Voice and data communications

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting an analog voice channel signal and a 4-wire digital signal into a single 2-wire digital signal which can be transferred over a single twisted pair line. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of converting the analog voice channel signal into a first binary signal, converting the 4-wire digital signal into a second binary signal, combining the first binary signal and the second binary signal into a higher rate binary signal, and converting the higher rate binary signal into a 2-wire digital signal which can be transmitted to another location over a single twisted pair line. In another aspect, the method comprises the steps of converting a 2-wire digital signal to a higher rate binary signal, separating a first binary signal and a second binary signal from the higher rate binary signal and converting the first binary signal into an analog voice channel signal, and converting the second binary signal into a 4-wire digital signal. The apparatus includes an easily installed voice plus digital data remote terminal and voice plus digital data remote terminal and voice plus digital data central office terminal. The apparatus can provide a 3-to-1 pair gain by multiplexing signals representing the analog voice telephone signals and 4-wire digital data signals.

1 . A method of converting an analog voice channel signal and a 4-wire digital signal into a single signal which can be transferred over a single twisted pair line, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. converting the analog voice channel signal into a first binary signal;    b. converting the 4-wire digital signal into a second binary signal;    c. combining the first binary signal and the second binary signal into a higher rate binary signal; and    d. converting the higher rate binary signal into a 2-wire digital signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the 4-wire digital signal is a bipolar signal from a digital data service (DDS) channel.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in    claim 1    or    claim 2    wherein the 4-wire digital signal is a video signal, a data signal or a voice signal.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    3    wherein the 4-wire digital signal has a signaling rate of 2.4 kbps, 4.8 kbps, 9.6 kbps. 19.2 kbps, 56 kbps or 64 kbps.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    4    wherein the analog voice channel signal is a voice signal.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    5    wherein the higher rate binary signal has a bit rate of 256 kbps and the 2-wire digital signal has a bit rate of 160 kbps.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    6    wherein the 2-wire digital signal has a 2B1Q format or a 4B3T format.  
     
     
         8 . A method of transferring an analog voice channel signal and a 4-wire digital signal from a first location to a second location over a single twisted pair line between the locations, the method comprising 
 e. at one of the locations, converting an analog voice channel signal and a 4-wire digital signal into a 2-wire digital signal by the method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    7   ,    f. transferring the 2-wire digital signal from step (e) over the single twisted pair line to the other location; and    g. at the other location, 
 i. converting the 2-wire digital signal from step (f) to a higher rate binary signal,  
 ii. separating a first binary signal and a second binary signal from the higher rate binary signal produced in step (g(i)), and  
 iii. converting the first binary signal obtained in step (g(ii)) into an analog voice channel signal, and converting the second binary signal obtained in step (g(ii)) into a 4-wire digital signal.  
   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in    claim 8    wherein the single twisted pair has a length of at least 5,486 meters (18,000 feet) and comprises wires of different gauges.  
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in    claim 8    or    claim 9    wherein the higher rate binary signal obtained in step (g(i)) is the same as the higher rate binary signal in step (c), the first and second binary signals obtained in step (g(ii)) are the same as the first and second binary signals in steps (a) and (b), the analog voice channel signal obtained in step g((iii)) is the same as the analog signal in step (a), and the 4-wire digital signal obtained in step (g(iv)) is the same as the 4-wire digital signal in step (b).  
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in    claim 10    wherein said 2-wire digital signals are transferred from the first location to the second location and from the second location to the first location.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus suitable for use in the method as claimed in any one of    claims 1    to    7   , the apparatus comprising: 
 1. means for receiving an analog voice channel signal;  
 2. means for receiving a 4-wire digital signal;  
 3. means for converting the analog voice channel signal into a first binary signal;  
 4. means for converting the 4-wire digital signal into a second binary signal;  
 5. means for combining the first binary signal and the second binary signal into a higher rate binary signal;  
 6. means for converting the higher rate binary signal into a 2-wire digital format; and  
 7. means for transferring the 2-wire digital signal to a single twisted pair line.  
 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus suitable for use at the other location in the method as claimed in any one of    claims 8    to    10   , the apparatus comprising: 
 1. means for receiving a 2-wire digital signal;  
 2. means for converting the 2-wire digital signal into a higher rate binary signal;  
 3. means for separating a first binary signal and a second binary signal from the higher rate binary signal;  
 4. means for converting the first binary signal into an analog voice channel signal; and  
 5. means for converting the second binary signal into a 4-wire digital signal.  
 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus suitable for use at each of the first and second locations in the method as claimed in    claim 10   , the apparatus comprising: 
 1. means for receiving an analog voice channel signal;    2. means for receiving a 4-wire digital signal;    3. means for converting the analog voice channel signal into a first binary signal;    4. means for converting the 4-wire digital signal into a second binary signal;    5. means for combining the first binary signal and the second binary signal into a higher rate binary signal;    6. means for converting the higher rate binary signal into a 2-wire digital format;    7. means for receiving a 2-wire digital signal;    8. means for converting the 2-wire digital signal into a higher rate binary signal;    9. means for separating a first binary signal and a second binary signal from the higher rate binary signal;    10. means for converting the first binary signal into an analog voice channel signal; and    11. means for converting the second binary signal into a 4-wire digital signal.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in any one of    claims 12    to    14    which comprises means for transferring the analog signal directly to the twisted pair line.  
     
     
         16 . A method of converting one or more analog voice channels and one or more 4-wire digital signals into a single signal which can be transferred over a single twisted pair line, the method comprising the steps of: 
 aa. converting each analog voice channel signal into a first binary signal;    ab. converting each 4-wire digital signal into a second binary signal;    ac. combining the first binary signals and the second binary signals into a higher rate binary signal; and    ad. converting the higher rate binary signal into a 2-wire digital signal.    
     
     
         17 . A method of transferring one or more analog voice channel signals and one or more 4-wire digital signals from a first location to a second location over a single twisted pair line between the locations, the method comprising: 
 ae. at one of the locations, converting one or more analog voice channel signals and one or more 4-wire digital signals into a 2-wire digital signal by the method as claimed in    claim 16   ;    af. transferring the 2-wire digital signal from step (ae) to the other location; and    ag. at the other location, 
 i. converting the 2-wire signal from step (af) to a higher rate binary signal,  
 ii. separating first binary signals and second binary signals from the higher rate binary signal produced in step (ag(i)), and  
 iii. converting the first binary signal obtained in step (ag(ii)) into analog voice channel signals, and converting the second binary signals obtained in step (ag(ii)) into 4-wire digital signals.  
   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in    claim 16    or    claim 17    wherein the 2-wire digital signal has a bit rate of 288 kbps, 416 kbps, 784 kbps or 1168 kbps.