The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 11, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 24, 1997
Peter D. Olson, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Kevin P. Grundy, Fremont, CA (US);
John K. Seamons, Basalt, CO (US);
Hughes Electronics Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for providing data communications over the existing telephone network without burdening the public switched telephone network (PSTN) switch with data communications traffic. In one embodiment, a novel modem is coupled to both ends of the twisted pair telephone wire which runs between a remote location and the Central Office (CO) or the remote CO. An off-hook detector is also connected to the twisted pair line in order to enable detection of when normal telephony functions are being performed over the twisted pair line. The modems of the present invention are capable of transmitting data whenever normal telephony functions are not being performed, such as for example when the telephone line is on-hook. The data transmission in accordance with the teachings of the present invention uses sufficiently low current levels such that the PSTN switch located at the CO does not detect any activity on the twisted pair line.