Other

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Dash Strauss Associates

Glen R Dash

Isidor Straus

Lee D Weinstein

P Bradley Rosen

Michael A Bromberg

Benjamin Chigier

James A Goldstein

Thomas C Purcell

David J Agans

John A Kowalonek

George Favaloro

David E Winston

Becky Dash

Gabor L Szakacs

A telephone system having a telephone network line for connection to an external phone line. The telephone system also includes a computer system and a telephone coupled to the telephone network line, and the telephone is taken off-hook to enter a voice command. A transmitter communicates the voice command from the telephone to the computer system without the telephone seizing the external phone line. A computer interface unit is connected to the computer system to receive the voice transmitted from the telephone and to transmit voice signals transmitted by the computer system to the telephone. A phone interface unit is connected between the telephone and telephone network line, and the phone interface unit is selectable between a first mode and a second mode. The phone interface unit connects the telephone to the telephone network line if it is in the first mode, and isolates the telephone from the telephone network line if it is in the second mode. If an external phone call is detected from the external phone line, the phone interface unit can be selected to be in the first mode if the external call is present. The computer system includes communication software for controlling communication in the telephone system, including receiving a voice command transmitted from the telephone when the telephone is off-hook, and controlling the phone interface unit to isolate the telephone from the external phone line when receiving the voice command from the telephone line.

Communication with a computer using telephones

A method and apparatus provide communication in a telephone system connected to an external phone line, wherein the telephone system has a telephone line, a telephone, a phone interface unit coupled to the telephone and the telephone line, a computer system, and a computer interface unit coupled to the computer system and the telephone line. A bias voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if the telephone is on-hook or off-hook, a ringing voltage on the telephone line is detected to determine if an external call is incoming, and a first carrier transmitted by the phone interface unit is detected. A second carrier is transmitted using the computer interface unit under control of the computer system. Detection of the bias voltage, ringing voltage, and/or first carrier is communicated to the computer system. An off-hook condition is indicated if the line bias voltage is less than an off-hook bias threshold voltage. An incoming ring is indicated if the ringing voltage has an amplitude greater than a first voltage and a frequency in the range of a ring frequency. The first carrier is indicated as being present if a signal is detected at a first carrier center frequency and having an amplitude greater than a first carrier threshold voltage. The second carrier is indicated as being present if a signal is detected at a second carrier center frequency and having an amplitude greater than a second carrier threshold voltage.

Communication between a telephone and a computer system

A method for use by a teacher (38) to illustrate the location of a star (41) or other celestial object which consists of a rod (12) which is illuminated with a red light (14) at its far end. The rod is placed on the shoulder of a student (40) and pointed by the teacher at the object. The student, by sighting down the rod, will be able to observe the object the teacher is referring to without having any knowledge of astronomical coordinate systems or using star charts.

Device and method for locating astronomical objects

A fanciful animal (12) which emits a purring sound when petted. A sensor, comprising an enclosure of a fanciful animal (18), pressure transducer (14) and cushion material (16) is arranged so as to permit at least a portion of said cushioning material to move freely over said pressure transducer when said enclosure is rubbed, producing an output signal of sufficient magnitude to be detected by an electronics assembly (20). The electronics assembly produces a waveform of predetermined form which when applied to a speaker (SP1) simulates a purr.

Sound producing device stimulated by petting

A telephone network test apparatus for testing for a number of different conditions that can cause harm to a telephone network. Described herein is a circuit for measuring signal power level as well as a circuit for measuring surge voltages. Finally there is described a circuit for measurement of voltage balance.

Subscriber telephone equipment test apparatus

An electrostatic discharge simulator employing the combination of a chargeable member connected in parallel with a parallel plate capacitor network. The chargeable member is maintained charged by a high voltage supply through a charging resistance. The capacitor network includes a bank of resistors and capacitors for providing a voltage step simultaneously with an ESD event and is detected by an event detector. The event detector turns off the high voltage supply. To charge the capacitances for the next event, the event detector is reset using a reset switch built into the device probe.

Electrostatic discharge simulator

A ferrite sleeve or bead either in round configuration or square or rectangular configuration and either whole or split is employed as a means for reducing radiation emissions associated with a computer or the like data processing system. The ferrite system is disposed over the I/O cable either over a segment thereof or along the length thereof and in one embodiment is in the form of one or more ferrite beads that may be associated with wires internal to the data processing system. In a further embodiment of the invention the ferrite sleeve may be replaced by an equivalent circuit network comprising a parallel inductor and resistor in which the inductor is wound over a resistive core. The ferrite sleeve is dimensioned to have an impedance at the operating frequency greater than the signal cable conductor means radiation resistance, thus establishing a voltage divider circuit between the impedance of the ferrite sleeve and the radiation resistance, to thus reduce emissions due in particular to common mode noise.

Electromagnetic emission control system

A reference antenna construction preferably employing a biconical antenna in combination with a balanced to unbalanced transformer or balun adapted to provide proper matching and operation over a broad frequency range. The reference antenna is used to calibrate other antennas. A ferrite sleeve is preferably used over the balun to reduce unbalanced currents flowing in the shield and to improve performance. A tool is described that allows fast and accurate construction of the balun by providing precise severing of the center conductor.

Reference antennas for emission detection

A data line comprising a stationary disk (34) and an opposed rotating disk (36) couples data from a stationary data source (30) to a rotating data module (12) to which the rotating disk (36) is fixed. The rotating disk (36) includes an insulating substrate (38) on which concentric arcuate strips (40) are formed in registration with corresponding strips on the stationary disk (36). The link transmits data from one disc (34) to the other (36) by capacitive coupling between corresponding strips to the two discs. The several pairs of corresponding strips are in separate parallel data channels, and crosstalk between the channels is prevented by intermediate ground strips (42) disposed between the data-carrying strips (40).

High speed link for rotating display

A circuit is described for substantially reducing the level of radiation from another circuit such as a clock circuit that might be used in a computing device. By maintaining the current drawn by the clock driver from the power supply at a constant level, the amount of radiation is lowered. If all currents drawn can be controlled so as not to change as the clocking occurs, then radiation from the clock is essentially eliminated.

Circuit for minimizing radiation

An interface device that serves to connect a local RF signal and a broadcast signal to a television receiver as alternate inputs to the receiver.

Television interface device

An electronic game wherein simulated players, a simulated object, a simulated playing field, and so forth, are produced electronically on the image screen of a television receiver by an electronic master controller, the players being caused to move about in both the .+-. x direction and the .+-. y direction by the electronic master controller under the control of human operators. Movement of the simulated object, spatial coincidence of the players and the object, and so forth, are all sensed and predetermined actions are taken on the image screen by virtue of signals from the electronic master controller to the television receiver.

Simulated video game

An electronic game wherein an electronic controller, connected to introduce RF signals through the antenna circuit of a television receiver, introduces to the receiver electric signals that produce on the screen thereof the simulation of at least part of a playing area and the simulation of active parts or components of a game.

Growing community of inventors

Watertown, MA, United States of America

Glen R Dash