Data coupling apparatus for dedicated communication lines

Claim 2

Apparatus for coupling a local data device to a communication channel whereby said local data device is adapted to selectively transmit data to and receive data from a remote data device, comprising: data transmit means interconnected between said local data device and said communication channel providing a transmission path between said local data device and said communication channel for the transmission of data from said local data device; data receive means interconnected between said communication channel and said local data device for providing a receiving path between said communication channel and said local data device for the reception of data by said local data device; status detecting means coupled to said local data device and said data receive means for detecting the readiness of said local data device and said remote data device, respectively, to selectively transmit and receive data, said status detecting means including means for generating a signal in response to the readiness of said local data device to receive data and means for applying said signal To said data transmit means whereby said signal is transmitted to said remote data device for apprising said remote data device of the readiness of said local data device to receive data; and enable means coupled to said status detecting means for enabling said local data device to selectively transmit and receive data in accordance with the readiness of said local data device and said remote data device detected by said status detecting means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said status detecting means include means for sensing when said local data device or said remote data device admits of an active state representative of a data transmission, said last-mentioned sensing means including, data detecting means coupled to said data receive means for sensing a characteristic data signal transmitted by said remote data device; means coupled to said local data device for receiving a signal therefrom when said local data device admits of an operating state; and inhibit means coupled to said data detecting means and said last-mentioned means and selectively responsive to said sensed characteristic data signal and said received signal for inhibiting the generation of said signal indicating readiness of said local data device to receive data.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 in which said status detecting means further includes means for sensing a further signal transmitted by said remote data device when said remote data device admits of readiness thereof to receive data; and said apparatus further including indicating means coupled to said signal generating means and said further signal sensing means for providing a first indication of when said local data device admits of said state of readiness to receive data, a second indication when said remote data device admits of said state of readiness thereof to receive data, a third indication when said local data device admits of said active state and a fourth indication when said remote data device admits of said active state.

Claim 5

The appratus of claim 3 wherein said indicating means comprises: visual indicating means; energizing means coupled to said visual indicating means and selectively responsive to said signal, said further signal and said signal received from said local data device for energizing said visual indicating means; and manually operable switch means for selectively coupling said signal and further signal to said energizing means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 further including: additional lamp means for providing a visual indication of the termination of a data transmission; activating means coupled to said detecting means for actuating said additional lamp means upon detecting the termination of a data communication; and manually operable means for de-activating said additional lamp means in response to the manual operation thereof.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said enable means comprises: receive enabling means for producing a receive enable signal when said remote data device transmits said characteristic data signal and said local data device admits of said state of readiness to receive data; transmit enabling means for producing a transmit enable signal when said remote data device admits of said state of readiness to receive data and said local data device admits of a second state representative of the readiness of said local data device to transmit data; and means for selectively applying said receive enable signal and said transmit enable signal to said local data device to initiate the operation of said local data device and for removing said applied enable signal at the conclusion of a data transmission.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for selectively applying and for removing comprises: storage means for selectively storing said receive and transmit enable signals; means coupled to said receive and transmit enabling means for selectively supplying said storage means with said receive and trAnsmit enable signals; and reset means for clearing said selectively stored receive and transmit enable signals from said storage means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said reset means comprises: first reset signal generating means for generating a first reset signal at a first predetermined period of time subsequent to the completion of a data reception by said local data device; second reset signal generating means for generating a second reset signal at a second predetermined period of time subsequent to the completion of a data transmission by said local data device; and means coupled to said first and second reset signal generating means for selectively applying said first and second reset signals to said storage means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for coupling a local data device to a communication channel whereby said local data device is adapted to selectively transmit data to and receive data from a remote data device, comprising: data transmit means interconnected between said local data device and said communication channel for providing a transmission path between said local data device and said communication channel for the transmission of data from said local data device; data receive means interconnected between said communication channel and said local data device for providing a receiving path between said communication channel and said local data device for the reception of data by said local data device; status detecting means coupled to said local data device and said data receive means for detecting the capacility of said local data device and said remote data device, respectively, to selectively transmit and receive data; enable means coupled to said status detecting means for enabling said local data device to selectively transmit and receive data in accordance with the capability detected by said status detecting means said enable means comprising: receive enabling means for producing a receive enable signal when said remote data device transmits a signal characteristic of data and said local data device admits of a first state of readiness to receive data; transmit enabling means for producing a transmit enable signal when said remote data device admits of said first state and said local data device admits of a second state representative of the readiness of said local data device to transmit data and means for selectively applying said receive enable signal and said transmit enable signal to said local data device to initiate the operation of said local data device and for removing said applied enable signal at the conclusion of a data transmission.

Claim 11

Apparatus for coupling a local data device to a communication channel whereby said local data device is adapted to selectively transmit data to and receive data from a remote data device, comprising: data transmit means interconnected between said local data device and said communication channel for providing a transmission path between said local data device and said communication channel for the transmission of data from said local data device; data receive means interconnected between said communication channel and said local data device for providing a receiving path between said communication channel and said local data device for the reception of data by said local data device; status detecting means coupled to said local data device and said data receive means for detecting the capacility of said local data device and said remote data device, respectively, to selectively transmit and receive data; enable means coupled to said status detecting means for enabling said local data device to selectively transmit and receive data in accordance with the capability detected by said status detecting means said enable means comprising: receive enabling means for producing a receive enable signal when said remote data device transmits a signal characteristic of data and said local data device admits of a first state of readiness to receive data; transmit enabling means for producing a transmit enable signal when said remote data device admits of said first state and said local data device admits of a second state representative of the readiness of said local data device to transmit data and means for selectively applying said receive enable signal and said transmit enable signal to said local data device to initiate the operation of said local data device and for removing said applied enable signal at the conclusion of a data transmission.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for selectively applying and for removing comprises: storage means for selectively storing said receive and transmit enable signals; means coupled to said receive and transmit enabling means for selectively supplying said storage means with said receive and transmit enable signals; and reset means for clearing said selectively stored receive and transmit enable signals from said storage means.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said reset means comprises: first resit signal generating means for generating a first reset signal at a first predetermined period of time subsequent to the completion of a data reception by said local data device; second reset signal generating means for generating a second reset signal at a second predetermined period of time subsequent to the completion of a data transmission by said local data device; and means coupled to said first and second reset signal generating means for selectively applying said first and second reset signals to said storage means.