Patent GB-785357-A (GB)
Title: An electronic regenerative repeater for telegraph signals in a start-stop code
Inventor: SNIJDERS ANTONIE
IPC: H04L25/04
Filed: 1953-03-19
Abstract: 785,357. Telegraph regenerative repeaters. STAATSBEDRIJF DER POSTERIJEN TELEGRAFIE EN TELEFONIE. March 19, 1953 [March 24, 1952], No. 7685/53. Class 40 (3). The invention relates to a regenerative repeater for equal length start-stop telegraph signalling codes in which the incoming signalling condition is sampled under the control of multivibrator impulses occurring at the mid points of correctly-timed received signalling elements to determine the condition to be repeated to the outgoing circuit. Provision is made for false start suppression and for inserting a minimum length of stop signal. The outgoing circuit is also arranged correctly to return to positive condition after a long negative clearing signal. According to the invention, the multivibrator is controlled by a trigger timing circuit producing a negative polarity output in the rest condition and a positive polarity in the triggered condition. The multivibrator impulses are arranged also to sample the timing circuit output, the initial negative polarity resulting in a negative impulse which is employed to trigger the timing circuit on, and the subsequent positive polarity resulting in positive impulses which eventually trigger the circuit back to rest. Specification 709,901 also is referred to. The regenerator is assembled in part from a number of standard units in the form of two valve trigger circuits as described in Specification 780,001. Fig. 2 illustrates the circuit which comprises two triodes B1a and B1b with a common cathode coupling R15 and a connection from the anode of Bla to the grid of B1b over potentiometer R8, R16. The circuit is triggered at terminal 7 or 8 and outputs may be derived at terminals 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10. Under these conditions the circuit functions as a pulse repeater. By connecting terminals 3 and 8 via a condenser the circuit acquires one unstable state. By connecting terminals 5 and 7 directly the circuit acquires two stable states. The sampling pulses used in the regenerator are derived from a multivibrator B3a, B3b as shown in Fig. 4, the multivibrator being switched into and out of operation by a control unit B2a, B2b in which the anode of valve B2b is supplied through resistor R27 in the grid circuit of B3a. The operate time is 10 milliseconds for each halfcycle and the circuit starts oscillating 10 milliseconds after P2b is rendered non-conducting. Control of this starting-up delay time may be effected by selecting the value of capacitor C1 and the current taken by B2b. The frequency of oscillation is adjusted by resistor R40. Fig. 6 shows the arrangement of the complete regenerator. Units IS, DS, IV and U are standard circuits as shown in Fig. 2, unit DS which is the timing circuit being arranged to have one unstable state by connecting terminals 3 and 8 via condenser C5, and unit V being arranged to have two stable states by directly connecting terminals 5 and 7. In the " rest " condition the left-hand valves of the units are conducting. Unit G is a multivibrator as shown in Fig. 4 and unit SSS is,the control unit. Incoming signals of standard length (7 X 20 milliseconds) are received at 1 to control the potential of point a through unit IS, and the outgoing signals are generated by relay Z controlled by unit V. Point a assumes the most negative potential of terminal IS9 and point r and hence remains negative until receipt of the negative start signal at 1 when it becomes positive and triggers SSS at terminal 7. Providing the start signal persists for 10 milliseconds, multivibrator G starts oscillating, otherwise the circuit reverts and becomes ready immediately to respond to a subsequent start signal. The multivibrator output is applied through condensers C3 and C4 to a biased rectifier network G15-G20 of the type described in Specification 765,953. This network effectively samples the potential at a point i connected to terminal DS9 to produce an output at point h. In the rest condition DS9 is negative. Thus, at the first sampling at 10 ms., a negative impulse appears at h. This triggers unit IV which in turn triggers unit DS to its unstable state over condenser C6. The resulting change causes point i to go positive and also provides bias over rectifier G4 to unit SSS to hold multivibrator G oscillating irrespective of the incoming signal condition. The holding bias persists for the triggered time of unit DS which is set to 120 milliseconds by potentiometer R43. The subsequent sampling of the potential of point i at 30, 50, 70 &c. milliseconds now results in positive impulses at point h, the pulse at 130 milliseconds being effective to trigger off unit D5. The multivibrator output is also applied to a further rectifier network G9- G14 which functions to sample the incoming signal condition as presented at terminal 4 of unit IS and control the setting of unit V, the sampling being effected at 10, 30, 50, &c., milliseconds, i.e. at the mid point of the signalling elements. When unit DS is triggered off and stops the multivibrator via unit SSS, point r is held negative for a period determined by condenser C7. This holds point a also negative irrespective of the incoming line conditions and ensures the insertion of a minimum length of stop signal. In the event of a long negative clearly signal it is necessary to make provision to return the outgoing condition to positive when the signal ceases. This is effected by a circuit comprising rectifiers G5, G6 and G7. During normal operation one or more of the rectifiers returns to a negative potential so holding point j also at a negative potential. During a long negative clearing signal rectifier G5 will return to a positive potential provided by the output of DS at terminal 4, and when the signal ceases, both G6 and G7 also return to positive after a delay determined by G8 and R50. Point j then becomes positive and resets the output circuit U to positive over rectifier G8. Input unit IS may be replaced by a relay unit O, terminals p and q being connected to terminals m and n in place of terminal k and l of unit IS.