US3739098A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for the remote supervision of multichannel pcm repeaters
Assignee: Italtel SpA
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Filing: 1972-03-27
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1992-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Repeaters in n cascaded repeating stations of a multichannel PCM transmission system, each containing m such repeaters, are individually tested via a supervisory d-c circuit by different interrogation codes emitted from one terminal of the transmission path, each interrogation code including a train of equispaced address pulses whose number (ranging from 1 through n) identifies a selected station. A control unit at the code-emitting terminal comprises a binary counter manually adjustable to count a selected number of address pulses followed in the code by a pulse interval long enough to allow for the generation of a one-pulse reply code at the station so addressed, a similar counter at that station enabling a pulse generator to produce the reply code in the presence of consent signals from a processor divided into two halves each serving a subgroup of m/2 repeaters used to transmit in one or the other direction. An individual repeater from each subgroup is designated, before station selection, by the selective transmission of one or more identification pulses preceding the interrogation code, these latter pulses being substantially wider than the address pulses and being channeled by a pulse-width discriminator to an associated decoder unblocking the output of a monitoring circuit connected across the selected repeater.
Inventors
- 👤 R Camiciottoli
- 👤 G Grossi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B17/00; H04B17/40; H04B17/401; H04B17/406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
A system for the remote supervision of a series of n repeating stations inserted in a PCM signal path with m channels, each station containing m repeaters individually assigned to said channels, comprising: a service line extending along said path; a control unit connected to said line for transmitting interrogation codes thereover to said stations during successive test cycles and receiving reply codes therefrom indicative of the performance of the repeaters of each station, said control unit including a code generator selectively settable to produce n different interrogation codes respectively addressed to said stations, said control unit further including selector means operable to produce a variety of identification codes for the several repeaters of any station; a group of m monitoring circuits with normally blocked outputs respectively connected across the m repeaters of each station for generating a consent signal upon proper performance of the associated repeater; a processor at each station including detector means connected to said line for generating an enabling signal upon detecting an interrogation code addressed to the respective station, said detector means being responsive to said identification codes for unblocking the output of the monitoring circuit associated with a repeater identified thereby to give passage to said consent signal, said processor further including responder means connected to said detector means and to said monitoring circuits for generating a reply code in the presence of said enabling signal and of said consent signal; and indicator means in said control unit for registering the nonarrival of a reply code in a succession of test cycles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
258 words
A system for the remote supervision of a series of n repeating stations inserted in a PCM signal path with m channels, each station containing m repeaters individually assigned to said channels, comprising: a service line extending along said path; a control unit connected to said line for transmitting interrogation codes thereover to said stations during successive test cycles and receiving reply codes therefrom indicative of the performance of the repeaters of each station, said control unit including a code generator selectively settable to produce n different interrogation codes respectively addressed to said stations, said control unit further including selector means operable to produce a variety of identification codes for the several repeaters of any station; a group of m monitoring circuits with normally blocked outputs respectively connected across the m repeaters of each station for generating a consent signal upon proper performance of the associated repeater; a processor at each station including detector means connected to said line for generating an enabling signal upon detecting an interrogation code addressed to the respective station, said detector means being responsive to said identification codes for unblocking the output of the monitoring circuit associated with a repeater identified thereby to give passage to said consent signal, said processor further including responder means connected to said detector means and to said monitoring circuits for generating a reply code in the presence of said enabling signal and of said consent signal; and indicator means in said control unit for registering the nonarrival of a reply code in a succession of test cycles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
285 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said control unit comprises a source of clock pulses, a first pulse counter connected to said source, selector means for setting said first pulse counter to produce a stop signal upon its count reaching a value assigned to a selected repeating station, first transceiver means on said line switchable between a transmitting condition and a receiving condition, gating means inserted between said source and said first transceiver means for converting said clock pulses into address pulses, first timing means responsive to said stop signal for operating said gating means to terminate the transmission of said address pulses upon said count reaching said assigned value and to resume such transmission after a predetermined recovery interval, and second timing means responsive to said stop signal for establishing said receiving condition during an answer-back period constituting a predetermined fraction of said recovery interval, said selector means including a source of identification pulses substantially wider than said address pulses; said detector means comprising second transceiver means on said line responsive to a line voltage indicative of the condition of said first transceiver means for assuming a complementary condition, discriminator means connected to said second transceiver means for separating said identification pulses from said address pulses, a second pulse counter connected to said discriminator means for receiving said address pulses therefrom and for generating said enabling signal upon termination of said address pulses on a count individual to the respEctive station, a third pulse counter connected to said discriminator means for receiving said identification pulses therefrom, and decoding means connected to said third pulse counter for controlling the unblocking of the output of the monitoring circuit associated with the repeater identified thereby.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said discriminator means comprises a first integrator of relatively short time constant connected to a resetting input of said second pulse counter and a second integrator of relatively long time constant connected to a stepping input of said third pulse counter, said second transceiver means having an output lead connected in parallel to said integrators and to a stepping lead of said second pulse counter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said control unit is provided with a clearing-pulse generator with a pulse period substantially exceeding the width of said identification pulses, said discriminator means further comprising a third integrator connected to a resetting input of said third pulse counter, said third integrator having a time constant longer than that of said second integrator for resetting said third counter only in response to a clearing pulse from said generator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said source of identification pulses and said clearing-pulse generator are a pair of manually trippable monoflops.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
121 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein m is an even number, said repeaters and monitoring circuits being divided into two equal subgroups respectively serving for the transmission of PCM messages over said path in two directions, said detector means including two address decoders connected to said second pulse counter for generating two separate enabling signals in response to interrogation codes identifying either of said subgroups, said responder means comprising two sets of m/2 coincidence gates each which are respectively connected to said address decoders for parallel energization thereby, said third pulse counter having a counting capacity for m/2 identification pulses giving rise to respective unblocking signals each transmitted by said decoding means to one coincidence gate from each set.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |