Hybrid Circuit Patents (Class 379/402)
  • Patent number: 7031456
    Abstract: A hybrid system with adjustable on-chip components and a method calibrating the same invariably maximizes hybrid performance despite of on- and off-chip component mismatches and imperfections. The hybrid system has a main DAC, a replica DAC, and three or four resistors. Both DACs are directly connected to digital data. An adjustable resistor is connected to the main DAC and is calibrated such that output impedance is automatically adjusted to match an off-chip load impedance Z. A replica DAC current K is calibrated for optimum DC matching in presence of Z. An adjustable capacitor C2 is calibrated for slope-matching (bandwidth matching). If Z changes, the calibration procedure should be repeated for optimal performance. These three calibration mechanisms can be utilized individually or in combination. The present invention is compatible with both analog and digital echo-cancellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Key Eye
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Dyer, Hiroshi Takatori
  • Patent number: 7027589
    Abstract: A central office modem (50) that includes the capability of single-ended loop testing (SELT) is disclosed. The modem (50) includes a digital signal processor (54), a codec (56), line driver and receiver circuitry (58), and a hybrid circuit (60), by way of which a subscriber loop (LOOP) can be driven and sensed. The line driver and receiver circuitry (58) may include a transformer (74a, 74b) for driving the loop (LOOP), or the output may be capacitively coupled. The line driver and receiver circuitry (58) includes active termination, by way of operational amplifiers (80a, 80b). Switches (82a, 82b; 84a, 84b) are provided to selectively enable and disable the active termination function, and to selectively bypass or include the hybrid circuit (60). This control of the line driver and receiver circuitry (58) provides the ability to calibrate out its own characteristics, providing high precision SELT measurements of the load impedance type, and of frequency domain reflectometry, and time domain reflectometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hao Shi, Peter J. Melsa
  • Patent number: 7020276
    Abstract: POTS splitter design which incorporates a low-pass filter which improves the voice-band return loss characteristics without sacrificing performance with regard to the voice-band insertion loss or the ADSL-band attenuation distortion. This is accomplished by replacing the inductor of the conventional POTS splitter low-pass circuit with a parallel-connected inductor and resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC
    Inventors: Wei Tian, Harley J. Staber
  • Patent number: 7006625
    Abstract: A cordless telephone-to-sound card interface adapter provides a connection between any standard cordless telephone system and a sound card of a computer for PC-to-PC or PC-to-telephone voice communications over the Internet. The interface adapter includes a hybrid transformer circuit for interfacing a two-wire circuit of the cordless telephone and a four-wire circuit of the computer sound card. Consisting of passive components, this hybrid transformer circuit cancels out the voice echo that would otherwise exist due to mismatched impedances between the two media and/or from leakage of the signal being transmitted and received on the same pair of telephone lines. Preferably, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface is provided to supply a bias voltage to the cordless telephone system through the interface adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: NVG, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Ricardo Rodriguez, Hanz Werner Herrig
  • Patent number: 6993125
    Abstract: The variable sidetone system provides an enhanced method for inducing the subscriber maintain the amplitude of their voice at an appropriate level by exaggerating the amplitude characteristics of the sidetone returned to the subscriber. Rather than have the sidetone level linked to the amplitude of the subscriber's voice signal in a linear non-adjustable 1:1 relationship (as is done in the prior art), the present variable sidetone system implements an adjustable relationship between the amplitude of the subscriber's voice signal and sidetone levels, thereby allowing the variable sidetone system to provide the necessary acoustic feedback to subscribers to maintain the subscriber's voice signal within the predetermined bounds of the voice encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Avaya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Paul R. Michaelis
  • Patent number: 6978013
