Harris Corporation

Linda L Hathorn

Edward J Zoiss

Roy Lujan Soto

Joseph E Gleason

Glen Holt Humphrey

Paul H Katz

Ronald S Squires

Steve Coker

James D Coleman

Fernando Antonio Montijo

Aaron Ross London

An integrated services digital network (ISDN) test set includes an ISDN transceiver, a supervisory control processor which is operative to cause the ISDN transceiver to controllably transmit and receive ISDN communication messages over a communication circuit, and an alpha-numeric message display through which messages associated with the operation of the ISDN test set are displayed. The test set keypad also includes a dedicated 'ASSIST' key, that is selectably operated by the user, to cause the control processor to execute a user assistance routine, which accesses a contextual-based alpha-numeric database, whose contents are associated with and provide additional information of a displayed alpha-numeric message. This enables a test set user, regardless of training or experience, to be provided with information necessary to competently operate the test set and successfully test an ISDN line.

Interactive contextual-based assistance for portable ISDN test set

A wireless butt set for testing a telephone line includes a base station that is connectable to tip and ring leads of a line under test and is configured to be operated by a wireless telephone handset. The handset is detachably nestable with the base station to form a hand-held integrated butt set assembly. This configuration allows a craftsperson to directly or remotely control the test set using controls of the wireless telephone handset. The internal circuitry of the base station is placed in a high impedance line-monitoring mode without going off-hook, in response to one 'click' of a talk switch of the handset, and goes off-hook in response to a 'double-click' of the talk switch the handset.

Wireless butt set

Linesman test set

Telecommunications test set

A test set interface automatically determines the type of communication link to which it is coupled, and then configures internal test circuitry to support testing of that particular type of line, irrespective of which of a plurality of different types of communication signals the line may be conveying. The interface includes a multiconductor line cord, end connections of which are configured for connection with any of multiple types of telecommunication circuits. A telecommunication circuit analysis is coupled to the line cord and to test circuitry, and is operative to analyze electrical characteristics of a respective telecommunication circuit to which the line cord is selectively connected by a test set microcontroller, so as to determine which of the different types of communication signals is being conveyed by the telecommunication circuit. In response to this determination, the test set configures its test circuitry to test the operation of the telecommunication circuit in accordance with the type of communication signal detected.

Test set interface for automatically detecting line type

ISDN test set

A strain relief attachment for attaching a telephone communication cord to a telephone test set has a line cord strain relief element, a grooved neck end of which is insertable through a tunnel through an end of the test set to a strain relief engagement cavity adjacent to a battery compartment of the test set and accessible by a battery door. The strain relief element includes a bore through which the line cord extends and a flange configured to conform with an external surface of the test set adjacent to the tunnel. The strain relief element engagement cavity is connected by a line cord passageway to the battery compartment. A wedge-shaped line cord retention plug is inserted into the strain relief engagement cavity, engaging the grooved neck of the line cord strain relief element and a wall surface of the strain relief engagement cavity. As the wedge-shaped line cord retention plug is inserted into the cavity, it draws the line cord strain relief element into the test set, urging the flange of the line cord strain relief element into sealing engagement with the external surface of the test set.

Line cord strain relief attachment for telephone test set

Telephone test set

Growing community of inventors

Camarillo, CA, United States of America

Linda L Hathorn