Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5946616?dq=6819670
Timestamp: 2014-12-19 02:37:28
Document Index: 107664787

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68']

Patent US5946616 - Concurrent wireless/landline interface apparatus and method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn apparatus for interfacing at least one landline telephone service, at least one wireless cellular-type telephone service, at least one cellular-type wireless telephone and at least one standard telephonic type communication device through standard building interior telephone cable....http://www.google.com/patents/US5946616?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5946616 - Concurrent wireless/landline interface apparatus and methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5946616 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/309,845Publication dateAug 31, 1999Filing dateSep 20, 1994Priority dateSep 20, 1994Fee statusPaidPublication number08309845, 309845, US 5946616 A, US 5946616A, US-A-5946616, US5946616 A, US5946616AInventorsLouis W. Schornack, Carl T. Heitschel, Nuri G. Anter, Neil Beneditz, Jay KinderOriginal AssigneeTelular Corp.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (24), Non-Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (54), Classifications (10), Legal Events (14) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetConcurrent wireless/landline interface apparatus and methodUS 5946616 AAbstract An apparatus for interfacing at least one landline telephone service, at least one wireless cellular-type telephone service, at least one cellular-type wireless telephone and at least one standard telephonic type communication device through standard building interior telephone cable.
We claim: 1. In an apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link, comprising a land-line link having land-line telephone wiring that connects a land-line, telephonic communication device to the land-line's central station; a radio link that connects a land-line, telephonic communication device to a base station of the radio link; first means for coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device to said land-line link; second means for coupling the land-line, telephonic communication device to a radio link; and switching means for switching connection of a land-line, telephonic communication device between the land-line link and the radio link, the improvement comprising:said second means for coupling the land-line, telephonic communication device to a radio link comprising a portion of said land-line telephone wiring of said land-line link, whereby a land-line, telephonic communication device is capable of placing or receiving a telephone call over the radio link by utilizing a portion of the land-line link, and alternatively placing or receiving a telephone call over the land-line link. 2. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 1, wherein said telephone wiring of said land-line link that connects a land-line, telephonic communication device to the land-line's central station comprises interior, premises-located telephone wiring; said portion of said land-line telephone wiring of said land-line link of said second means comprising a portion of said interior, premises-located telephone wiring.
3. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 2, wherein said interior, premises-located telephone wiring comprises a first, land-line, telephone-line by which at least one of an outgoing and an incoming call associated with a land-line, telephonic communication device is realized, and a second, land-line telephone-line; said portion of said interior, premises-located telephone wiring of said second means comprising at least part of said second, land-line telephone-line.
4. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 3, in combination with at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device; said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device being connected to said second, land-line telephone-line for being alternately coupled to either said land-line link or said radio link.
5. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 3, in combination with at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device; said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device being connected to said second, land-line telephone-line; said switching means alternately coupling said land-line, telephonic communications-device to one of said first, land-line telephone-line for placing or receiving a call over said land-line link, and said second, land-line telephone-line for placing or receiving a call over said radio link.
6. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of said land-line, telephonic communications-devices; each said land-line, telephonic communications-device being connected to said second, land-line telephone-line; said switching means alternately coupling all of said land-line, telephonic communications-devices to one of said first, land-line telephone-line for placing or receiving a call over said land-line link, and said second, land-line telephone-line for placing or receiving a call over said radio link.
7. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 4, wherein said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device comprises loop-current generating means when going off-hook; said switching means comprising hook-flash means operatively associated with loop-current generating means, whereby said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device may have its connection transferred from one of said land-line link and radio link to the other of said land-line link and radio link by performing a hook-flash.
8. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 5, wherein said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device comprises loop-current generating means when going off-hook; said switching means comprising hook-flash means operatively associated with loop-current generating means, whereby said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device may have its connection transferred from one of said land-line link and radio link to the other of said land-line link and radio link by performing a hook-flash.
9. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 2, in combination with at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device; said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device being connected to said portion of said interior, premises-located telephone wiring, whereby said switching means alternately couples said land-line telephonic communications-device to one of said land-line link and said radio link.
10. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 9, wherein said at least one land-line, telephonic communications device comprises loop-current generating means when going off hook; said switching means comprising hook-flash means operatively associated with loop-current generating means, whereby said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device may have its connection transferred from one of said land-line link and radio link to the other of said land-line link and radio link by performing a hook-flash.
11. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 10, comprising a plurality of said land-line, telephonic communications devices; each said land-line, telephonic communications-device being connected to a portion of said interior, premises-located telephone wiring; said switching means alternately coupling all of said land-line, telephonic communications-devices to one of said land-line link and said radio link.
12. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 4, further comprising call-waiting means operatively associated with said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device and said switching means for placing a call on one of said land-line link and said radio link on-hold, and connecting said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device to the other of said land-line link and said radio link for handling a call thereon without losing the connection on said one of said land-line link and said radio link.
13. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 8, further comprising call-waiting means, operatively associated with said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device and said switching means, for placing a call on one of said land-line link and said radio link on-hold, and connecting said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device to the other of said land-line link and said radio link for handling a call thereon without losing the connection on said one of said land-line link and said radio link.
14. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 13, wherein said call-waiting means is operatively coupled to said hook-flash means, whereby said call-waiting means is actuated by said hook-flash means.
15. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 5, wherein said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device comprises digit-input means; said switching means comprising means operatively associated with digit-input means, whereby said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device may have its connection transferred from one of said land-line link and radio link to the other of said land-line link and radio link by inputting a specific code on said digit-input means.
16. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 15, further comprising call-waiting means operatively associated with said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device and said switching means for placing a call on one of said land-line link and said radio link on-hold, and connecting said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device to the other of said land-line link and said radio link for handling a call thereon without losing the connection on said one of said land-line link and said radio link.
17. The apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link according to claim 16, wherein said call-waiting means is operatively coupled with digit-input means of said at least one land-line, telephonic communications-device, whereby said call-waiting means is actuated by inputting a specific code on said digit-input means.
18. An apparatus for alternately coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link, which land-line link comprises land-line telephone wiring that connects a land-line, telephonic communication device to the land-line's central station, comprising:first means for coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device to a land-line link; second means for coupling a land-line, telephonic communication device to a radio link; and switching means for switching the connection of a land-line, telephonic communication device between a land-line link and a radio link; said second means for coupling the land-line, telephonic communication device to a radio link comprising land-line telephone wiring of a land-line telephone network, whereby a land-line, telephonic communication device is capable of placing or receiving a telephone call over the radio link by utilizing a portion of the telephone wiring of the land-line link, and alternatively may place or receive a telephone call over the land-line link; said radio link comprising a cellular transceiver, and said second means for coupling the land-line, telephonic communication device to a radio link comprising cellular-transceiver interface means. Description
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART The present invention relates to a system which integrates a standard telephonic type communication device, a cellular-type wireless service, a cellular interface system such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,096, issued Apr. 14, 1987 to West et al., existing telephone wiring installed within a building, and a telephone company wireline service. In particular, the standard telephonic type communication device, when connected to the invention, is capable of selectively both receiving and initiating calls over the cellular type wireless service as well as also both receiving and initiating calls over the telephone company wireline service.
Known cellular interface products such as the Telular Phonecell�, PCSone �, of Telular Corporation, Buffalo Grove, Ill., and competing products from other companies, had difficulty in being connected to one or more telephone extensions located in other areas of a building remote from the interface. The Telular PCSone � System shown pictorially in FIG. 1, is a combination charging circuit and docking station for hand-held cellular transceivers such as the Motorola MICRO-TAC� transceiver which allows the coupling of a standard telephone type communication device, such as a facsimile, modem, plain old telephone (POT) or any other device that would normally be coupled to a standard telephone wall jack. Connection of more than one telephone extension at separate locations within the building disadvantageously required that separate wiring be installed in the building or required a trained installer to remove the existing installed telephone wiring of a building, often with unsatisfactory results. After this installation or rewiring effort, two single line standard telephones were necessary to access both the telephone company and cellular-type service (cellular). A two line telephone would be required if a single instrument would be used to access both the telephone company (telco) wireline service as well as the cellular interface line. When an incoming or outgoing call would occur, there was often confusion as to whether the telco service or the cellular service was being accessed.