    Abstract: A device for the DC-decoupled connection of a telephone line to a signal processing device at the subscriber end of the telephone line is disclosed. The device exhibits a first circuit which is connected to the telephone line, a second circuit which is connected to the signal processing device, and a transformer which exhibits a first and a second winding, the first winding being connected to the first circuit and the second winding being connected to the second circuit and the first and second winding being DC-decoupled from one another. The device is characterized by the fact that the first circuit exhibits a hybrid circuit for separating the signals of the telephone line into a first signal path which extends from the telephone line to the signal processing device, and into a second signal path which extends from the signal processing device to the telephone line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Herm Thomas Zwick
  • Patent number: 6973182
    Abstract: Differential echo cancellation receiver circuitry with dynamic cancellation of excess DC output current. Differential input circuitry provides for cancellation of incoming DC voltage and the incoming transmit signal echo while passing the receive signal. Excess DC current appearing in the input circuitry as part of the incoming DC voltage and echo signal cancellation is shunted away from the output circuitry with dynamically biased current shunting circuitry that tracks changes in the DC current within the input circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Arlo Aude
  • Patent number: 6973183
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention a communication device including circuitry operable to facilitate dynamic impedance matching includes an image impedance operable to be coupled to a receiver/transmitter pair associated with a line impedance. The device also includes matching circuitry coupled to the line impedance and the image impedance, the matching circuitry operable to measure an impedance mismatch between the line impedance and the image impedance and to generate a control signal based on the measured impedance mismatch. The image impedance is operable to be varied to more closely match the line impedance based at least in part on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Inventor: John D. Garcia
  • Patent number: 6956944
    Abstract: A balanced hybrid circuit for compensating for transmission echo signal in a modem. The hybrid circuit includes transmission echo compensation circuits that approximate the echo signal effects of the line and line transformer, respectively, and produce a transmission echo signal replica. A sample of the transmission signal and the replica of the transmission echo are then subtracted from the signal received on the line to produce a received signal isolated from the transmission signal and the transmission echo signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Orckit Communications, Ltd.
    Inventor: Victor Koren
  • Patent number: 6944213
    Abstract: An analog front end for communicating discrete multitone modulated signals on a subscriber line includes a hybrid network for eliminating near-end echos. The hybrid network includes a hybrid input, a receive input, and a hybrid output. The receive input is capacitively coupled to a subscriber line carrying an upstream data signal and a downstream data signal. The hybrid input is capacitively coupled to receive the upstream data signal from a driver. The driver also provides the upstream data signal to the subscriber line. The hybrid output provides the extracted downstream data signal from the subscriber line. The hybrid network may be fabricated on an integrated circuit die. In one embodiment, the hybrid network is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Kim Fung Lee
  • Patent number: 6931122
    Abstract: A hybrid matching system is disclosed for use with a transmitter and receiver. The hybrid matching system includes a pair of transmitter output nodes, a pair of receiver input nodes, and a pair of terminals for interfacing to a transmission line. The system further includes a first impedance bridge portion including at least one inductor for coupling to the transmission line terminals via at least one transformer winding, and a second impedance bridge portion interposed between the pair of transmitter output nodes and the first impedance bridge portion, and interposed between the pair of receiver input nodes and the first impedance bridge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Faramarz Sabouri, Ali Ghahary
  • Patent number: 6917682
    Abstract: Echo cancelling in a communication line system, particularly an ISDN or XDSL system, is performed with a tunable hybrid having tunable passive elements. The tunable hybrid is integrated in the analog front-end portion of the communication line system. The values of the tunable passive elements are digitally controlled by a microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Wim Vanderbauwhede, Jean Boxho, Damien Luc François Macq
  • Patent number: 6909781
    Abstract: An analog front end system comprising a digital-to-analog converter, a line driver, a multiple-input device, and an analog-to-digital converter is presented. Furthermore, a method for DSL line testing comprising the steps of providing test stimuli to and receiving responses from a DSL line using an analog front end is presented. The presented system and method provides for the testing of a DSL line in an xDSL communications system deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: GlobespanVirata, Inc.
    Inventor: Benedict A. Itri
  • Patent number: 6898280
    Abstract: A line card and method is provided which supports symmetric and asymmetric telecommunication services, such as symmetric and asymmetric DSL services. The line card may support concomitantly POTS and asymmetric DSL services or support DSL services. A xDSL interface provides processing for DSL signals and a POTS interface provides processing for POTS signals. The line card is capable of switching operating modes or which services it is supporting. Preferably, the line card is capable of switching operating modes during a communication session. The line card may switch modes based on instructions received from external devices, such as CPE or far end equipment, based on preprogrammed software or based on operation of the line card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Eugene Dombkowski, Carl Robert Posthuma
  • Patent number: 6895040
    Abstract: An analog front end for communicating discrete multitone modulated signals on a subscriber line includes a transmit block, a receive block, and a hybrid packaged within a same integrated circuit. Upstream data to be transmitted to the subscriber line is pre-processed to eliminate even images. A power spectral density shaping filter subsequently substantially eliminates undesired energy in the upstream data signal. A high pass filter further rejects upstream data from the downstream data signal. The power spectral density filter and the high pass filter enable the use of a first order hybrid network for extracting the downstream data. The analog front end may include an additional analog channel to enable voiceband (e.g., v.90) communication concurrent with non-voiceband (e.g., xDSL) operation. Sample rate conversion is utilized to avoid the use of multiple independent clocks for otherwise incompatible clocking requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Yan Zhou
  • Patent number: 6895089
    Abstract: Resistance in parallel with inductors in a series leg of the low-pass filter facilitates changing input and output resistance of the filter with little or no change in the reactance of the inductors. Furthermore, the reactance of the capacitors in the shunt legs of the filter will be substantially unaffected. This assists the designer in matching the impedance of the filter in the pass-band while still providing substantial impedance mismatching in the stop-band without substantially affecting the characteristics of the filter. Facilitating impedance matching in the pass-band and impedance mismatching in the stop-band is accomplished without the need for more complex active components. POTS splitters making use of such filters can facilitate impedance matching of line and load termination in a telecommunications system in response to signals within the frequencies of typical analog telephony service while providing impedance mismatching in response to signals within the frequencies of typical xDSL service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: ADC DSL Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jie Dong Wang
  • Patent number: 6888939
    Abstract: The invention relates to an SLIC circuit (1), which is connected directly to a telephone line (2), for joint transmission of voice and data via the telephone line (2), with adequate echo attenuation achieved even at high data frequencies in that a first current which corresponds to the sum of the transmission and received currents (Ia, Ib), and a second current (Id) which corresponds to the current produced by the transmission power level (Vtx) at the data frequency, are produced, and the difference between the first current and the second current (Id) is emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies, AG
    Inventor: Bernhard Zojer
  • Patent number: 6870928
    Abstract: A line interface couples signals between a data transceiver and a transmission line having a load impedance Z. The line interface includes a transformer, a driver circuit for supplying a transmit signal from the data transceiver to the transformer, and a receiver circuit for receiving a receive signal from the transformer. The transformer includes a first port coupled to the transmission line, a second port coupled to the driver circuit, a third port coupled to the receiver circuit, a first winding part having a turns ratio of 1: n, where n>1, for coupling the transmit signal from the second port to the first port, and a second winding part having a turns ratio of 1: m, where m<n, for coupling the receive signal from the first port to the third port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Cormac S. Conroy, Samuel W. Sheng, Ara Bicakci, John DeCelles, Sang-Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 6842517
    Abstract: A filtering circuit is described for filtering out meter pulses of analog telephone communication, for example in analog modems. The circuit is mainly composed of resistors and capacitors and is configured as a double T element or a Wien bridge circuit. The filtering circuit is needed for attenuating interferences to such an extent that integrated circuits operating with low voltages are not overloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Rainer Storn
  • Publication number: 20040264683
    Abstract: Methods and systems for hybrid network access are provided. An analog fiber optic distribution system is provided from a central office to a remote location associated with customer premises. A central office node located at the central office is configured to transmit at least two of digital subscriber loop (DSL), cable television and/or wireless networking signals on the analog fiber optic distribution system and convert received transmissions from the analog fiber optic distribution system to the at least two of DSL, cable television and/or wireless networking signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Stephen Bye
  • Patent number: 6823066
    Abstract: A digital direct access arrangement (DAA) circuitry may be used to terminate the telephone connections at the user's end to provide a communication path for signals to and from the phone lines. Briefly described, a means for providing a proper hookswitch transition for a variety of international phone standards is provided. The invention may also be utilized with means for transmitting and receiving a signal across a capacitive isolation barrier. More particularly, a DAA circuitry may be utilized which satisfies many or all hookswitch transition standards without the use of additional discrete devices. The hookswitch transition standards may be satisfied by ramping down the current flowing through the hookswitch prior to transitioning the hookswitch state. In this manner the hookswitch current change as a function of time (di/dt) may be decreased. Thus, the current through the hookswitch may be actively controlled prior to switching the hookswitch from an off-hook condition to an on-hook condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: George Tyson Tuttle, Jeffrey W. Scott, Navdeep S. Sooch, David R. Welland
  • Publication number: 20040218753
    Abstract: A hybrid circuit that couples a broadband modem to a POTS or ISDN telecommunication line (TL) and includes a transformer bridge circuit (TBC) that includes a bridge circuit (BC). The bridge circuit includes four legs formed by impedance matching networks and parts of the transformer, and a differential drive amplifier (DRV) that performs impedance synthesis. A secondary winding (TS) of the transformer is magnetically coupled to the first and the second primary windings and is electrically coupled to the telecommunication line. First and second impedance dividers (Zhin1, Zhout1 and Zhin2, Zhout2) are connected to the various nodes to provide outputs to a receive amplifier (RCV). The impedance matching networks (Zm1; Zm2) include various passive and reactive components that together provide an impedance value selected based upon the line impedance reflected into the primary windings (TP1; TP2) of the transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Herman Joris Casier, Olivier Latte, Patrick Wouters, Daniel Sallaerts
  • Patent number: 6804349
    Abstract: A hybrid circuit forming an interface between a transmission line and heads of transmission-reception of signals in bands of different frequencies in transmission and reception, including a line transformer, and means for separating bands combined with echo cancellation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Gildas Prat, Alain Chianale
  • Patent number: 6801621
    Abstract: An improved line driver-hybrid and method for increasing the power efficiency, signal accuracy, and stability of a transmit signal on a transmission line are disclosed. The improved line driver-hybrid uses a negative feedback control loop, thereby enhancing operational stability and suppressing both amplifier imperfections and discrete component manufacturing variances. Furthermore, the improved line driver-hybrid provides a power efficient full duplex solution for line driver applications. The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for actively terminating a transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: GlobespanVirata, Inc.
    Inventors: Aner Tennen, Robert A. Brennan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6792105
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a current mode differential active hybrid circuit having an H-bridge output driver with a first output resistor coupled across a transmission medium output. Drive circuitry is coupled to the output H-bridge and constructed to supply data modulated signals to the output H-bridge. A second H-bridge is coupled to the drive circuitry in parallel with the output H-bridge to allow a second output across a second output resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventor: Todd K. Moyer
  • Publication number: 20040151302
    Abstract: A hybrid matching system is disclosed for use with a transmitter and receiver. The hybrid matching system includes a pair of transmitter output nodes, a pair of receiver input nodes, and a pair of terminals for interfacing to a transmission line. The system further includes a first impedance bridge portion including at least one inductor for coupling to the transmission line terminals via at least one transformer winding, and a second impedance bridge portion interposed between the pair of transmitter output nodes and the first impedance bridge portion, and interposed between the pair of receiver input nodes and the first impedance bridge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Faramarz Sabouri, Ali Ghahary
  • Patent number: 6771770
