US4663776A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for accessing electrical circuits and relay switch thereof
Assignee: Spirent Communications of Rockville Inc
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Filing: 1985-04-19
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Granted: 1987-05-05
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Expires: 2005-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for accessing a plurality of telephone wires which are two-wire, four-wire and six-wire circuits, including a common access test bus, a common control bus, a plurality of access shelves for connecting the circuits to the common access test bus, in which each access shelf is individually selectively controllable to connect the circuits to the common access test bus in response to control signals on the common control bus, and a test controller having a programmable data processor for selectively generating the control signals to individually control any one of the access shelves. The relay switch of the system for closing and splitting twelve wires includes a first relay having twelve contacts, corresponding to the twelve wires, respectively, for closing the twelve wires and for splitting the twelve wires into twenty-four wires, a second relay, having twelve contacts, for closing a first twelve of the twenty-four wires, each of two of these twelve contacts being on two of the first twelve wires, respectively, and a third relay, having twelve contacts, for closing a second twelve of the twenty-four wires, each of two of these twelve contacts being on two of the second twelve wires, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Ruben Wever
- 👤 Lorin D. Allred
- 👤 Marco A. Ruiz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus having a plurality of bus wires; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting at least one of the telephone electrical circuits to at least one of said bus wires of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, and wherein said system is adaptable to include at least one other said access shelf for connecting at least one other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf and said other access shelf being individually selectively controllable to connect said one telephone circuit or said other telephone circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire; and (d) a test controller having programmable data processing means for selectively generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said one access shelf and said other access shelf to connect, respectively, said one telephone electrical circuit and said other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire, and said common access test bus and said common control bus being connected to said test controller and to said one access shelf and said other access shelf.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
231 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus having a plurality of bus wires; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting at least one of the telephone electrical circuits to at least one of said bus wires of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, and wherein said system is adaptable to include at least one other said access shelf for connecting at least one other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf and said other access shelf being individually selectively controllable to connect said one telephone circuit or said other telephone circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire; and (d) a test controller having programmable data processing means for selectively generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said one access shelf and said other access shelf to connect, respectively, said one telephone electrical circuit and said other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire, and said common access test bus and said common control bus being connected to said test controller and to said one access shelf and said other access shelf.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
120 words
An access shelf for connecting to an access test bus at least first and second telephone electrical circuits, the access test bus having first bus wires and second bus wires, comprising: (a) means for accessing the first telephone electrical circuit and the second telephone electrical circuit; and (b) bus select means, coupled to said accessing means, for selecting and connecting the accessed first telephone electrical circuit to the first bus wires and for selecting and connecting the accessed second telephone electrical circuit to the second bus wires, said bus select means including bus swapping means for connecting the accessed first telephone electrical circuit to the second bus wires and the accessed second telephone electrical circuit to the first bus wires.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
120 words
An access shelf for connecting to an access test bus at least first and second telephone electrical circuits, the access test bus having first bus wires and second bus wires, comprising: (a) means for accessing the first telephone electrical circuit and the second telephone electrical circuit; and (b) bus select means, coupled to said accessing means, for selecting and connecting the accessed first telephone electrical circuit to the first bus wires and for selecting and connecting the accessed second telephone electrical circuit to the second bus wires, said bus select means including bus swapping means for connecting the accessed first telephone electrical circuit to the second bus wires and the accessed second telephone electrical circuit to the first bus wires.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
An access shelf for connecting a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test but connected to a test controller, said access shelf comprising: (a) means for coupling selected telephone electrical circuits to the test bus; and (b) means for monitoring the selected telephone electrical circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
An access shelf for connecting a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test but connected to a test controller, said access shelf comprising: (a) means for coupling selected telephone electrical circuits to the test bus; and (b) means for monitoring the selected telephone electrical circuits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
An access shelf, according to claim 3, wherein said monitoring means comprises a high-impedance circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
An access shelf, according to claim 4, wherein said high-impedance circuit is an amplifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
An access shelf, according to claim 3, wherein said means for coupling comprises a plurality of paths being connectable to the access test bus, wherein the selected electrical circuits are coupled to said paths, respectively, and wherein said means for monitoring comprises a plurality of high-impedance circuits being connectable in-circuit to said plurality of paths, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An access shelf, according to claim 6, wherein each of said high-impedance circuits is an amplifier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
