公开(公告)号：US06594043B1

公开(公告)日：2003-07-15

申请号：US09473076

申请日：1999-12-28

申请人： Scott H. Bloom ,  James E. Dunn ,  Anthony Acampora

发明人： Scott H. Bloom ,  James E. Dunn ,  Anthony Acampora

IPC分类号： H04B1008

CPC分类号： H04B10/1149 ,  H04B10/40

摘要： A system and method for producing an eye safe laser communication system. The system and method detects an interfering object in the optical path and cuts off or reduces the power in the communication beam to safe levels. In one embodiment, a second laser diode transmitter and receiver is installed in each network node. The laser transmitter is pointed at a corresponding network node and the pulses travel in parallel with the communication beam. The pulses are reflected back to the transmitting node where they are detected. Their flight time is measured. When an interfering object is present, in one scenario, the pulses bounce of the interfering object and return to the receiver in the transmitting node, resulting in a reduced flight time. This reduced flight time is interpreted as an interfering object and the beam is shut down or reduced to a safe level. In a second scenario, the interfering object absorbs the detection beam. In another embodiment, a CCD camera is used to capture a reflection from an object in the path of the communication link. In this embodiment the CCD has an overlapping field of view with the communication transceiver's transmit laser. The laser's transmission beam forms a baseline pattern on the CCD. Any pixel to pixel variation from the baseline pattern indicates an interference, thus triggering the system to shut down or reduce the power of the communication link. Another embodiment uses retroreflection of the human eye to detect interference by the human eye and an optical magnification device. In this embodiment, a CCD is used to detect signals bent back by retroreflection of the human eye. When such a signal is detected, the link is immediately shut down. Another embodiment utilizes the communication link itself and a detector in the receiver to detect instantaneous power drops caused by an interfering object. When an interfering object is detected, the system shuts down or reduces the power of the communication beam to an eye safe level.

公开(公告)号：US6091722A

公开(公告)日：2000-07-18

申请号：US819873

申请日：1997-03-18

申请人： Steven P. Russell ,  James E. Dunn ,  Donald M. Bellenger

发明人： Steven P. Russell ,  James E. Dunn ,  Donald M. Bellenger

IPC分类号： H04M11/06 ,  H04L12/64

CPC分类号： H04M11/062

摘要： The present invention allows telephone subscriber loops carrying data traffic between computer systems to be switched to an alternative connection through a data network, thereby unloading data traffic from the telephone network. The invention operates by means of a break switch, which selectively switches a plurality of subscriber loops between a central office switching system and a data network. The break switch is coupled to a concentrator which takes a plurality of inputs from the break switch and connects them to a smaller number of modems in a modem pool. The concentrator allows a subscriber line to connect to different types of modems within the modem pool, depending upon requirements of a particular subscriber line user. The modem pool connects through a network interface to a packet-switched network, such as the Internet. A number of different methods can be used to transmit a command to switch a subscriber loop from the central office switching system to the packet-switched network. A loop current detector, which is coupled between the plurality of subscriber loops and the break switch, can monitor on/off hook status of the subscriber loop in order to determine whether to switch the connection to the data network. Alternatively, the command to perform the switching can originate from a remote host which transmits the command through the data network to the break switch.

摘要翻译： 本发明允许在计算机系统之间携带数据业务的电话用户环路通过数据网络切换到替代连接，从而从电话网络卸载数据业务。 本发明通过中断交换机来操作，该中断交换机选择性地切换中央局交换系统和数据网络之间的多个用户环路。 断路开关耦合到集中器，该集中器从断路开关接收多个输入，并将它们连接到调制解调器池中较少数量的调制解调器。 集中器允许用户线根据特定用户线用户的要求连接到调制解调器池内的不同类型的调制解调器。 调制解调器池通过网络接口连接到诸如因特网之类的分组交换网络。 可以使用多种不同的方法来发送用于将用户环路从中心局交换系统切换到分组交换网络的命令。 耦合在多个用户环路和中断交换机之间的环路电流检测器可以监视用户环路的开/关挂机状态，以便确定是否将连接切换到数据网络。 或者，执行切换的命令可以源自通过数据网络将命令发送到断点开关的远程主机。