    Abstract: A hybrid circuit that couples a broadband modem to a POTS or ISDN telecommunication line (TL) and comprises a transformer bridge circuit (TBC) that includes a bridge circuit (BC). The bridge circuit is constituted by four legs of which a first (A) and a second (B) nodes, that do not belong to a same leg, are connected to the two outputs of a differential drive amplifier (DRV) that performs impedance synthesis. A first leg is made of a first impedance matching network (Zm1) connected between the second node (B) and a third node (C). A second leg is made of a first primary winding (TP1) of a transformer and is connected between the third (C) and the first (A) nodes. A third leg is made of a second impedance matching network (Zm2) connected between the first node (A) and a fourth node (D). A forth leg is made of a second primary winding (TP2) of the transformer and is connected between the fourth (D) and second (B) nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Herman Joris Casier, Olivier Latte, Patrick Wouters, Daniël Sallaerts
  • Publication number: 20040136521
    Abstract: A frequency dependent telecommunication hybrid circuit adapted to operate according to the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line [ADSL] protocol wherein the frequencies of the receive frequency band are lower than those of the transmit frequency band. The hybrid circuit is provided with series impedances (R1, Z1; R2, Z2) comprising devices (Z1, Z2) having frequency dependant impedances. Owing to these frequency dependant impedances, the hybrid circuit behaves as a frequency band filter showing a different impedance in function of the frequency band. As a result, the power consumption is reduced in the transmit direction where the series impedances are relatively low. However, the values of the series impedances remain relatively high in the receive direction in order to avoid bit rate reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Wim Thomson, Marc Jean Joseph Fossion
  • Patent number: 6763109
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a regulated and current limited power source to support bidirectional telephone delivery circuitry and methods for a multiplicity of telephone subscriber lines to a downstream distribution terminal using only two preexisting transmission lines for carrying the regulated and current limited power along with a multiplicity of HDSL TDM communication channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Fibre Access Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence Marion Hoskins
  • Patent number: 6760434
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for coupling an xDSL transceiver with a subscriber line is disclosed. A hybrid circuit is disclosed which exhibits a different relative gain factor for transmitted signals and received signals. The difference in gain factors results in part from a combined balance circuit and transformer which exhibit a different coupling ratio between the primary and secondary coils on the receive path and the transmit path. The hybrid circuit may be used to isolate the receive signal from the transmit signal in the full duplex mode of operation. The gain from the transmit port to the receive port is minimum and most of the energy is transmitted to the subscriber line. In an embodiment of the invention a hybrid circuit for communicating a transmit signal and a receive signal across a subscriber line is disclosed. The hybrid circuit includes: a transformer and a balance circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Behrooz Rezvani, Fu-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 6757383
    Abstract: A cable balance network for use in a full-duplex telecommunication system and method for optimizing the transhybrid loss of a full-duplex to half-duplex conversion circuit, said cable balance network comprising: (a) a plurality n of resistors Rn, each of said resistors Rn having a fixed resistance value dependent upon the impedance seen by the full-duplex port, and each of said resistors Rn, having a positive node and a negative node; (b) a plurality n−1 of capacitors Cn−1, each of said capacitors Cn−1 having a fixed capacitance value dependent upon the impedance seen by said full-duplex port, and each of said capacitors Cn−1 having a positive node and a negative node; and (c) a circuit configuration comprising at least two of said resistors R1, and R2 (n≧2) and at least one of said capacitors C1, such that all the negative nodes of each of said resistors Rn are effectively connected together, and such that the capacitor Cn−1is connected between the positive nodes of resistors
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel M Joffe
  • Patent number: 6748076
    Abstract: The invention relates to the separation of narrowband and broadband services in a telecommunications network. Signals belonging to a narrowband service are transferred in a first frequency range below a given threshold frequency and signals belonging to a broadband service are transferred in a second frequency range above said threshold frequency in the transmission link. The transmission link utilizes a splitter element comprising a low-pass filter unit and a high-pass filter unit, signals relating to narrowband service being separated to their dedicated interface by the low-pass filter unit and signals relating to broadband service being separated to their dedicated interface by the high-pass filter unit. In order that high-quality service may be offered to subscribers by means of a splitter element as simple and cost-effective as possible, filtering is implemented in the low-pass filter unit by means of a bidirectional active filter (LPF′).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Harri Elo
