Northern Telecom Limited

Paul Fong-Yan Hung

Stanley D Rosenbaum

Brian A Sutherland

Reinhard W Rosch

Francois Y Tremblay

Joseph F Darveau

A telephone line interface circuit comprises a controlled voltage generator for selectively generating a ringing voltage waveform for a telephone line or a supply voltage for a drive circuit for the telephone line, and a switching circuit interconnecting an output of the controlled voltage generator, the drive circuit, and the telephone line accordingly. In order to avoid creating a potentially hazardous condition on the telephone line, an interlock is provided between enabling of the controlled voltage generator and switching of the switching circuit, and software and hardware monitoring functions monitor operation of the control software and the controlled voltage generator and disable the controlled voltage generator in response to fault conditions or unusual behavior.

Hazard prevention for telephone line interface circuits

An automatic protection and recovery method for a telephone line interface circuit is described. The interface circuit monitors current on the line, and in the event of a fault producing an excessive current a protection relay interrupts a connection of the interface circuit to the line, and the interface circuit monitors common mode voltage on the line. The interface circuit is reconnected in response to the monitored voltage being below a relatively high threshold. If a second interruption results, the interface circuit is then reconnected in response to the monitored voltage being below a lower threshold. If a further interruption results, the interface circuit enters a ground fault recovery process. The method facilitates protection and rapid recovery from arbitrary fault conditions on the telephone line.

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Stittsville, Canada

Paul Fong-Yan Hung