Abstract: A laundry appliance (1) has a control-panel assembly (3, 30) having: an outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface; an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors; and a protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell and the printed circuit board; one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to the one or more sensors a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface is touched. The protecting box (7) has one or more head zones (11) compressing the one or more spring detectors (18) when the protecting box (7) is attached to the printed circuit board (6). The capacitive variation is sensed by the one or more spring detectors (18) through the one or more head zones (11).

Abstract: PDs that can be supplied through the LAN line are discriminated from PDs that cannot be so supplied as a function of the resistance of the supply line and of the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements in series therewith. The values of these two parameters are estimated by applying two distinct voltages to the supply terminals of the LAN line and sensing the relative steady-state currents absorbed by the power supply line, and by processing voltage and current values for estimating the resistance of the line and the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements connected in series therewith.

Abstract: A laundry appliance (1) comprises a control-panel assembly (3, 30) having:—An outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface;—an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors; and—a protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell and the printed circuit board;—one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to the one or more sensors a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface is touched, wherein the protecting box (7) has one or more head zones (11) compressing the one or more spring detectors (18) when the protecting box (7) is attached to the printed circuit board (6), the capacitive variation being sensed by the one or more spring detectors (18) through the one or more head zones (11).

Abstract: A circuit is for monitoring the powering of a remote device through a LAN without generating an extra biasing voltage higher than the DC power supply voltage. DC voltage used for supplying the remote device is applied to the LAN line while an AC voltage is applied to the line for monitoring whether the remote device is connected to the LAN line. The DC voltage is applied to a first or “high” terminal and the AC voltage is applied to the other or “low” terminal of the LAN line through a decoupling capacitor. This arrangement allows the supplying of the remote device with a large DC voltage compatible with a fully integrated AC signal generator, disconnection detector, and PSE controller, and enhances the reliability of the recognition of whether the powered device is connected to, or disconnected from, the LAN line.

Abstract: A method of monitoring performance of a telephone network, wherein the telephone network includes at least one exchange configured for collecting signaling messages, which are received at the at least one exchange and/or which are generated at the at least one exchange. The method includes acquiring from the exchange a set of signaling messages indicating unsuccessful call setup procedures relative to calls addressed to a plurality of destinations associating with each signaling message of the set of signaling messages respective destination information which is indicative of the destination of the unsuccessful call which generated the signaling message; and processing the set of signaling messages and the corresponding associated destination information, thus obtaining information relative to the unsuccessful call setup procedures according to call destinations.

Abstract: PDs that can be supplied through the LAN line are discriminated from PDs that cannot be so supplied as a function of the resistance of the supply line and of the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements in series therewith. The values of these two parameters are estimated by applying two distinct voltages to the supply terminals of the LAN line and sensing the relative steady-state currents absorbed by the power supply line, and by processing voltage and current values for estimating the resistance of the line and the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements connected in series therewith.

Abstract: A method for evaluating traffic dispersion at an exchange in a communications network, the exchange being arranged for applying a set of routing rules in allotting to a plurality of links (i.e., circuit groups) incoming traffic directed toward a given destination. The method includes the steps of incrementally generating traffic quantums representative of the traffic; producing a distribution of the traffic quantums over the circuit groups according to the set of routing rules; the distribution thus obtained being statistically representative of the dispersion of the incoming traffic over the plurality of circuit groups at the exchange. The steps of incrementally generating traffic quantums representative of the traffic and producing a distribution of the traffic quantums are performed in the absence of interference with operation of the exchanges/nodes in the communications network.

Abstract: A circuit is for monitoring the powering of a remote device through a LAN without generating an extra biasing voltage higher than the DC power supply voltage. DC voltage used for supplying the remote device is applied to the LAN line while an AC voltage is applied to the line for monitoring whether the remote device is connected to the LAN line. The DC voltage is applied to a first or “high” terminal and the AC voltage is applied to the other or “low” terminal of the LAN line through a decoupling capacitor. This arrangement allows the supplying of the remote device with a large DC voltage compatible with a fully integrated AC signal generator, disconnection detector, and PSE controller, and enhances the reliability of the recognition of whether the powered device is connected to, or disconnected from, the LAN line.

Abstract: PDs that can be supplied through the LAN line are discriminated from PDs that cannot be so supplied as a function of the resistance of the supply line and of the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements in series therewith. The values of these two parameters are estimated by applying two distinct voltages to the supply terminals of the LAN line and sensing the relative steady-state currents absorbed by the power supply line, and by processing voltage and current values for estimating the resistance of the line and the voltage drop caused by nonlinear elements connected in series therewith.

Abstract: A method of monitoring performance of a telephone network, wherein the telephone network includes at least one exchange configured for collecting signaling messages, which are received at the at least one exchange and/or which are generated at the at least one exchange. The method includes acquiring from the exchange a set of signaling messages indicating unsuccessful call setup procedures relative to calls addressed to a plurality of destinations associating with each signaling message of the set of signaling messages respective destination information which is indicative of the destination of the unsuccessful call which generated the signaling message; and processing the set of signaling messages and the corresponding associated destination information, thus obtaining information relative to the unsuccessful call setup procedures according to call destinations.

Abstract: A method for evaluating traffic dispersion at an exchange in a communications network, the exchange being arranged for applying a set of routing rules in allotting to a plurality of links (i.e., circuit groups) incoming traffic directed toward a given destination. The method includes the steps of incrementally generating traffic quantums representative of the traffic; producing a distribution of the traffic quantums over the circuit groups according to the set of routing rules; the distribution thus obtained being statistically representative of the dispersion of the incoming traffic over the plurality of circuit groups at the exchange. The steps of incrementally generating traffic quantums representative of the traffic and producing a distribution of the traffic quantums are performed in the absence of interference with operation of the exchanges/nodes in the communications network.