  • Publication number: 20040106389
    Abstract: An apparatus and related method for matching antenna pattern to the mobile phone. The mobile phone includes an antenna, at least one radio frequency (RF) circuit and a diplexer for relaying signals of the RF circuits to the antenna. Each RF circuit has its own matching circuit, such that the antenna performance for receiving and transmitting signals can be independently adjusted without affecting each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventor: Tzeng-Chih Chiou
  • Patent number: 6742170
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are swizzling techniques that may provide capacitive and inductive noise cancellation on a set of signal lines. Positive noise due to a capacitive coupling between attacker signal lines and near victim signal lines is, in part, cancelled by negative noise due to inductive coupling between the attacker signal lines and a far victim signal line. Repeatable swizzling patterns are set forth to transpose near victim signal lines and far victim signal lines in subsequent segments to facilitate the capacitive and inductive cancellation. The signal lines are optionally reordered by a final swizzling to restore the set's original ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Lyn Mark Elzinga, Gregory D. Bradford
  • Patent number: 6731752
    Abstract: A hybrid circuit models a plurality of attributes of a communication system including a subscriber line coupled to a line interface circuit. The plurality of attributes includes subscriber line impedance, and impedance of a coupling transformer. The attributes are based on other factors, such as whether or not bridge taps exist at or near the line interface circuit on the subscriber line. The plurality of attributes are modeled by a specific arrangement of resistive and capacitive elements to substantially duplicate the collective transformative effects of the attributes on a transmission signal being sent out on the subscriber line. The transmission signal is transformed and provided to an output, where it is subtracted from a composite signal representing a combination of the actual transformed transmission signal and a receive signal. The subtraction yields an isolated receive signal, which is later processed to recover the full receive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Viadux, Inc.
    Inventors: Naom Chaplik, Chanchai Poonpol, Mark T. Robinson
  • Publication number: 20040081314
    Abstract: In an electronic inductor circuit, an operational amplifier drives the base of the electronic inductor transistor, and receives negative feedback from the emitter of the transistor. The transistor and operational amplifier combine to form a voltage-controlled. current source (VCCS) with respect to the loop current. A voltage divider connected across the rectified Tip and Ring voltage (or another node of the circuit at an equivalent voltage) provides a DC reference to the positive input of the operational amplifier, so that the line current automatically increases with an increase in line voltage. A capacitor couples the transmit signal driver to the positive input of the operational amplifier. This electronic inductor circuit can be driven using a low voltage supply and provides sufficient linearity for high-speed modem applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Sacca, Raphael Rahamim
  • Patent number: 6728368
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to implement a highly efficient low power line driver. In a first embodiment, the invention provides a method to increase the power efficiency of a line driver. The method includes supplying a digital signal processor output to a first subtractor; supplying the first subtractor output as an input to a modulator of a line driver; subtracting the line driver output from the digital signal processor output at the first subtractor; filtering the line driver output with a low pass filter; routing the line driver output to an impedance match filter; providing a first analog-to-digital converter and a second subtractor to subtract the line impedance match filter output from the low pass filter output; providing a digital filter and a second analog-to-digital converter; and subtracting the digital filter output from the first analog-to-digital converter output at a third subtractor to output a feedback signal to the digital signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Centillium Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Hessam Mohajeri
  • Patent number: 6694015
    Abstract: A universal line card architecture includes core circuitry for performing battery, overvoltage, ringing, supervision, coder/decoder circuit (CODEC), hybrid and test (BORSCHT) functions interconnected to a control processor and processing system. The control processor and processing system serve a plurality of line cards and are configurable to one or more of a plurality of subscriber loop standards in which the line card can operate. Upon receipt of instructions from a configuration system, the processing system configures line card and core network interface elements so that an appropriate subscriber loop standard may be associated with the line card identified in the provisioning request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Inventors: Charles Calvin Byers, Mark Alan Lassig, Carl Robert Posthuma
  • Patent number: 6694017
