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US4386239A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multifrequency tone detector

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1980-06-17
•
Granted: 1983-05-31
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Expires: 2000-06-17
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Abstract

Abstract A signal recognition circuit (10) is disclosed which is capable of distinguishing between the digit tones used for dialing in multifrequency tone telephone sets, and spurious signals at the same frequencies, such as noise and voice. The discriminator comprises, in cascade, an AGC amplifier (11), an adjustable threshold comparator (12), and a signal validation circuit (13). The operation of the discriminator is based upon the fact that the true dialing tones have envelopes of constant magntiude whereas the spurious signals tend to have pronounced envelope variations. By the appropriate adjustment of the comparator threshold, these variations show up as gaps in the comparator output signal, which are readily detected by the validation circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ta-Mu Chien

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 04:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/30; H04Q1/44; H04Q1/444; H04Q1/46

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 79 words
A multifrequency tone receiver comprising: first and second signal paths; said first path including, in cascade, a first bandpass filter, an AGC amplifier, and a first signal comparator; said second path including, in cascade, a second bandpass filter, and a second signal comparator; means connecting the input ports of said first and second filters to a common signal path; and means connecting the output ports of said first and second signal comparators to a frequency detector and validation circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 79 words
A multifrequency tone receiver comprising: first and second signal paths; said first path including, in cascade, a first bandpass filter, an AGC amplifier, and a first signal comparator; said second path including, in cascade, a second bandpass filter, and a second signal comparator; means connecting the input ports of said first and second filters to a common signal path; and means connecting the output ports of said first and second signal comparators to a frequency detector and validation circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
The receiver according to claim 1 wherein said second path includes a second AGC amplifier connected between said second filter and said second comparator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The receiver according to claim 2 wherein each AGC amplifier produces an output signal whose envelope exceeds a given level over a specified dynamic range of input terminals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 34 words
The receiver according to claim 1 wherein each comparator compares the signal applied thereto with a reference signal, and produces an output signal when the envelope of said applied signal exceeds said reference signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The receiver according to claim 1 wherein said AGC amplifier produces an output signal whose envelope exceeds a given level over a specified dynamic range of input signals.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2974281A Cited
US3539731A Cited
US3537001A Cited
US3582565A Cited
US3795775A Cited
US3875347A Cited
US4091243A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-05-30 1986-11-29 1987-05-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-05-30 1990-11-29 1991-05-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-05-30 1994-11-29 1995-05-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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