In addition, with the known cellular interface a consumer often made a mistake in the installation of this type of product by not reading the manual and incorrectly plugging the cellular interface directly into the telco service line. This was in violation of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 68 rules and invited possible damage to the cellular interface and to the telco equipment. Known cellular interfaces were difficult to be installed by individuals possessing no technical knowledge of electricity or of the telephone system. Each building is different as to whether it has telco line 1 wiring installed, telco line 2 wiring installed, wiring shorts between wires on telco line 1 or line 2, an active Telco line 1, or an active Telco line 2. Because of all these variables, there was difficulty for the consumer to effectively and consistently be able to properly install a known cellular interface in a dwelling without a large number of consumer problems, and perhaps significant numbers of damaged cellular interface devices. Prior art interfaces lacked adaptive intelligence and system diagnostics to sense the unique environment into which it was installed and properly react to it. Although prior art cellular interfaces allowed a standard telephonic type communication device to be connected to cellular service, prior art interfaces disadvantageously did not low a standard telephonic type communication device to be selectively switched between wireline and cellular service. Prior art interfaces had no provision for connection to a wireline telephone company service.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to allow a facility, normally wired for a single telephone line from the wireline telephone company, to become a two-line facility, with the second line coupled to a wireless communication system and remain fully compatible with all FCC Part 68 devices, including standard telephones, (both, single and double line), facsimile devices, alarm systems and modems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a telephonic communication system having at least one communication device for interconnection with a telephone network via at least two communication media, the improvement comprising means for coupling the at least one communication device with the at least two communication media, and means for individually determining the availability of each of the at least two communication media, and means responsive to the determining means connected to the coupling means for automatically interconnecting the at least one communication device with the telephone network with available one of the communication media.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a prior art cellular interface connected to a standard telephonic type communication device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 2, a building 130 has been wired with a four conductor cable 160 for distributing a wireline telephone company service to a location within the building. The location has a six position telephone jack terminating the wireline telephone company service. FIG. 2 shows only one six position telephone jack 127 at only one location for simplicity; however, the building 130 has a plurality of locations, each position has a six position telephone jack 127 such as an RJ-11 jack for wireline telephone service termination. The service from the wireline telephone company central office 104 is via a two conductor cable 152 having a tip 154 and a ring 156 conductor. The tip 154 and ring 156 conductors from the central office 104 are connected to a service entrance terminal block 158. The four conductor cable 160 of the building 130 is connected to the terminal block 158. Two conductors 118 and 120 (usually with red and green wire insulation) of the four conductors of the building cable are connected to the tip 154 and ring 156 conductors from the central office 104. The other two conductors 122 and 124 (usually with black and yellow wire insulation), although connected to the service entrance terminal block 158, are not used for communication with the central office 104 if the building has only single telephone line service, such as a typical single family residential dwelling. In addition to being connected to the service entrance terminal block 158, the yellow 124 and black 122 wires are also connected to a "line 2" position of the 6 position telephone jack 127 at each termination of wireline telephones service within the building 130. Therefore, the black 122 and yellow 124 conductors (ie line 2) of the building telephone cable 160 are available for interconnection between the invention and a plurality of standard telephonic type communication devices, each device normally capable of being coupled to a telco line (hereinafter "telephonic device"). The invention is simultaneously connected to both wireline and cellular services. The invention is housed in a docking station similar to the PCSone � presently being manufactured by Telular Corporation.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the installation of the invention starts by directly plugging the invention 132 into an available, typically wall mounted, six position telephone jack 127 via lead 128A-128D. The power supply is connected to the system, and the power plug of the power supply is plugged into an available power outlet. All pre-installed single line telephone devices are unplugged from the wall telephone jacks, a line inversion adapter 130 with leads 103A, 130B, is inserted into the telephone jack 127, and each single telco line telephone device 108 is plugged into the line inversion adapter 130 or conversely, one or more telephone devices can also be left as pre-installed, as via leads 128A, 128B, shown in FIG. 3. Single line standard telephonic type communication devices are designed to be plugged into the "line 1" position of six position telephone jacks. The line inversion adapter causes the device to be connected to "line 2" of the telephone jack. A telephone device 108 which is dedicated to the telco line does not use the inversion adapter 130 at the wall telephone jack 127.
Upon being installed, the invention will perform a set of system diagnostics to determine if there are any problems with the installation environment. Determination of the electrical environment includes but is not limited to: sensing if the unit telephone receptacle is connected to the external wiring; sensing if the external wiring has a functioning connection to a central office on Line 1; sensing if the external wiring has a functioning connection to a central office on Line 2; and sensing whether standard telephone devices are connected to Line 2. System installation problems are displayed as codes on a display of a portable cellular telephone placed in the docking station of the housing. Interpretation of these error codes is in a user's manual.
