Network interface device and method

A method for providing service to a subscriber, comprising:

• receiving at least two incoming calls over a subscriber line;
• identifying a first telephone line and a second telephone line associated with the incoming calls;
• measuring a total instantaneous load placed on a network interface device coupled to the first and the second telephone lines;
• comparing the total instantaneous load to a determined threshold level;
• and
• if the total instantaneous load exceeds the threshold level, maintaining the total instantaneous load below the determined threshold level by shifting in time the respective peak voltages of one or more first ring voltages and one or more second ring voltages.

Software for providing service to a subscriber, the software embodied in at least one computer-readable medium and when executed by one or more processors operable to:

• receive at least two incoming calls over a subscriber line;
• identify a first telephone line and a second telephone line associated with the incoming calls;
• measure a total instantaneous load placed on the interface to the first and the second telephone lines;
• compare the total instantaneous load to a determined threshold level;
• and
• if the total instantaneous load exceeds the threshold level, instruct the interface to generate one or more first ring voltages on the first telephone line and one or more second ring voltages on the second telephone line, the respective peak voltages of the first and second ring voltages shifted in time so that the total instantaneous load does not exceed the determined threshold level.

A network interface device, comprising:

• means for receiving at least two incoming calls over a subscriber line;
• means for generating one or more first ring voltages on a first telephone line and one or more second ring voltages on a second telephone line;
• means for measuring a total instantaneous load placed on a network interface device coupled to the first and the second telephone lines;
• means for comparing the total instantaneous load to a determined threshold level;
• and
• means for maintaining the total instantaneous load below the determined threshold level by shifting in time the respective peak voltages of one or more first ring voltages and one or more second ring voltages if the total instantaneous load exceeds the threshold level.

A network interface device comprising;

• a first interface operable to receive at least two incoming calls over a subscriber line;
• a second interface operable to facilitate communication between the first interface and a first telephone line and between the first interface and a second telephone line, the second interface also operable to generate one or more first ring voltages on the first telephone line and one or more second ring voltages on the second telephone line;
• and
• a processor coupled to the first interface and the second interface, the processor operable to:
• measure a total instantaneous load placed on the second interface;
• compare the total instantaneous load to a determined threshold level;
• and
• if the total instantaneous load exceeds the threshold level, instruct the second interface to generate the first and second ring voltages in response to receiving the incoming calls, the generation of the ring voltages staggered such that the one or more first peak ring voltages on the first telephone line are shifted in time at different times than the one or more second peak ring voltages on the second telephone line.

A network interface device comprising;

• a first interface operable to receive at least two incoming calls over a subscriber line;
• a second interface operable to facilitate communication between the first interface and a first telephone line and between the first interface and a second telephone line, the second interface also operable to generate one or more first ring voltages on the first telephone line and one or more second ring voltages on the second telephone line;
• and
• a processor coupled to the first interface and the second interface, the processor operable to:
• determine whether a total load placed on the first and second telephone lines exceeds a threshold load;
• transmit a first instruction instructing the second interface to allow a simultaneous generation of the first and second ring voltages on the telephone when the total load placed on the telephone lines does not exceed the threshold load;
• transmit a second instruction instructing the second interface to shift in time the respective peak voltages created by the generation of the first and second ring voltages when the total load placed on the telephone lines exceeds the threshold level;
• and
• switch between the transmissions of the first and second instructions based on the dtermination.