Distributed telephone system

摘要

A communication system is provided for the interconnection of telephones and other instruments capable of communicating via the voice spectrum, the system providing a single transmission line such as a coaxial cable by which full duplex communication is provided between any pair of telephones. Each instrument is coupled to the transmission line by a control unit which includes computer operated transceiver equipment for paging other ones of the control units to initiate a telephonic communication. Each control unit is provided with an identification number and circuitry for recognizing the identification number contained within a paging signal so as to initiate a response. In a separate spectral portion of the transmission line, there are provided sets of analog communication channels each of which has upper and lower spectral portions to provide two-way communication in opposite directions between a pair of telephones engaged in communication. A transmitter and a receiver in each of the control units is provided for the communication of analog signals of both voice and data via the voice channel, each control unit including circuitry for tuning the transmitter and the receiver to the selected channel in accordance with digital data transmitted via the transmission line and specifying a selected one of the voice channels.