TELEPHONE LINE INTERFACE OPTION MODULE

Abstract: Apparatus (option module) (50) for interfacing an electronic device (main module) (10) to a telephone network. The invention contemplates that the main module, in a preferred embodiment, is a text-to-speech device. The interconnection of an electronic device with the telephone network is generally controlled by government regulations. Since there are many governments, there are many different sets of regulations. The option module is an implementation of a telephone line interface that isolates a main module, in particular, a text-to-speech device, from different and/or changing regulations.

Description: TELEPHONE LINE INTERFACE OPTION MODULE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is a telephone line interface employed for coupling an electronic device, hereinafter main module, to a public telephone (PT) network, and is, therefore, subject to a large set of telephone interconnect regulations. Examples of such main modules include modems, telephone message systems, video-text storage systems, or, as in the preferred embodiment, a text-to-speech device. In the United States and Canada, meeting these regulations is quite straightforward (the regulations in the United States and Canada are essentially the same). However, in the rest of the world, there are many countries with different (and frequently changing) regulations. Additionally, the regulations can be plain barrier regulations. In general, the problem of PT interconnect is solved by modifying the main module to conform to a particular country's regulations. In every prior solution, the main module is involved in some way with making the system conform to the regulatory issues. This coupling is unpleasant. A dependency between the main module and an option module is disadvantageous because it means that the option module may have to be recertified any time a change to the the main module is made. Since the base module changes with each language, many different combinations of base module and option SUBSTITUTESHEET 695 - 2 - module are possible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention eliminates the dependency between the main module and the interfacing option module. In a preferred embodiment, th option module employs a small computer, wherein, the option modul is made responsible for all of the details of the interface to th telephone network. If an option module is present, the main module defers all judgment about telephone interfacing to the option module. The option module is an independent piece of hardware employing a programmable CPU. The option module can even be certified on a test fixture. The main module can not do anything- to make the option module do something illegal on the telephone line. The main module can be changed at will, and the telephone certification is not compromised. In addition, the telephone interface module can be re-used. Any time a telephone product is built, the standard option module for a given country is used, an a certified product is produced. Uncoupling the two modules provides for independent development o telephone line interfaces and main modules. Developers of main modules can work without any concern for the details of the telephone line interface option modules. Developers of telephone line interfaces can also work in isolation. If a country changes SUB its regulations, then the developer for that country's telephone line can react to it, without any effect on any other telephone line interface option. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiment The invention is an apparatus (option module) for interfacing an electronic deviςe (main module) to a telephone network. Ttie invention contemplates that the main module, in a pre'ferred embodiment, is a text-to-εpeech device. The interconnection of a electronic device with the telephone network is generally controlled by government regulations. Since there are many governments, there are many different sets of regulations. The option module is an implementation of a telephone line interface that isolates a main module, in particular, a text-to-speech device, from different and/or changing regulations. Figure 1 illustrates a main module 10, representing a text-to-speech device, coupled to a telephone network by a telephone line interface option module 50. The main module is shown to have a microprocessor 15, and the option module is shown to have a microprocessor 55; however, it would be possible to build both the main module 10 and option module 50 without SUBSTITUTESHEET microprocessors. The microprocessor 15, in the preferred embodiment, is an Intel 80186. Telephone line interface circuitry 51 is the physical connection between the phone system network an the option module. This circuitry insures compliance- with the electrical connection requirements of the telephone regulations. The computer on the option module stores inputted microcode that is responsible for enforcing telephone regulations. The microcod can be changed so that the option module conforms to different or varying regulations. These regulations are usually in the form o escape sequences in which the main module is disconnected from th telephone network. The main module employs microcode, running on the microprocessor is, which determines if an option module is present, when the option module is connected, the main module relinquishes responsibility for handling these escape sequences t the option module. There is also a channel in the reverse direction (from the option module to the main module) so that the option module can send replies to the host. The main module provides formatting services, but essentially nothing else. The main module 10 and the option module 50 communicate with each other by sending information packets, with predefined formats, through a physical communication link. The packets are between 1 and 255 bytes in length. The physical communication link comprises a series of three bus structures, including, a main module bus 25, an interconnect bus 30 and an option module bus 60. The transmission of the information packets is conducted in conformance to the stored regulations on the option module. A bus buffer 20, located on the main module 10, couples the main module bus 25 to the interconnect bus 30. A buffer 62 comprising an outbound register 65 and an inbound register 70, both located on the option module 50, couple the option module bus 60 to the interconnect bus 30. This interface is implemented by two connectors located on the main module, wherein, a pair of plugs located on the option module, connect. The buffer 62 has an option port 63 coupled to the option module bus 60, a main port 64 coupled to the interconnect bus 30, and a control