Patents by Inventor Christopher R. Hodges

Christopher R. Hodges has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9357057
    Abstract: In a system for identifying subscriber lines, an end of a subscriber line is coupled to and terminated by a transceiver of interest. The other end of the subscriber line is coupled to a speaker. The transceiver is then selectively activated and deactivated causing it to transmit its normal frequency spectrum in a predefined pattern. The frequency spectrum includes frequencies audible to humans. Thus, the speaker produces sound capable of being heard by a human, and the sound exhibits periods of noise followed by periods of silence. Indeed, the periods of noise and silence are in a pattern according to the activation/deactivation pattern of the transceiver. Thus, a user can identify the subscriber line that is coupled to the transceiver by identifying which of the lines is coupled to the speaker when the speaker emits noise and silence according to the predefined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: ADTRAN, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Barrett, Jeffrey E. Boswell, Christopher R. Hodges
  • Patent number: 8199905
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for identifying subscriber lines coupled to transceivers of interest. In one exemplary embodiment, an end of a subscriber line is coupled to and terminated by a transceiver of interest. The other end of the subscriber line is coupled to a speaker. The transceiver is then selectively activated and deactivated causing it to transmit its normal frequency spectrum in a predefined pattern. The frequency spectrum includes frequencies audible to humans. Thus, the speaker produces sound capable of being heard by a human, and the sound exhibits periods of noise followed by periods of silence. Indeed, the periods of noise and silence are in a pattern according to the activation/deactivation pattern of the transceiver. Thus, a user can identify the subscriber line that is coupled to the transceiver by identifying which of the lines is coupled to the speaker when the speaker emits noise and silence according to the predefined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Barrett, Jeffrey E. Boswell, Christopher R. Hodges