116 words
A multi-stage access shelf for coupling at least one desired telephone electrical circuit of a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus, comprising: (a) access card means for selecting several of the telephone electrical circuits, at least one of which is the one desired telephone electrical circuit, said access card means being a first coupling stage; and (b) bus select means for selecting the one desired telephone electrical circuit from the several telephone electrical circuits and for normalling through the remaining telephone electrical circuits of the several telephone electrical circuits, the one desired telephone electrical circuit being connectable to the access test bus, and said bus select means being a second coupling stage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
116 words
A multi-stage access shelf for coupling at least one desired telephone electrical circuit of a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus, comprising: (a) access card means for selecting several of the telephone electrical circuits, at least one of which is the one desired telephone electrical circuit, said access card means being a first coupling stage; and (b) bus select means for selecting the one desired telephone electrical circuit from the several telephone electrical circuits and for normalling through the remaining telephone electrical circuits of the several telephone electrical circuits, the one desired telephone electrical circuit being connectable to the access test bus, and said bus select means being a second coupling stage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A multi-stage access shelf, according to claim 8, wherein the access test bus includes first bus wires and second bus wires, and wherein said bus select means includes means for selectively switching the one desired telephone electrical circuit to the first wires or the second wires.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
130 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test but selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
130 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test but selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
An access switch, according to claim 10, wherein the test bus includes a plurality of bus wires, and said bus select means connects the selected combinations of p and s wires to selected bus wires of the access test bus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
108 words
An access shelf for coupling a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus, the telephone electrical circuits including two-wire, four-wire or six-wire circuits or a combination thereof, comprising: (a) controllable switching means for connecting a two-wire or a four-wire or a six-wire circuit to the access test bus, said controllable switching means being configurable to provide a four-wire access shelf in which a two-wire or a four-wire circuit is connectable to the access test bus and being configurable to provide a six-wire access shelf in which a six-wire circuit is connectable to the access test bus; and (b) means for controlling said controllable switching means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
108 words
An access shelf for coupling a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus, the telephone electrical circuits including two-wire, four-wire or six-wire circuits or a combination thereof, comprising: (a) controllable switching means for connecting a two-wire or a four-wire or a six-wire circuit to the access test bus, said controllable switching means being configurable to provide a four-wire access shelf in which a two-wire or a four-wire circuit is connectable to the access test bus and being configurable to provide a six-wire access shelf in which a six-wire circuit is connectable to the access test bus; and (b) means for controlling said controllable switching means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An access shelf, according to claim 12, wherein said controllable switching means is logically configurable to provide a four-wide access shelf or a six-wire access shelf.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
An access shelf, according to claim 13, wherein said means for controlling comprises a physical switch being switchable between one position and another position to provide information corresponding, respectively, to the four-wire configuration and the six-wire configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
105 words
An access shelf, according to claim 12, wherein said controllable switching means comprises: (a) first access card means, having a first output, for connecting a first group of the telephone electrical circuits to said first output; (b) second access card means, having a second output, for connecting a second group of the telephone electrical circuits to said second output; and (c) wherein said first access card means and said second access card means logically constitute one group for the four-wire configuration, and wherein said first access card means and said second access card means logically constitute first and second groups, respectively, fo the six-wire configuration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
57 words
An access shelf, according to claim 15, wherein said controllable switching means further comprises bus select means, connected to said first output and said second output, for selectively connecting telephone electrical circuits of said first group to the access test bus and for selectively connecting telephone electrical circuits of said second group to the access test bus.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
270 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus having a plurality of bus wires; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting at least one of the telephone electrical circuits to at least one of said bus wires of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, and wherein said system is adaptable to include at least one other said access shelf for connecting at least one other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf and said other access shelf being individually selectively controllable to connect said one telephone circuit or said other telephone circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire; and (d) at test controller having programmable data processing means for selectively generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said one access shelf and said other access shelf to connect, respectively, said one telephone electrical circuit and said other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire, and said common access test bus and said common control bus being connected to said test controller and to said one access shelf and said other access shelf, and wherein either said one access shelf or said other access shelf can be controlled at one time to connect said one telephone electrical circuit or said other telephone electrical circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
