Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for monitoring a magnetic brake on rail vehicles, the magnetic brake being connected to a source of voltage for current supply, the device comprising switching on and monitoring of the brake magnet current and the monitoring device including a determining device and an evaluating device, the determining device continuously monitoring the function of the circuit for the current supply to the magnetic brake during braking, and recording the current and/or voltage profile. Here, the evaluating device determines the placement of the magnetic brake on the rail on the basis of the recorded current and/or voltage profile by detection of two zero crossings of the first derivative of the current and/or voltage profile.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for echo compensator connection for telephone connections in a telecommunication network that has a plurality of network groups (10), each network group has at least one remote node and a plurality of subscriber stations (14) that are connected to the remote node (12) via network group lines (18). The size of the network groups is selected such that echo compensation is not required given the maximum signal running times occurring within a respective network group (10). The remote nodes (12) of various network groups (10) are connected to one another by long-distance trunks (20). An echo compensator (22) is looped into the connection in the respective remote node (12) of the originating network group and of the destination network group given setup of a telephone connection between two network groups.