Visual display for communication network monitoring and troubleshooting

Claim 1

A communication network transceiver assembly for interfacing between a communication bus and a host system, said transceiver assembly comprising: transceiver circuit means for coupling a transmit signal from the host system onto the bus and for coupling data from the bus to form a receive signal supplied to the host system; a housing for containing said transceiver circuit means; and indicator means for providing on said housing visible displays of the presence of said transmit signal and said receive signal, said indicator means comprising a transmit LED, a transmit LED circuit responsive to said transmit signal for illuminating said transmit LED, a receive LED and a receive LED circuit responsive to said receive signal for illuminating said receive LED, said transmit LED circuit and said receive LED circuit each comprising an asymmetrical difference amplifier for providing an output in response to a differential input signal of prescribed amplitude, said differential input signal comprising the respective transmit signal or receive signal, a pulse stretcher circuit responsive to the output of said difference amplifier for providing a pulse of prescribed duration, and an LED driver circuit responsive to said pulse of prescribed duration for illuminating the respective LED.