allows the craftsperson to connect the test set's base station, in which the test set functionality resides, to a telephone line under test, and then control the operation of the test set via a wireless phone which may be retained with or removed from the base station to facilitate movement of the craftsperson.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For testing and troubleshooting a telephone line, telephone network service personnel, or craftspersons, have conventionally employed what is essentially a ruggedized version of a standard telephone handset, commonly termed a ‘butt set’, such as that diagrammatically illustrated shown at
10
in FIG.
1
. Access to a telephone circuit under test
12
is customarily afforded by way of its tip and ring leads
13
and
14
, to which the craftsperson electrically and mechanically couples a pair of test leads
21
and
22
of the test set's line cord
20
. Once so connected, the internal circuitry of the butt set is operative to controllably execute monitoring and testing functions, as selectively directed by the craftsperson (using the test set's keypad
16
and/or one or more auxiliary switches
18
).
Now although a standard butt set architecture allows a craftsperson to test a line from any point to which access is provided, it does not allow the craftsperson freedom of movement during a troubleshooting operation, such as in those cases where it is necessary to physically follow a line through a conduit or a wall of a building, and may not readily facilitate operation (manipulation of the keys/switches) of the butt set, particularly at a line connection location where access is physically restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, these and other shortcomings of a conventional butt set are obviated by a new and improved ‘wireless’ butt set architecture, that is configured as an integrated combination of a test set base station and a detachable wireless handset. This combined test set architecture readily enables a service technician to test a telephone line, without requiring that the craftsperson remain where the test set is physically connected to the line, thereby facilitating movement of the craftsperson as necessary to a location that may well beyond the reach of the test set's line cord.
For this purpose, the test set base station and its associated wireless telephone handset are configured to interfit physically and electrically engage one another as an integrated assembly, that is comfortably hand-held by the user. In addition to containing the test set circuitry of a conventional telephone test set, and associated transceiver circuitry of a standard wireless telephone cradle, the wireless butt set base station contains auxiliary ‘double-click’ talk/monitor, battery charging and DC—DC converter circuits.
The detachable wireless handset contains rechargeable battery operated wireless telephone circuitry, and is configured to comfortably fit in the user's hand. The wireless handset is also contoured to rest upon and has a roughened non-skid pattern molded into its outer surface to prevent the unit from slipping on the shoulder of the user. The handset has a multipin electrical receptacle that mates with an associated multipin electrical connector installed in the base station when the base station and the wireless phone are joined together, so as to provide a hardwired connection between the communication transceiver components of the base station and those of the wireless phone section, and thereby allow the wireless butt set to operate as a conventional non-wireless butt set.
The auxiliary circuitry of the base station enables the talk/monitor mode functionality of the test set to be controlled by the standard talk mode switch of the wireless phone. The normal talk switch circuit path is modified to place the talk mode signalling path in a loop that includes the wireless transceiver of the wireless phone, that of the base station, and a ‘double-click’ talk mode circuit within the auxiliary base station circuitry. In response to only a single operation of the talk mode switch of the wireless phone within a prescribed monitor mode window, an auxiliary transformer—high impedance bridge circuit monitors the line, i.e., the tip/ring pair to which the craftsperson has connected the test leads of the base station.
The output of the auxiliary transformer—high impedance bridge circuit is summed in with the normal circuit path of the receiver transformer of the base station, so that the auxiliary transformer—high impedance bridge circuit is effectively coupled in parallel with the receiver transformer of the base station's transmit—receiver transformer windings. The auxiliary transformer—high impedance bridge circuit allows the craftsperson to monitor the state of the line from the wireless phone, without going off-hook, so that the technician can determine whether the line under test is in use without disturbing an existing voice circuit thereover. If the line is in use, the craftsperson may simply wait until a later time to check the line. Without a repeated toggling of the talk switch within the time-out window, the double-click circuit resets. Double-clicking the wireless phone's talk mode switch within the prescribed monitor window causes the base station's microcontroller to place the test set in the off-hook mode, allowing full-duplex use of the line via the wireless handset.
The auxiliary base station circuitry also includes a battery charging circuit through which a set of rechargeable batteries for powering the base station may be charged from an external power source, such as an AC-DC voltage converter module plugged into a conventional 110 VAC power source. Coupled with the battery supply is a DC—DC converter for converting the battery voltage to the requisite DC voltage level required to power the electronic circuitry of the base station. This battery power source enables a service technician to operate the wireless butt set, and thus test a telephone line at effectively any accessible location, such as a closet or telephone pole, where the craftsperson will probably not have ready access to a conventional power source.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3708634 (1973-01-01), Vantill et al.
patent: 3792205 (1974-02-01), O'Dea
patent: 4691336 (1987-09-01), Durston
patent: 5014302 (1991-05-01), Kappeler et al.
patent: 5581599 (1996-12-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 5778050 (1998-07-01), Park, II
patent: WO 97/42743 (1997-11-01), None
patent: WO95/30298 (1997-11-01), None
Harry Newton, Newton's Telecom Dictionary, 8th Edition, Copyright 1994, pp. 167-168.
Coleman James D.
Hathorn Linda L.
Humphrey Glen H.
Squires Ronald S.
Zoiss Edward J.
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Harris Corporation
Nguyen Duc
LandOfFree
Wireless butt set does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wireless butt set, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wireless butt set will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2460761