US 4,646,296 AGranted

Distributed telephone system

AssigneeBard Technologies

InventorsChauncey I. Bartholet, Joseph Hardy

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Abstract

A communication system is provided for the interconnection of telephones and other instruments capable of communicating via the voice spectrum, the system providing a single transmission line such as a coaxial cable by which full duplex communication is provided between any pair of telephones. Each instrument is coupled to the transmission line by a control unit which includes computer operated transceiver equipment for paging other ones of the control units to initiate a telephonic communication. Each control unit is provided with an identification number and circuitry for recognizing the identification number contained within a paging signal so as to initiate a response. In a separate spectral portion of the transmission line, there are provided sets of analog communication channels each of which has upper and lower spectral portions to provide two-way communication in opposite directions between a pair of telephones engaged in communication. A transmitter and a receiver in each of the control units is provided for the communication of analog signals of both voice and data via the voice channel, each control unit including circuitry for tuning the transmitter and the receiver to the selected channel in accordance with digital data transmitted via the transmission line and specifying a selected one of the voice channels.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A telephone system for communicating voice and/or data among a set of stations comprising:

transmission-line means intercoupling said stations, said transmission line means having sufficient band width for simultaneous transmission of a plurality of channels spaced apart in the frequency spectrum, a first of said channels being used for paging whereby a first of said stations initiates a communication with a second of said stations, the remainder of said plurality of channels being voice channels reserved for the communication of voice and/or data between groups of said stations;
each of said stations comprising a voice receiver and a voice transmitter for the reception and transmission of voice and/or data signals by a voice channel, each of said stations comprising tuning means for tuning the voice receiver and the voice transmitter of the station to an available voice channel;
each of said stations further comprising memory means for storing the usage and availability of the plurality of voice channels, thereby to permit said tuning means to tune the voice transmitter and the voice receiver to an available channel;
each of said stations further comprising a paging transceiver coupled to said paging channel for transmission and reception of control data by said paging channel, the microcomputer in each of said stations including means responsive to a station address received in a paging signal for generating a control signal on said paging channel indicating a busy/free status of a telephone at a station, said paging transceiver continuously monitoring control data transmitted on said paging channel and updating said channel availability and usage stored in said memory means in response to said monitored control data;
and wherein
a control data word transmitted by a station via the paging channel in placing or accepting a telephone call includes the identity of a voice channel to be utilized for a full duplex communication between two of said stations.

3 more elements

A communication system comprising:

a transmission line having a transmission spectrum encompassing a plurality of spectral bands defining a set of voice channels suitable for conmunication of analog voice and data signals, said transmission spectrum including a further separate band for communication of digital control signals;
a set of telephonic instruments;
a set of control units coupled between said transmission line and respective ones of said instruments;
first means in each of said control units for communicating analog signals via said voice channel between individual ones of said telephonic instruments;
second means in each of said control units for communicating digital control signals via said further band between individual ones of said control units, wherein said second communicating means includes a transmitter and a receiver and means coupled to said receiver for detecting the presence of a signal of another of said control units on said further band, said computing means restraining a transmission by said transmitter until said further band is free of signals of another of said control units;
computing means in each of said control units responsive to said digital control signals for selecting one of said voice channels;
and
tuning means operated by said computing means for tuning said first communicating means to a selected voice channel.

5 more elements

A distributed telephone system comprising:

transmission medium means for conveying voice and/or data signals over plural predetermined voice channels and for conveying control signals over a predetermined control channel;
and
plural communication units communicating with said medium means, each unit including:
transceiver means for transmitting and receiving signals on a selected voice channel and for transmitting and receiving control signals on said control channel,
carrier sensing means operatively connected to said transceiver means for inhibiting said transceiver means from transmitting on a channel carrying signals thereon,
memory means for storing data associated with said plural voice channels, said stored data indicating which of said voice channels are being used for commnunicating signals, and
a digital signal processor operatively connected to said memory means and said transceiver means and programmed so as to perform the following functions:
(1) select one of said voice channels in response to said data stored in said memory means,
(2) control said transceiver means to transmit signals indicating said selected voice channel on said control channel,
(3) control said transceiver means to transmit and receive signals on said selected voice channel, and
(4) update said information stored in said memory means in response to control signals, conveyed by said control channel and received by said transceiver means, indicating voice channels selected by others of said plural communication units.

8 more elements

A telephone unit having distributed processing capabilities comprising:

transceiver means for transmitting and receiving signals on a selected one of plural predetermined voice channels and for transmitting and receiving control signals on a predetermined control channel;
carrier sensing means operatively connected to said transceiver means for inhibiting said transceiver means from transmitting on a channel on which signals are present;
memory means for storing data, associated with said plural voice channels, indicating which of said voice channels are being used for communicating signals;
and
a digital signal processor, operatively connected to said memory means and said transceiver means, programmed so as to perform the following functions:
(1) select one of said voice channels in response to said data stored by said memory means,
(2) control said transceiver seans to transmit signals indicating said selected voice channel on said control channel,
(3) control said transceiver means to transmit and receive voice signals on said selected voice channel, and
(4) update said information stored in said memory means in response to control signals, present on said control channel and received by said transceiver means, indicating voice channels selected by similar telephone units.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.