Patent ID: 8223793

Claim:
A transmission apparatus, comprising: a) a line device configured to transmit line signals at prescribed signal levels; and b) a line driver device, comprising: an amplifier unit configured to amplify the line signals such that said amplified line signals are driven onto the line device at the prescribed signal level, a control unit configured to control an operating mode of the amplifier unit using an operating-mode control signal, a determination unit configured to determine when a prescribed reference signal level is exceeded by a signal level of the line signals and to generate a control signal responsive to said determination, the determination unit operably coupled to provide the control signal to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to use the operating-mode control signal to cause the amplifier unit to change to a different operating mode responsive to receiving the control signal, wherein the line driver device is a subscriber line interface circuit, wherein the line driver device is arranged in the apparatus such that it is protected against overvoltages and overcurrents, wherein the line driver device includes a mode control bus configured to supply an externally-generated mode control signal to the control unit, and wherein the control unit is further configured to generate the operating-mode control signal based on the externally-generated mode control signal.