TABLE 1______________________________________Event Name    General Description.______________________________________Off Hook      Receiver of POTS device         has been taken off the hook.Hang Up       Receiver of POTS device         has been placed on the hook.DialTone      Dial tone has been detected         on the telco line.No Dial Tone  No dial tone has been detected         on the telco line.Telco Ring    Detected the POTS device ringing         from incoming telco call.No Telco Ring POTS device stopped ringing         from incoming telco call.Cel Alert     Incoming call from the cellular radio.Digit Entry   Digits entered from the POTS device.Dial Complete Outgoing caller has completed dialing.Cel Code      Sequence of digits (**C) to switch         from telco line to cel line.Telco Code    Sequence of digits (**T) to switch         from cel line to telco line.Lost Telco    The telco line has lost its connection.Hook Flash    Momentary pressing (hang up) of         POTS device receiver hook.Cel Not Inuse The called party on the cellular line         has hung up.______________________________________
The Off Hook event as described in Table 1 is detected by monitoring loop current on either the telco line or the cellular line depending on which is switched in. (The cel line is normally switched in.) This is done by software stored in Read Only Memory (ROM) internal to a microprocessor detecting an active low signal on the Telco LC (U3 port P3.0, FIG. 6A) when on a telco line, or Cel LC (U3 port P3.5) when on a cellular line. The software does not recognize an off hook event unless loop current had been absent (on hook) for more than 700 msec and then loop current became present for at least 500 msec. The software switches the invention from the cellular line to the telco line through hardware (U3 port P.1 FIG. 6A), where cellular line is active high, and telco line is active low.
The Dial Tone event as described in Table 1 is detected by software monitoring the hardware dial tone input at U3, port P3.7, FIG. 6A. Software must look for a sequence of transitions on this port that represent a pattern created by a superimposed 350 Hz with 440 Hz signal produced by zero crossing detection. Software does not recognize the Dial Tone Event unless this signal is present for at least 500 msec while the Off hook condition is true and connected to the telco line (active low asserted on U3, port P2.1, FIG. 6A).
The prior-art system shown in FIG. 4 interfaces a cellular telephone 212 to a telephonic device 108 and it allows the telephonic device 108 to access communications via the cellular telephone transceiver 212. The system connects to a cellular telephone transceiver 212 via a cellular telephone interface 204. The cellular telephone interface 204 is the actual physical connection which interfaces the cellular telephone 212 to the invention, and also connects to a telephonic device 108 via 208 the telco line interface. All the necessary information and power to the cellular telephone is received and/or supplied through the cellular telephone interface 204.
Second, the calling party hangs up. This is usually referred to as the local hang up. In this case the CPU unit 201 is informed by the onhook & offhook detection circuit 207 that the telephonic device 108 has been hung up. The CPU interface 201 will in turn relay this message by sending an appropriate "end of call" message that is valid for the particular cellular transceiver 212.
The Telco Talk State 807 represents a state where a connection to another party has been established on the telco line. This may occur either through an incoming call from the Ring Wait State 803, or through an ongoing call from the Telco Dial State 805. While in the Telco Talk State 807, the system will monitor and respond to one of four events: The Hang Up event, the Lost Telco connection event, the Cel Alert Event, and the hook Flash Event. The Hang Up event will simply cause a transition back to the Idle State 802. If the Lost Telco connection is detected, the system will connect the cellular line and check to see if there is a complete entry in the digit entry buffer meaning a number had been dialed as an outgoing call. If the digit entry is complete, the entry is redialed on the cellular line and a transition is made to the Cel Dial State 806. However, if a complete entry does not exists in the buffer, then the transition is made to the Cel Dial State 806 and the cel dial tone is generated. If the Hook Flash event occurs, the telco line is put on hold by the system, the cellular line is then connected, and a transition is made to a Telco Wait Cel Dial State 809. If the Cel Alert is detected, the system will momentarily connect the cellular line, sound a beep, and then connect back to the telco Line and then cause transition to a Telco Talk Cel Alert State 810.
The Gel Talk Telco Ring State 815 represents a state where a connection to another party has been established on the cellular line, and the Telco Ring event has occurred. In this state 815, the system will respond to the Hook Flash event, the Hang Up event, the Digit Entry event, the Lost Telco event, and the Telco Ring event. The Hang Up event will cause a transition to the Ring Wait State 803. If the hook Flash is detected, the system connects the telco line, and makes a transition into the Telco Talk Cel Wait State 813. If the Telco Ring is detected, the system will sound a beep. If the Lost Telco connection occurs, a transition is made into the Cel Talk State 808. The Digit Entry event will cause the digit to be echoed on the telephonic device.
