Service generator checking apparatus

Claim 2

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output telephone signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, service generator checking apparatus comprising: tone generator means for generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a plurality of tones, tone multiplexer means for multiplexing said tone samples onto a common bus each time frame, matrix means, connected to receive said tone samples, for connecting a selected one of said tone samples to a selected one of said time slots in each time frame to form a tone sample signal, control means, connected to control said matrix means, for specifying said selected one of said tone samples and for specifying said selected one of said time slots, store means, connected to said matrix means, for storing said tone sample signal, first connection means for connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, means for connecting said output signal as an input signal to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparator means connected to said store means and said input portion for comparing the stored sample signal with said check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1 wherein said matrix means includes tone buffer means for storing during each time frame a pulse code modulated sample from said multiplexer means for each of said plurality of tones.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 2 wherein said matrix means includes channel memory means for storing at a location corresponding to said selected one of said time slots said selected one of said tones.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 3 wherein said control means includes address generator means for addressing said channel memory means at said location whereby said channel memory means addresses said tone buffer means at the location where the specified tone is stored.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 1 wherein said tone generator means includes a memory for storing a number of pulse code modulated samples substantially representing a particular one of said plurality of tones and a counter incrementable once each frame for sequentially reading out from an initial count said pulse code modulated samples from said memory where said counter counts to a number corresponding to the number of samples stored in said memory whereupon said counter resets to said initial count.

Claim 7

A system as in claim 5 wherein said control means includes frame pulse generator means for incrementing said counter once each frame.

Claim 8

A system as in claim 5 wherein said memory includes a programmable read only memory for storing said samples representing a particular tone.

Claim 9

A system as in claim 7 further including interruption controller means for gating a selected interrupted tone sample from said tone multiplexer means, means for storing interruption bits associated with each of said samples specifying a selected interruption time for a tone whereby said controller means gates said tone sample onto said common bus at said selected interruption time.

Claim 10

A system as in claim 1 wherein said store means includes a shift register for storing said one of said tone samples for one time frame.

Claim 11

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output telephone signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, service generator checking apparatus comprising: system controller means for specifying a selected one of pulse code modulated tone samples and for specifying a selected one of said time slots, and service generator checker apparatus including, tone generator means for generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a plurality of tones, tone multiplexer means for multiplexing said tone samples onto a common bus each time frame, matrix means connected to said common bus, for connecting said selected one of said tone samples to said selected one of said time slots in each frame, control means, responsive to said system controller means, connected to control said matrix means, store means; connected to said matrix means; for storing said tone sample signal, first connection means for connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, means for connecting said output signal as an input signal to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparator means connected to said store means and said input portion for comparing the stored sample signal with said check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 12

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output telephone signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, service generator checking apparatus comprising: system controller means for specifying a selected one of pulse code modulated tone samples and for specifying a selected one of said time slots, and service generator checker apparatus including, tone generator means for generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a plurality of tones, tone multiplexer means for multiplexing said tone samples onto a common bus each time frame, matrix means connected to said common bus, for connecting said selected one of said tone samples to said selected one of said time slots in each frame, control means, responsive to said system controller means, connected to control said matrix means, store means; connected to said matrix means; for storing said tone sample signal, first connection means for connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, means for connecting said output signal as an input signal to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparator means connected to said store means and said input portion for comparing the stored sample signal with said check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 13

A system as in claim 10 wherein said control means includes system controller interface means connected to said system controller means for providing a signal to said matrix means representing a selected one of said samples specified by said system controller means.

Claim 14

A system as in claim 11 wherein said matrix means includes tone buffer means for storing during each time frame pulse code modulated samples from said multiplexer means for each of said plurality of tones.

Claim 15

A system as in claim 12 wherein said matrix means includes control memory means for storing at a location corresponding to said selected one of said time slots said signal representing said selected tone.

Claim 16

A system as in claim 13 wherein said control means includes address generator means for addressing said channel memory means at said location whereby said channel memory means addresses said tone buffer means at the location where said specified tone is stored.

Claim 17

A system as in claim 14 wherein said tone generator means includes a programmable read only memory for storing a number of pulse code modulated samples substantially representing a particular one of said plurality of tones and a counter incrementable once each frame for sequentially reading out from an initial count said pulse code modulated samples from said memory where said counter counts to a number corresponding to the number of samples stored in said memory whereupon said counter resets to said initial count.

Claim 18

A system as in claim 15 wherein said control means includes frame pulse generator means for incrementing said counter once each frame.

Claim 19

A system as in claim 15 further including interruption controller means for gating a selected interrupted tone sample from said tone multiplexer means, means for storing interruption bits associated with each of said samples specifying a selected interruption time for a tone whereby said controller means gates said tone sample onto said common bus at said selected interruption time.

Claim 20

A system as in claim 10 wherein said store means includes a shift register for storing said one of said tone samples for one time frame.

Claim 21

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, service generator checking apparatus comprising: tone generator means for generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a selected tone, matrix means, connected to receive said selected tone sample, for connecting said selected tone samples to a selected one of said time slots in each frame to form a tone sample signal, control means, connected to control said matrix means, for specifying said selected tone sample and for specifying said selected one of said time slots, store means, connected to said matrix means, for storing said tone sample signal, first connection means for connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, means for connecting said output signal as an input to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparator means connected to said store means and said input portion for comparing the stored sample signal with the check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 22

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, service generator checking apparatus comprising: tone generator means for generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a selected tone, matrix means, connected to receive said selected tone sample, for connecting said selected tone samples to a selected one of said time slots in each frame to form a tone sample signal, control means, connected to control said matrix means, for specifying said selected tone sample and for specifying said selected one of said time slots, store means, connected to said matrix means, for storing said tone sample signal, first connection means for connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, means for connecting said output signal as an input to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparator means connected to said store means and said input portion for comparing the stored sample signal with the check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 23

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output telephone signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, the method of checking said interface comprising the steps of: generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a plurality of tones, multiplexing said tone samples onto a common bus each time frame, connecting a selected one of said tone samples to a selected one of said time slots in each time frame to form a tone sample signal, specifying said selected one of said tone samples and specifying said selected one of said time slots, storing said tone sample signal, connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, connecting said output signal as an input signal to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparing the stored sample signal with said check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.

Claim 24

In a telephone system having an interface including an input portion connected to an input line for receiving input telephone signals and having an output portion connected to an output line for transmitting output telephone signals, said system operating with the telephone signals in time frames each consisting of a plurality of time slots, the method of checking said interface comprising the steps of: generating, each time frame, pulse code modulated tone samples for a plurality of tones, multiplexing said tone samples onto a common bus each time frame, connecting a selected one of said tone samples to a selected one of said time slots in each time frame to form a tone sample signal, specifying said selected one of said tone samples and specifying said selected one of said time slots, storing said tone sample signal, connecting said tone sample signal as an input to said output portion whereby said tone sample signal becomes an output signal, connecting said output signal as an input signal to said input portion whereby said input signal becomes a check signal corresponding to said tone sample signal, and comparing the stored sample signal with said check signal thereby verifying that said interface is operational.