port 66 for coupling control signals from the microporcessor 15 and the microprocessor 55. A protocol is used to actually transport data between the modules. This protocol initiates, as well as, monitors, transfers of data. Microcode, stored in microprocessor 55, represents the telephone interconnect regulations for a particular country and insures that the protocol is followed. The microprocessor 55, running the microcode, determines when information should be transmitted and generates control signals to implement the telephone regulations. The outbound register 65 stores data that is flowing from the main module 10 to the option module 50. The data is written by the main module, and read by the option module. The main module SUBSTITUTE fiuccT initiates an outbound transfer after waiting until the outbound register 65 is empty. Waiting is necessary as the outbound register 65 may still contain the last byte of the last outbound transfer. There are some electronics, not illustrated, that generate a flag control signal. The flag signal is set TRUE when the main module writes data, and set FALSE by the option module when data is read by the option module. The flag serves to tell the option module microprocessor 55 that there is a packet size byte of data, waiting in the outbound register 65, for reading. The inbound register 70 stores data transmitted from the option module- to the main module. The data is written by the' option •microprocessor 55 and read by the main microprocessor 15 through the bus buffer 20. There is a similar flag, a second control signal, set TRUE by an option module write, and set FALSE by main module read, which notifies the main module that there is data in the inbound register. The option microprocessor 55, because it is dedicated to a control task, can poll the flag control signal associated with the outbound register 65, to determine if there is any data to be read. The main microprocessor 15 is not dedicated to control functions, and therefore, polling the inbound register is not feasible. The invention employs alert logic 75 for keeping both of the microprocessors 15 and 55k abreast of the status of information flow. The option microprocessor 55, having data for the main microprocessor 15, transfers the data to the inbound SUBSTITUTESHEET - 1 - register 70. A request alert command signal 80 is then generated by the option microprocessor 55. This signal 80 is inputted to the alert logic 75. In response, the alert logic 75 sends an alert signal 35 to the main processor 15 to alert the main processor 15 that the data is present. The main processor is interrupted. The main processor uses the "cancel alert command" signal 40 to make the alert go away (it has noticed it already), and then it reads the data from the inbound register, using the flag to decide when each byte in the packet is available. The data packets are of variable length. The first data byte is always an opcode byte. This byte, in addition to specifying the function of the packet, implicitly determines the format of the remaining data in the packet. The option module controls the rate at which the main module sends data to the telephone network. After an outbound packet is sent, the main module waits for a proceed packet before sending another outbound packet. This permits option modules to control the rate at which data is interfaced between the main module and the telephone network. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described. What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims: of the United States is: 1) A telephone line interface option module for coupling an electronic main module to a telephone network, wherein, said network is subject to a set of interconnect regulations, said option module comprising: buffer means having an option port, a main port and a control port, a first data bus for exchanging data between the telephone netw'ork to .said buffer means option port, a second bus, coupled to said buffer means main port, for exchanging data with said main module, processor means, coupled to said first bus and to said buffer means control port, for controlling the exchange of said data between said option module and the telephone line in conformance to said interconnect regulations, said processor further comprising means for storing said interconnect regulations, 2) An interface option module, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: alert logic means, coupled between said processor means and HEET said main module, wherein, said processor means generates a request alert control signal when data is ready for exchange, and said alert logic means alerts said main module in response to said request alert control signal. 3) An interface option module, as claimed in claim 2, said buffer means further comprising: an outbound register and an inbound register, said inbound register having an output port coupled to said second bus and an input port coupled to said first bus, said outbound register having an input port coupled to said second bus and an output port coupled to said first bus, wherein, data stored in said inbound register is transmitted to said main module over said second bus in response to a read control signal from said main module, and data is inputted into said inbound register from said first data bus in response to a write control signal from said processor, and said outbound register output port outputting data to said first data bus in response to a read control signal from said processor, and wherein, data from said second bus is written into said outbound register in response to a write command from said main module. \ 4) A method for coupling an electronic main module to a telephone network comprising the method steps of: interfacing a telephone line interface module between said SUBSTITUTESHEET telephone network and said main module, wherein said interfacing further comprises the method steps of: storing a plurality of telephone interconnect regulations, controlling the transmission of data between said telephone network and said main module in accordance with said stored entertainment regulations, wherein said controlling further comprises the method steps of: storing, temporarily, data for transmission, generating interrupt control signals when data is being transmitted, transmitting said data in the absence of an interrupt signal SUBSTITUTESHEET

Inventors: BLANCHARD DENNIS R, BRUCKERT EDWARD A, CONROY DAVID G, ELLISON RICHARD D, VITALE ANTHONY J, BLANCHARD, DENNIS, R., BRUCKERT, EDWARD, A., CONROY, DAVID, G., ELLISON, RICHARD, D., VITALE, ANTHONY, J.
Applicants: DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORP, DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H04M11
IPC codes: H01F7, H04M1, H04M11