    Abstract: An automatic gain control apparatus, employed in a communication system having a circuit that interfaces a two-wire line to a four-wire line, measures the echo return loss occurring at the interface, calculates a gain from the echo return loss, and amplifies an incoming signal on the four-wire line by the calculated gain before transmission through the interface, to compensate for the echo return loss. If the communication system uses an echo canceler to cancel the echo, the echo canceler is preferably shielded from the effects of automatic gain control, by attenuation of the outgoing signal on the four-wire line, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Takada
  • Publication number: 20040028215
    Abstract: A communication interface circuit is connected to a tip terminal and a ring terminal establishing a call connection through a public switched telephone network to provide an interface between a modem and the public switched telephone network. The communication interface circuit includes a first capacitor, a transformer, and a first resistor. The first capacitor is serially connected to the tip terminal. The transformer has a primary coil connected to the first capacitor and a secondary coil connected to the modem. The transformer includes a low impedance to match an impedance between the modem and the public switched telephone network. The first resistor is serially connected to the primary coil of the transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventor: Jeong-Baek Lee
  • Patent number: 6681012
    Abstract: A directional coupler for a modem has a high common mode noise rejection characteristic with low transmit signal leakage, and reduced distortion of components mixed with a received signal. A primary filter network is connected to a communications circuit. The primary filter network has an output connected to an input of an amplifier. A feedback network is connected between the input and output of the amplifier. The primary filter network, the amplifier and the feedback network are arranged to provide a virtual ground at the input of the amplifier, and a filter characteristic which attenuates frequencies in the transmit signal band. The advantage is reduced component count while providing excellent transmit signal rejection and reducing received signal distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Dan V. Gorcea, Robert M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6674856
    Abstract: The present invention provides a digital pre-distortion filter in arrangement with a data access arrangement (DAA) on the component side (e.g., in a modem chipset). This arrangement of the pre-distortion filter outside of the DAA allows digital processes such as digital emulation of the central office impedance to remain unaffected by the pre-distortion in the transmitted signal, allowing the dynamic range of the transmitted signal to be flattened to minimize return loss without complicating the transfer function of the digital emulation of the central office complex load. In the case of a digital emulation filter, placement of a digital pre-distortion filter outside of an analog-to-digital (A/D) digital-to-analog (D/A) loop also minimizes the noise otherwise associated with the use of a pre-distortion filter. Thus, benefits of a pre-distortion filter can be gained without interfering with emulation of impedance, and without causing a significant amount of noise in the transmitted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Hendricks, Donald R. Laturell, Lane A. Smith, Steven B. Witmer
  • Patent number: 6665339
    Abstract: A monolithic transceiver integrated circuit that includes a substrate, a transmitter subsystem of one or more subcircuits on the substrate, and a receiver subsystem of one or more, subcircuits on the substrate. Also included is a bias current supply coupled to the receiver and transmitter subsystems to provide bias current. The bias current supply includes a first bias circuit on the substrate coupled to, and to supply bias current to, a first subcircuit of the transmitter subsystem. The first bias circuit includes a first current modulator having a first switch input to indicate that the bias current is to start or stop being supplied to the first subcircuit. The first current modulator is to control the rate of change of supplied bias current in response to the first switch input. The first subcircuit may be a power amplifier. The control of the rate of change reduces oscillator pull in at least one oscillator included in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Cisco Systems Wireless Networking (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Adams, Neil Weste
  • Patent number: 6584196
    Abstract: In an electronic inductor circuit, an operational amplifier drives the base of the electronic inductor transistor, and receives negative feedback from the emitter of the transistor. The transistor and operational amplifier combine to form a voltage-controlled current source (VCCS) with respect to the loop current. A voltage divider connected across the rectified Tip and Ring voltage (or another node of the circuit at an equivalent voltage) provides a DC reference to the positive input of the operational amplifier, so that the line current automatically increases with an increase in line voltage. A capacitor couples the transmit signal driver to the positive input of the operational amplifier. This electronic inductor circuit can be driven using a low voltage supply and provides sufficient linearity for high-speed modem applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sacca, Raphael Rahamim
