Patent · US Expired

Digital tone decoder

US4016370A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
4References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1975
Grant dateApr 5, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q1/457
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A decoder is disclosed for use in a communication system wherein bits of information are conveyed by the transmission, on a communication line, of code tones of distinctive frequencies each corresponding to a respective bit of information. The decoder divides an incoming signal into repetitive intervals having durations dependent on the period of the signal and provides digital measurements of the length of the interval by counting clock pulses during each interval. The digital measurements are then processed to test for persistence of the signal at a stable frequency for a predetermined time and for matching of said stabilized frequency to a recognized code tone frequency. More specifically, such decoder is disclosed as part of a larger decoder for use in, for example, a telephone communication system wherein dial numbers or other characters are communicated by way of simultaneously transmitted code tone pairs.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.