270 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus having a plurality of bus wires; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting at least one of the telephone electrical circuits to at least one of said bus wires of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, and wherein said system is adaptable to include at least one other said access shelf for connecting at least one other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire of said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf and said other access shelf being individually selectively controllable to connect said one telephone circuit or said other telephone circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire; and (d) at test controller having programmable data processing means for selectively generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said one access shelf and said other access shelf to connect, respectively, said one telephone electrical circuit and said other telephone electrical circuit to said at least one bus wire, and said common access test bus and said common control bus being connected to said test controller and to said one access shelf and said other access shelf, and wherein either said one access shelf or said other access shelf can be controlled at one time to connect said one telephone electrical circuit or said other telephone electrical circuit, respectively, to said at least one bus wire.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
159 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of p wires none or one two-wire or two two-wire circuits.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
159 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of p wires none or one two-wire or two two-wire circuits.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
155 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of s none or one two-wire circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
155 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of s none or one two-wire circuit.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
179 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of p wires none or one two-wire or two two-wire circuits, and can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of s none or a two-wire circuit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
179 words
An access switch for connecting to an access test bus a plurality of wires constituting a plurality of two-wire circuits, comprising: (a) first access means for closing a first group of N wires and for splitting the first group of N wires into 2N wires constituting a subset of p wires contained in N; (b) second access means for closing a second group of M wires and for splitting the second group of M wires into 2M wires constituting a subset of s wires contained in M; and (c) bus select means, coupled to said first and second access means, for connecting to the access test bus selected combinations of p and s wires and for normalling through the unselected combinations of p and s wires, wherein p=2 and s=2, and wherein said bus select means can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of p wires none or one two-wire or two two-wire circuits, and can connect to the access test bus with respect to the subset of s none or a two-wire circuit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
66 words
An access switch, according to claim 20, wherein said bus select means comprises a first output and a second output each being selectively openable and closeable to carry no wires or one two-wire or two two-wire circuits, respectively, of the subset of p wires and a third output being selectively openable and closeable to carry none or a two-wire circuit of the subset of p wires.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
50 words
An access switch, according to claim 21, wherein said bus select means further comprises bus swapping means for connecting one two-wire circuit of said subset of p wires to said third output and for connecting one two-wire circuit of said subset of s wires to said first or second output.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting the plurality of telephone electrical circuits to said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf including means for coupling one of the telephone electrical circuits to said common access test bus while performing a test at said access shelf on another of the telephone electrical circuits; and (d) a test controller having programmable data processing means for generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said coupling means of said one access shelf to so couple the one telephone electrical circuit and perform a test on the other telephone electrical circuit.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for accessing a plurality of telephone electrical circuits, comprising: (a) a common access test bus; (b) a common control bus; (c) at least one access shelf for connecting the plurality of telephone electrical circuits to said common access test bus in response to control signals on said common control bus, said one access shelf including means for coupling one of the telephone electrical circuits to said common access test bus while performing a test at said access shelf on another of the telephone electrical circuits; and (d) a test controller having programmable data processing means for generating the control signals onto said common control bus to individually and directly control said coupling means of said one access shelf to so couple the one telephone electrical circuit and perform a test on the other telephone electrical circuit.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system, according to claim 23, wherein said coupling means comprises means for monitoring the other telephone electrical circuit.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system, according to claim 24, wherein said monitoring means comprises a high-impedance circuit.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system, according to claim 24, wherein the monitoring means performs an audio monitoring test on the other telephone electrical circuit.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
62 words
An access shelf for connecting a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus connected to a test controller, said access shelf comprising: (a) means for coupling one of the telephone electrical circuits to the test bus; and (b) means for monitoring another of the telephone electrical circuits while the one telephone electrical circuit is coupled to the test bus.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
62 words
An access shelf for connecting a plurality of telephone electrical circuits to an access test bus connected to a test controller, said access shelf comprising: (a) means for coupling one of the telephone electrical circuits to the test bus; and (b) means for monitoring another of the telephone electrical circuits while the one telephone electrical circuit is coupled to the test bus.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
34 words
An access shelf, according to claim 27, wherein said means for coupling and said means for monitoring each includes controllable relays and data storage means for storing data identifying selected controllable relays to control.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4076970A
Cited
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| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-04 | 1998-11-03 | 1999-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |