US 4,817,204 AGranted

Optical communication apparatus and method for telephone supervisory and audio signals

AssigneeProcess Systems, Inc.

InventorsRalph J. Jannelli, Larry W. Anderson, Bruce E. Randall

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Abstract

The invention is for an optical communication apparatus for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving supervisory and audio signals. The apparatus includes a telephone line interface unit that receives electric audio and supervisory signals and converts them to optical signals. It is also includes means for receiving optical signals representing audio and supervisory signals. A data unit receives the optical audio and supervisory signals from the interface unit and converts them to electric audio and supervisory signals, and also includes means for receiving electric audio signals and supervisory signals and converting them to corresponding optical signals. An optical link connects the telephone line interface unit and data unit for bidirectional optical communication. A method of practicing the invention is also included.

Claims32

Dependent claims

An optical communication apparatus for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving telephone supervisory and audio signals, the apparatus comprising

(a) a telephone line interface unit including means for receiving incoming electric voice band audio signals and supervisory signals and converting them to outgoing real time pulse width modulated optical signals representing the audio signals and supervisory signals, said means for receiving and converting comprising means for generating a first pulse representing the rising edge of a width modulated pulse and a second pulse representing the falling edge of a width modulated pulse wherein the time between the first and second pulse represents the width of said width modulated pulse, and means for receiving said pulse width modulated optical signals representing audio signals and supervisory signals and converting them to outgoing real time electric voice band audio signals and supervisory signals;
(b) a data unit including means for receiving incoming electric voice band audio signals and supervisory signals and converting them to outgoing real time pulse width modulated optical signals representing the audio signals and supervisory signals, said means for receiving and converting comprising means for generating a first pulse representing the rising edge of a width modulated pulse and a second pulse representing the falling edge of a width modulated pulse wherein the time between the first and second pulse represents the modulated width of the audio pulse, and means for receiving said pulse width modulated optical signals representing audio signals and supervisory signals and converting them to outgoing real time electric voice band audio signals and supervisory signals;
and
(c) means for optically linking the line interface unit and data unit for bidirectional optical communication so that the optical communication apparatus is effectively transparent to a user of the telephone system.

1 more element

An optical communication apparatus for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving telephone supervisory and audio signals, the apparatus comprising

(a) means for generating a first optical carrier signal in response to at least one of a first electric supervisory signal and a second optical carrier signal;
(b) means for optically receiving the first optical carrier signal and for generating an electric supervisory signal substantially identical to the first electric supervisory signal;
(c) means for generating a second optical carrier signal in response to at least one of the first optical carrier signal and a second electric supervisory signal;
(d) means for optically receiving the second optical carrier signal and for generating an electric supervisory signal substantially identical to the second electric supervisory signal;
(e) means for real time pulse width modulation of the first optical carrier signal in response to a first electric audio signal;
(f) means for generating an electric audio signal substantially identical to the first electric audio signal in response to the pulse width modulated first optical carrier signal;
(g) means for real time pulse width modulation of the second optical carrier signal in response to a second electric audio signal;
and
(h) means for generating an electric audio signal substantially identical to the second electric audio signal in response to the pulse width modulated second optical carrier.

6 more elements

A method for optically transmitting and receiving telephone supervisory and audio signals, the method comprising

(a) generating a first optical carrier signal in response to receiving at least one of a first electric supervisory signal and a second optical carrier signal;
(b) optically receiving the first optical carrier signal and generating an electric supervisory signal substantially identical to the first electric supervisory signal;
(c) generating a second optical carrier signal in response to receiving at least one of the first optical carrier signal and a second electric supervisory signal;
(d) optically receiving the second optical carrier signal and generating an electric supervisory signal substantially identical to the second electric supervisory signal;
(e) real time pulse width modulating the first optical carrier signal in response to a first electric audio signal;
(f) generating an electric audio signal substantially identical to the first electric audio signal in response to the pulse width modulated first optical carrier signal;
(g) real time pulse width modulating the second optical carrier signal in response to a second electric audio signal;
and
(h) generating an electric audio signal substantially identical to the second electric audio signal in response to the pulse width modulated second optical carrier.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/008,488Filed 29 Jan 1987
Granted: 28 Mar 1989
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04M 3/005
Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges: interface circuits for subscriber lines
H04B 10/2589
Arrangements specific to fibre transmission: bidirectional transmission
H04M 1/003
Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers: telephone sets using electrooptical means in the transmission path
H04M 1/74
Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines: with means for reducing interference; with means for reducing effects due…