  • Publication number: 20030081761
    Abstract: A system for matching impedance in the circuitry of an xDSL communication device to improve noise cancellation resulting from signal leakage between transmit and receive signals. The system for matching impedance includes a transformer configured to couple an impedance, which is substantially equal to a line impedance, to a line coupling transformer, and is applicable to all known hybrid topologies. The transformer is ideally as closely matched to the line coupling transformer as possible. This technique allows greatly improved impedance matching in the hybrid, which directly benefits the performance of xDSL communication devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventor: James T. Schley-May
  • Publication number: 20030012364
    Abstract: An analog front end for communicating discrete multitone modulated signals on a subscriber line includes a hybrid network for eliminating near-end echos. The hybrid network includes a hybrid input, a receive input, and a hybrid output. The receive input is capacitively coupled to a subscriber line carrying an upstream data signal and a downstream data signal. The hybrid input is capacitively coupled to receive the upstream data signal from a driver. The driver also provides the upstream data signal to the subscriber line. The hybrid output provides the extracted downstream data signal from the subscriber line. The hybrid network may be fabricated on an integrated circuit die. In one embodiment, the hybrid network is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventor: Kim Fung Lee
  • Patent number: 6507651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement (1) for coupling a communication device (3) having at least one unidirectional transmission channel (4) and at least one unidirectional receive channel (5) to a bidirectional communication device having at least one differential amplifier (Q1, Q2). For optimizing the properties of the coupling by such a circuit arrangement (1) with the simplest possible means, there is proposed to couple the control inputs (C, D) of the differential amplifier (Q1, Q2) to the outputs of a transmission channel (4), its outputs (A, B) to the bidirectional communication device and the negative feedback path of the differential amplifier (Q1, Q2) to an input (E) of a receive channel (5). Its negative feedback path includes a matching impedance (R4, R5, C2) for adjusting a DC voltage/DC current characteristic (6) for the circuit arrangement (1) when connected to the bidirectional communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Lothar Claussner
  • Publication number: 20020176569
    Abstract: A hybrid circuit that couples a broadband modem to a POTS or ISDN telecommunication line (TL) and comprises a transformer bridge circuit (TBC) that includes a bridge circuit (BC). The bridge circuit is constituted by four legs of which a first (A) and a second (B) nodes, that do not belong to a same leg, are connected to the two outputs of a differential drive amplifier (DRV) that performs impedance synthesis. A first leg is made of a first impedance matching network (Zm1) connected between the second node (B) and a third node (C). A second leg is made of a first primary winding (TP1) of a transformer and is connected between the third (C) and the first (A) nodes. A third leg is made of a second impedance matching network (Zm2) connected between the first node (A) and a fourth node (D). A forth leg is made of a second primary winding (TP2) of the transformer and is connected between the fourth (D) and second (B) nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Herman Joris Casier, Olivier Latte, Patrick Wouters, Daniel Sallaerts
  • Patent number: 6477249
    Abstract: A splitter separates telephony traffic (POTS) from digital subscriber line (ADSL) traffic occupying a higher frequency band. The splitter comprises a low-pass filter for passing the telephony traffic, the low-pass filter being operable to vary its filtering response between a first low-pass response for use during telephony speech traffic, and a second, more restrictive, low-pass response for use during at least part of the time that telephony signalling traffic is present. During speech traffic a filter is used which provides a good impedance match with a telephony terminal or linecard so as to minimize detrimental effects on sidetone and echo performance which may impair a user's speech quality. The filter response can be varied according to a detected property of the telephony traffic, such as amplitude or rate of change of amplitude of the traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Roger James Williamson, Leslie Derek Humphrey
  • Patent number: 6473507
    Abstract: A communication apparatus includes circuitry operable to facilitate communication over a digital subscriber line. The apparatus also includes a filter operable to be coupled between the circuitry and the digital subscriber line. The filter has a corner frequency and is operable to attenuate transients associated with the circuitry when the apparatus is in use. The filter is tuned to an impedance of the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Efficient Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Q. Eckert