Proctor & Associates Company, Inc.

Peter T Skelly

Darryl F Proctor

Louis W Champan

Darrell D Cole

An electromagnetic sensing apparatus includes one or more magnetic cores coupled by windings to a pair of transmission line conductors for sensing the presence, and in some cases the magnitude and direction of loop currents flowing in the transmission line, without interfering with the transmission of signal information therealong. In one embodiment, the direction of loop current flow in the transmission line conductors is detected by applying a steady-state electromagnetic bias to the magnetic core to cause a polarity or direction determining asymmetrical response in a sense circuit that is electromagnetically coupled to the core by a sense winding. In another embodiment, a pair of separate magnetic cores are used, each having associated drive windings connected in series with the transmission line conductors, and associated sense windings. The various drive and sense windings are wound on the magnetic cores so as to cause detection of the direct loop current flowing in the transmission line conductors, and at the same time to cause self-cancellation of any electromagnetic coupled of the sensing signal to the drive windings which would otherwise appear as interference or noise on the transmission line.

Method and apparatus for detecting direct currents in a transmission line

An identification circuit, which is useful in a communication system comprising a plurality of remote stations and one central station, for automatically distinguishing between two remote stations in the system which are common to a single communication line pair connection to the central station. A two-party telephone line in a telephone network is an example of such a system. The identification circuit includes a ground mark circuit which in turn includes sufficient dc resistance to provide an electrical imbalance on the communication line pair when the ground mark circuit is connected between the communication line pair and ground. A sensing circuit and a control circuit are also provided, with the sensing circuit being responsive to a dc current in a portion of the communication line pair connected to a selected one of the two remote stations to energize the control circuit, which is in turn operable to connect the ground mark circuit between the communication line pair and ground. The electrical imbalance thereby appearing on the communication line pair is detectable by the central station.

Automatic telephone number identification circuit

In order to distinguish voice and other noise signals which may be present on telephone or similar communications lines from legitimate multi-frequency tone data and control signals, three detectors are disclosed. A frequency drop detector is provided which receives an input from the lines and which provides an output signal upon receipt of any signals appearing on the lines which terminates when the frequency thereof rapidly drops by a predetermined amount. Means consisting of a long-time interval detector are provided for investigating the status of the frequency drop detector's output for a predetermined time after the production of said output signal. If the output signal from said frequency drop detector is provided throughout said predetermined time period, the signal on the lines is defined as legitimate and a circuit output signal is produced. In all other cases, the circuit output signal is inhibited. In a telephone communications application where audible twin-tone signals are present along with voice and other noise signals, first and second frequency drop detectors are provided for the high and low frequency groups making up such twin-tone signals. Also, a frequency coincidence detector is provided which provides an output signal only when the components of the signals in both the high and the low groups do not have the same frequency. In this embodiment, the presence of all of the output signals so described for a period of time equal to or greater than that established causes an output to be produced which signifies that the signals are not likely voice or other noise signals.

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Peter T Skelly