Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A portable self-powered telecommunications test instrument for monitoring the status of a pair of wires, the instrument comprising: a case sized to be held in one hand and containing therein the circuitry of the instrument; a tone generating circuit for generating a tone signal; a battery to provide power to said tone generating circuit; means for the user to manually enable operation of the instrument in a tone generating mode; means for monitoring the pair of wires to determine whether an on-hook signal, an off-hook signal, or a ringing signal is present on the pair of wires, and if either an on-hook, off-hook, or ringing signal is present on the pair of wires, generating a control signal; control means for connecting and disconnecting said tone generating circuit and the pair of wires to selectively apply said tone signal to the pair of wires; and means, responsive to said control signal and the user selecting said tone generating mode using said manual means, for causing said control means to connect said tone generating circuit to the pair of wires if the user selected said tone generating mode and no control signal is generated, and disconnecting said tone generating circuit from the pair of wires if the control signal is generated, whereby the operational mode of the instrument is changed automatically if the pair of wires are in use.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
A portable self-powered telecommunications test instrument for monitoring the status of a pair of wires, the instrument comprising: a case sized to be held in one hand and containing therein the circuitry of the instrument; a tone generating circuit for generating a tone signal; a battery to provide power to said tone generating circuit; means for the user to manually enable operation of the instrument in a tone generating mode; means for monitoring the pair of wires to determine whether an on-hook signal, an off-hook signal, or a ringing signal is present on the pair of wires, and if either an on-hook, off-hook, or ringing signal is present on the pair of wires, generating a control signal; control means for connecting and disconnecting said tone generating circuit and the pair of wires to selectively apply said tone signal to the pair of wires; and means, responsive to said control signal and the user selecting said tone generating mode using said manual means, for causing said control means to connect said tone generating circuit to the pair of wires if the user selected said tone generating mode and no control signal is generated, and disconnecting said tone generating circuit from the pair of wires if the control signal is generated, whereby the operational mode of the instrument is changed automatically if the pair of wires are in use.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said tone signal is selected from a menu providing a choice of a plurality of tone frequencies and amplitudes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
The instrument of claim 1 wherein said monitoring means generates an on-hook indicator signal if an on-hook signal is determined to be present on the pair of wires, an off-hook indicator signal if an off-hook signal is determined to be present on the pair of wires, and a ringing indicator signal if a ringing signal is determined to be present on the pair of wires and the instrument further includes a display to indicate the presence of said on-hook signal indicator, said off-hook signal indicator, or said ringing signal indicator, whereby said display indicates to the user which one of an on-hook signal, an off-hook signal or a ringing signal is present on the pair of wires.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The circuit of claim 3 wherein said monitoring means determines the presence of said on-hook, said off-hook and said ringing signals by measuring a voltage between the pair of wires.