公开(公告)号：US6084873A

公开(公告)日：2000-07-04

申请号：US819874

申请日：1997-03-18

申请人： Steven P. Russell ,  James E. Dunn ,  Donald M. Bellenger

发明人： Steven P. Russell ,  James E. Dunn ,  Donald M. Bellenger

IPC分类号： H04M11/00

CPC分类号： H04M11/062

摘要： The present invention allows telephone subscriber loops carrying data traffic between computer systems to be switched to an alternative connection through a data network, thereby unloading data traffic from the telephone network. The invention operates by means of a break switch, which selectively switches a plurality of subscriber loops between a central office switching system and a data network. The break switch is coupled to a concentrator which takes a plurality of inputs from the break switch and connects them to a smaller number of modems in a modem pool. The concentrator allows a subscriber line to connect to different types of modems within the modem pool, depending upon requirements of a particular subscriber line user. The modem pool connects through a network interface to a packet-switched network, such as the Internet. A number of different methods can be used to transmit a command to switch a subscriber loop from the central office switching system to the packet-switched network. A loop current detector, which is coupled between the plurality of subscriber loops and the break switch, can monitor on/off hook status of the subscriber loop in order to determine whether to switch the connection to the data network. Alternatively, the command to perform the switching can originate from a remote host which transmits the command through the data network to the break switch.

摘要翻译： 本发明允许在计算机系统之间携带数据业务的电话用户环路通过数据网络切换到替代连接，从而从电话网络卸载数据业务。 本发明通过中断交换机来操作，该中断交换机选择性地切换中央局交换系统和数据网络之间的多个用户环路。 断路开关耦合到集中器，该集中器从断路开关接收多个输入，并将它们连接到调制解调器池中较少数量的调制解调器。 集中器允许用户线根据特定用户线用户的要求连接到调制解调器池内的不同类型的调制解调器。 调制解调器池通过网络接口连接到诸如因特网之类的分组交换网络。 可以使用多种不同的方法来发送用于将用户环路从中心局交换系统切换到分组交换网络的命令。 耦合在多个用户环路和中断交换机之间的环路电流检测器可以监视用户环路的开/关挂机状态，以便确定是否将连接切换到数据网络。 或者，执行切换的命令可以源自通过数据网络将命令发送到断点开关的远程主机。

公开(公告)号：US4488290A

公开(公告)日：1984-12-11

申请号：US405103

申请日：1982-08-04

申请人： James E. Dunn ,  Colin Bradbury ,  Kenneth R. Holmes ,  Stephen W. Treadwell

发明人： James E. Dunn ,  Colin Bradbury ,  Kenneth R. Holmes ,  Stephen W. Treadwell

IPC分类号： H04Q11/04

CPC分类号： H04Q11/0407

摘要： A distributed digital exchange for completing a communications link between a selected originating channel and one or more selected destination channels. The exchange includes an input bus containing a given number of input lines, with each input line for conveying a time-division-multiplexed plurality of time-division-multiplexed input signals, with each data bit position of every frame of each input signal defining a discrete originating channel; a clock system for providing timing signals for defining frames and bit positions corresponding to the frames and bit positions of the input signals; an exchange bus containing at least the given number of lines for conveying the input signals; a novel input processor for receiving the input signals, for synchronizing the input signals in response to the timing signals and for transferring each received plurality of input signals from a selected line of the input bus to a selected line of the exchange bus; an output bus containing at least the given number of output lines, with each output line for conveying a time-division-multiplexed output signal, with each data bit position of every frame of each output signal defining a discrete destination channel; a plurality of novel switching systems, each of which includes circuits for routing data from any selected data bit position in a frame of any selected time-division-multiplexed input signal on a selected line of the exchange bus to one or more selected data bit positions in a frame of any selected time-division-multiplexed output signal; and a controller for controlling the selections.

摘要翻译： 一种分布式数字交换机，用于完成所选发起信道与一个或多个所选择的目的信道之间的通信链路。 该交换机包括一个包含给定数量的输入线的输入总线，每个输入线用于传送时分多路复用多个时分复用输入信号，每个输入信号的每一帧的每个数据位位置定义一个 离散始发通道; 时钟系统，用于提供用于定义对应于输入信号的帧和比特位置的帧和比特位置的定时信号; 至少包含用于传送输入信号的给定行数的交换总线; 一种新颖的输入处理器，用于接收输入信号，用于响应于定时信号同步输入信号，并用于将每个接收到的多个输入信号从输入总线的所选行传送到交换总线的选定行; 输出总线至少包含给定数量的输出线，每个输出线用于传送时分复用输出信号，每个输出信号的每个帧的每个数据位位置定义离散的目的地信道; 多个新颖的切换系统，每个新颖的交换系统包括用于将数据从在交换总线的选定行上的任何选择的时分多路复用输入信号的帧中的任何选择的数据位位置路由到一个或多个所选数据位位置的电路 在任何选择的时分复用输出信号的帧中; 以及用于控制选择的控制器。