Coin telephone data port protection
US5978460A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M17/023
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A package advantageously to be mounted within the housing of a coin telephone permits the telephone set to exhibit a jack to which a personal computer may be connected without danger of the jack being used for fraudulent purposes by normally maintaining the jack isolated from the central office conductors. A local battery powers a microprocessor which senses when a modem is connected to the jack. The microprocessor controls the connection to the central office conductors which then supply power for the further continuous monitoring of the conductors to determine whether the connection is being used legitimately or whether tones are applied at the jack to simulate the deposit of coins. In addition, the jack is disconnected from the central office conductors during the time that the initial rate test is being performed by the central office.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.