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:
Apr. 29, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 16, 2000
Daryl E. Ingalsbe, Blair, NE (US);
Douglas H. Ferguson, Eden Valley, MN (US);
Independent Technologies, Inc., Omaha, NE (US);
Abstract
A data protector for telephony test equipment, comprising a relay for selectively connecting the telephony test equipment to a telecommunication line, and electronic circuitry. The electronic circuitry includes a detector portion adapted for detecting signals within a continuous band of frequencies present on the telecommunication line, and a microcontroller. The microcontroller has a frequency counter function for determining whether data is present on the telecommunication line, a relay connect control function for selectively controlling the relay to connect the telephony test equipment to the telecommunication line, and an alert operator function for producing a signal if the detected frequency is above a predetermined threshold. A method for preventing telephony test equipment from unintentionally disrupting signals on telecommunication lines, comprising the steps of: providing a relay between the telecommunication test equipment and the telecommunication line; providing electronic circuitry including a single band frequency counter; determining whether data signals are present on the telecommunication line using the single band frequency counter; in response to determining that data signals are not present on the line, closing the relay to connect the telecommunication test equipment to the telecommunication line; and in response to determining that data signals are present on the line, providing an indication to the technician that data is present and preventing connection between the telecommunication test equipment and the telecommunication line.