EP0474407A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telemetry access arrangement
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-08-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-08-22
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a method and apparatus for accessing customer meters (50) and for controlling devices (48) over a telephone line. A suppressed ringing connection is established over a customer line between a central office (21) and customer station equipment. The connection is between a data accessing device such as a meter reading controller and a customer premises device such as a meter interface unit (30). Signals are exchanged over the connection between these two units without alerting the customer via a ringing signal and without changing the supervisory state of the customer's station equipment from on-hook. The connection can also be used for controlling devices such as air conditioning units, in order, for example, to avoid overloads in a power distribution system. The voice switching network (23) of the central office is used for making the connection between the meter control unit and the meter interface unit. Advantageously, this arrangement can allow a large number of utility meters and controlling devices to be accessed remotely using existing telephone plant.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart Mandel Garland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of accessing a customer premises device from a data accessing device via a telecommunications switching system comprising a voice band signal switching network for interconnecting multiplicities of telecommunications trunks and analog customer lines, the method comprising: establishing a suppressed ringing connection through said voice band signal switching network for connecting said data accessing device to an analog customer line connected to station equipment of a customer, and transmitting signals over said suppressed ringing connection for accessing said customer premises device over said analog line from said data accessing device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing a connection from said data accessing device to said voice band switching network prior to said establishing said suppressed ringing connection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said connection from said data accessing device is established over an interoffice trunk.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said establishing comprises establishing a connection for connecting to a meter interface unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said meter interface unit is also connected to a controllable device and wherein said transmitting further comprises transmitting signals for controlling said controllable device over said connection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said establishing comprises: determining whether said station equipment is connected via a subscriber loop carrier, and, if so, sending a brief spurt of ringing signal over said connection for enabling said subscriber loop carrier to establish a connection to said station equipment without transmitting a substantial ringing signal to said station equipment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said determining comprises determining a length of said brief spurt for said station equipment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said determining a length comprises determining a type of subscriber loop carrier used for accessing staid station equipment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting tone signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting frequency shift keyed signals through said network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing a connection between said data accessing device and a central office service unit, connectable to said network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said establishing a connection between said data accessing device and said central office service unit comprises establishing a connection from said accessing device to said central office service unit over an a customer line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11 wherein a plurality of switches in different wire centers is connectable to said service unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of establishing a plurality of simultaneous suppressed ringing connections in one of said plurality of switches from said service unit to a plurality of customer stations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: making a billing record in essentially the same manner as making a billing record for a voice call.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: detecting an off-hook signal on said suppressed ringing connection for disconnecting said suppressed ringing connection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A telephone switching system comprising: a switching network for interconnecting a multiplicity of telecommunications trunks and another multiplicity of analog customer lines; and processor means operative under the control of a program for establishing a connection through said network without transmitting ringing signals to an analog customer line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The switching system of claim 17 wherein said switching system is connectable to a trunk, said trunk connectable to a utility data accessing device for accessing a customer premises device over said connection.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
68 words
The switching system of claim 17 wherein one of said customer lines is connected to customer premises equipment through a subscriber loop carrier and wherein said processor means is further operative under the control of a program for sending a brief spurt of ringing signal over said connection to said one customer line for enabling said subscriber loop carrier to establish a connection to said one customer equipment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The switching system of claim 17 further adapted to transmit integrated services digital network signals, wherein said connection is made over a D-channel between a customer and said switching system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The switching system of claim 17 wherein tone signals are transmitted over said connection to alert a device at customer station equipment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The telecommunications system of claim 17 wherein frequency shift keyed signals are transmitted over said connection for exchanging data with a device at a customer premises.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
The telecommunications system of claim 17 wherein said processor means are further operative under the control of a program for making billing record of said connection, said process of making a billing record being essentially the same as a process for making a billing record of a voice call.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The telecommunications switching system of claim 17 wherein said processor means is further operative under the control of said program for detecting an off-hook signal from a customer station connected over said correction and responsive to a detection of said off-hook signal for disconnecting said connection
Claim 25
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of accessing a customer premises device from a data accessing device via a telecommunications switching system comprising a switching network for interconnecting multiplicities of telecommunications trunks and customer lines, the method comprising: establishing a suppressed ringing connection through said switching network for connecting said data accessing device to a customer line connected to station equipment of a customer, and transmitting signals over said suppressed ringing connection for accessing said customer premises device over said customer line from said data accessing device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said connection is over an Integrated Services Digital Network connection and wherein said accessing comprises transmitting said signals over a D-channel of said connection.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of accessing a customer premises device from a data accessing device via a telecommunications switching system comprising a voice band signal switching network for interconnecting multiplicities of telecommunications trunks and analog customer lines, the method comprising: establishing a connection between said data accessing device and a central office service unit; establishing a connection over an interoffice trunk from said central office service unit to said switching network; establishing a suppressed ringing connection from said trunk through said switching network to an analog customer line connected to a meter interface unit of station equipment of a customer, said meter interface unit corrected to a controllable device; accessing said controllable device via tone signals transmitted over said connection to said meter interface unit, said accessing comprising controlling said controllable device over said connection; making a billing record for said suppressed ringing connection in essentially the same manner as making a billing record for a voice call; detecting an off-hook signal on said suppressed ringing connection; and responsive to said detecting an off-hook signal, disconnecting said suppressed ringing connection; wherein said establishing a suppressed ringing connection comprises determining whether said station equipment is connected via a subscriber loop carrier, and, if so, sending a brief spurt of ringing signal over said connection for enabling said subscriber loop carrier to establish a connection to said station equipment, wherein said determining comprises determining a length of said brief spurt for a subscriber loop carrier connection to said station equipment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3868640A
Cited
US4048448A
Cited
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