US6203334B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular jack receptacle including a removable interface
Assignee: Avaya Technology LLC
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Filing: 1999-06-23
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Granted: 2001-03-20
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Expires: 2019-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A modular jack receptacle that includes a plurality of removable interfaces that provide for interconnection between and among the plurality of interfaces and a modular jack held by the receptacle. Each of the removable interfaces include two terminals mounted on a printed circuit board and each connected to a circuit trace. Each interface may also include, as a routine matter of design choice, electronic devices, circuits, connectors, etc., to provide for additional functionality of the interface. The modular jack receptacle provides increased flexibility in diagnostic and test capability for a particular communication line from a Central Office (CO) to a customer premise location and simplified replacement of electronic devices installed in series with a communication line.
Inventors
- 👤 Bassel H. Daoud
- 👤 Christopher M. Helmstetter
- 👤 David S. Kerr
- 👤 Walter Pelosi
- 👤 Mikhail Sumetskiy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R24/00; H01R24/60; H01R24/62; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/639
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A modular jack receptacle adapted to accept and hold a modular jack that includes a terminal, said modular jack receptacle comprising: a housing having an aperture for accepting the modular jack; a first interface provided in said housing and including a first connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal when the modular jack is held within said modular jack receptacle; and a second interface removably placeable in said housing and including a second connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal via said first connector when said second interface is placed within said housing, said first and said second interfaces each comprising a printed circuit board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A modular jack receptacle adapted to accept and hold a modular jack that includes a terminal, said modular jack receptacle comprising: a housing having an aperture for accepting the modular jack; a first interface provided in said housing and including a first connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal when the modular jack is held within said modular jack receptacle; and a second interface removably placeable in said housing and including a second connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal via said first connector when said second interface is placed within said housing, said first and said second interfaces each comprising a printed circuit board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said first interface is selectively removable from said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a guide for receiving said second interface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 3 , wherein said guide includes an interface retainer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 4 , wherein said interface retainer comprises a first part provided integral with said housing, and a second part provided integral with said second interface and complementary with said interface retainer first part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said first connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said first interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said second connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto, said second connector terminal contacting said circuit trace of said first interface when said second interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 8 , wherein said second interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , further comprising a third interface removably placeable in said housing and including a third connector for making an electronic connection to said second connector when said third interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 10 , wherein said third interface comprises a printed wiring board and wherein said third connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 8 , wherein said third interface comprises a printed wiring board and wherein said third connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto, said third connector terminal contacting said circuit trace of said second interface when said third interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 10 , wherein said third interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 1 , wherein said second interface further comprises an external connector for connecting an external device with said second interface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A modular jack receptacle as recited by claim 10 , wherein said third interface further comprises an external connector for connecting an external device with said third interface.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
199 words
A system for evaluating a communication line provided between a central office (CO) and a customer premise location, the CO including communications equipment for communicating a signal from the CO to the customer premise location over the communications line, said system comprising: a modular jack receptacle adapted to accept and hold a modular jack including a terminal and located at the customer premise location and connected to the communication line, said modular jack receptacle comprising: a housing having an aperture for accepting the modular jack; a first interface provided in said housing and including a first connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal when the modular jack is held within said modular jack receptacle; and a second interface removably placeable in said housing and including a second connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal via said first connector when said second interface is placed within said housing, said second interface further comprising receiving and communicating means for receiving the signal communicated from the CO and for communicating a return signal to the CO in response to the received signal, said first and said second interfaces each comprising a printed circuit board.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
199 words
A system for evaluating a communication line provided between a central office (CO) and a customer premise location, the CO including communications equipment for communicating a signal from the CO to the customer premise location over the communications line, said system comprising: a modular jack receptacle adapted to accept and hold a modular jack including a terminal and located at the customer premise location and connected to the communication line, said modular jack receptacle comprising: a housing having an aperture for accepting the modular jack; a first interface provided in said housing and including a first connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal when the modular jack is held within said modular jack receptacle; and a second interface removably placeable in said housing and including a second connector for making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal via said first connector when said second interface is placed within said housing, said second interface further comprising receiving and communicating means for receiving the signal communicated from the CO and for communicating a return signal to the CO in response to the received signal, said first and said second interfaces each comprising a printed circuit board.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said receiving and communicating means comprises a maintenance test unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as recited by claim 17 , wherein said maintenance test unit is adapted to detect an open circuit condition in the communications line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said receiving and communicating means comprises a half-ringer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said first interface is selectively removable from said housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said housing includes a guide for receiving said second interface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as recited by claim 21 , wherein said guide includes an interface retainer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as recited by claim 22 , wherein said interface retainer comprises a first part provided integral with said housing, and a second part provided integral with said second interface and complementary with said interface retainer first part.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said first connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said first interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as recited by claim 24 , wherein said second connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto, said second connector terminal contacting said circuit trace of said first interface when said second interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited by claim 26 , wherein said second interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , further comprising a third interface removably placeable in said housing and including a third connector for making an electronic connection to said second connector when said third interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as recited by claim 28 , wherein said third interface comprises a printed circuit board and wherein said third connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as recited by claim 26 , wherein said third interface comprises a printed circuit board and wherein said third connector comprises a terminal and a circuit trace connected thereto, said third connector terminal contacting said circuit trace of said second interface when said third interface is placed within said housing.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited by claim 28 , wherein said third interface further comprises electronic circuitry.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as recited by claim 16 , wherein said second interface further comprises an external connector for connecting an external device with said second interface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as recited by claim 28 , wherein said third interface further comprises an external connector for connecting an external device with said third interface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
98 words
A modular jack receptacle for receiving and holding a modular jack having a terminal, said modular jack receptacle comprising a plurality of selectively removable and interconnectable interfaces, each of said plurality of interfaces comprising a printed circuit board and including a connector for making an electronic connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of interfaces, said connector for one of said plurality of interfaces making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal, said other ones of said plurality of interfaces being connectable to the modular jack terminal via said respective connector and said one of said interfaces.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
98 words
A modular jack receptacle for receiving and holding a modular jack having a terminal, said modular jack receptacle comprising a plurality of selectively removable and interconnectable interfaces, each of said plurality of interfaces comprising a printed circuit board and including a connector for making an electronic connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of interfaces, said connector for one of said plurality of interfaces making an electronic connection to the modular jack terminal, said other ones of said plurality of interfaces being connectable to the modular jack terminal via said respective connector and said one of said interfaces.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-03-19 | 2004-09-18 | 2005-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-19 | 2008-09-18 | 2009-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-19 | 2012-09-18 | 2013-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |