Patent ID: 6201853
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A telephone technician's remote assist apparatus, comprising:a central office side connector to connect to a pair of wires extending as a central office side of an identified telephone line extending between a central office and a subscriber and having a reported and known electrical fault;a subscriber side connector to connect to a pair of wires extending as a subscriber side of the telephone line;a switch connected to the central office side connector and to the subscriber side connector, wherein the switch is operable at least between (1) a state in which the central office side connector and the subscriber side connector are connected by the switch such that the pair of wires extending as the central office side of the telephone line is connected to the pair of wires extending as the subscriber side of the telephone line when each said pair is connected to the respective connector and (2) a state in which the central office side connector and the subscriber side connector are not connected by the switch such that the pair of wires extending as the central office side of the telephone line is disconnected from the pair of wires extending as the subscriber side of the telephone line when each said pair is connected to the respective connector; anda control circuit connected to at least one of the central office side connector and the subscriber side connector and to the switch such that the control circuit changes the switch from the first-mentioned state to the second-mentioned state for no more than an automatically limited time period such that the telephone line is open-circuited for no more than the limited time period in response to at least one non-subscriber generated control signal sent to the control circuit through the at least one connector to which the control circuit is connected.