A Voltage Detect Circuit 400 is shown in block form in FIG. 5 and shown in detail in FIG. 6B; it detects unwanted DC voltages on communication path 2 prior to connecting the interface circuit to the path. The voltage detect circuit 400 detects unwanted DC voltages by placing a capacitance across the tip and ring of communication path 2. To determine if an unwanted voltage is present, the capacitance is allowed to charge from the unwanted voltage and subsequently discharge, on command from the microprocessor U3, through a optically isolated sensing network. The sensing network develops a logic signal input to CPU 201 indicating the presence or absence of voltage. Referring now to FIG. 6B, the circuit consists of resistors 1-5, diodes 7 and 8, capacitor 6, transistor 11, and opto-isolators 9 and 10. The function is as follows:
The tip 128-C and ring 128-D of communication path 2 (FIG. 3) are connected to inputs T2 and R2 of the circuit 400 shown in block form in FIG. 5 and shown in detail in FIG. 6B. Resistors 4 and 5 form a voltage divider across the tip and ring. Capacitor 6 is connected across 4 and 5 through steering diodes 7 or 8 respectively. The conducting diode is determined by the polarity of any voltage present between the tip and ring for communication path 2. Capacitor 6 charges through the conducting steering diode to one-half the open circuit talk battery voltage. The microcontroller U3 (FIG. 6A) polls the charge state of the capacitor by generating a logic high (+5 VDC) from U3 P2.2 to transistor 11 through current limiting resistor 1. This forces transistor 11 into conduction, resulting in the flow of current from the +12 VDC supply, through current limiting resistor 2, and the LED (terminals 2&4) of opto-isolator 10. The phototransistor of opto-isolator 10 conducts due to current flow in the associated LED, allowing 6 capacitor to discharge through current limiting resistor 3 and the LED (terminals 4&2) of opto-isolator 9. Current flowing in the LED of 9 forces the associated phototransistor to conduct, placing GROUND on P2.3 input of microprocessor U3. The microcontroller software polls the state of the input to determine the presence of talk battery on communication path 2. If the pin state is logic high (+5 VDC), no talk battery is present. If the state is logic low (GROUND), talk battery is present on the path.
A communication path switching circuit 406, shown in block form in FIG. 5 connects a Part 68 telephonic type device to multiple communication media systems i.e. to a telephone line or to a cellular system interface of the invention. The communication path switching circuit 406, shown in detail in FIG. 6C, consists of relay 12, a transistor 13, a current limit resistor 14, and a diode 15. The Part 68 telephonic device terminals are connected to the contacts 12A-12F of relay 12. Contacts 12A-12C switch one terminal of the Part 68 device between communication path 1 and the cellular interface. Contacts 12D, 12E, & 12F switch the other terminal. Control of relay 12 is accomplished by a signal from microprocessor U3. A logic high (+5 VDC) from U3 (FIG. 6A) P2.1 is applied to transistor 13 through current limiter 14. Transistor 13 conducts upon application of the logic high, allowing current to flow through the coil of relay 12, changing the state of the relay and connecting the Part 68 device to the cellular interface. A logic low (GROUND) from U3 P2.1 cuts 13 off, terminating the coil current of 12, allowing the relay to change state and connecting the Part 68 device to communication path 1.
A call hold circuit 470, shown in block form in FIG. 5, continues loop current flow through the normal communication path 1 while the Part 68 telephonic type device is disconnected from the normal communication path 1 and connected to cellular interface. As shown in detail in FIG. 6I, the call hold circuit consists of resistors 52 and 53, a transistor 54, a diode 55, and a relay 56. Microprocessor U3 (FIG. 6A) generates a logic high (+5 VDC) at P2.0. This signal is applied to transistor 54, via current limiting resistor 52, forcing 54 to conduct. Conducting transistor 54 causes current to flow through the armature coil of relay 56, closing the associated contacts. The contact closure forces loop current from communication path 1 to flow through terminating resistor 53 via L1 & R1. With communication path 1 terminated in this manner, the Part 68 telephonic device may be connected to cellular interface without terminating a call in progress on communication path 1. A logic low (GROUND) at U3 P2.0 terminates the relay 56 closure condition.
A battery control voltage circuit 480, shown in block form in FIG. 5, enables or disables the generation of voltages supplied to the Part 68 telephonic type device loop circuit. As shown in detail in FIG. 6J, the battery control voltage circuit consists of resistors 57 and 58, a transistor 59, and a solid state relay 60. The circuit enables or disables cellular interface talk battery generation as follows: A logic signal from microprocessor U3 P3.1 controls the operation of the circuit. The logic signal is applied to transistor 59 via current limit resistor 57. A logic high (+5 VDC) turns 59 on, closing solid state relay 60 at terminals 4 & 6. The relay closure allows the application of -50 VDC, generated by previously described block 210 at VB, to the Part 68 device. A logic low at U3 P3.1 opens relay 60 terminals 4 & 6, terminating the battery voltage connection.
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