Signal transmission system and signal transmission method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11968324-B2
Application number	US-202017629986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2020
Priority date	Jul 29, 2019
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

In a signal transmission system for transmitting an analog signal, in which a billing signal is superposed on an audio signal, from a transmitting device to a receiving device, the transmitting device includes a separation unit configured to separate the audio signal from the analog signal, an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the audio signal separated by the separation unit, a detection unit configured to detect the billing signal from the analog signal, a coding unit configured to encode the billing signal detected by the detection unit, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the audio signal subjected to the AD conversion by the AD conversion unit and the billing signal encoded by the coding unit to the receiving device, and the receiving device includes a reception unit configured to receive the audio signal and the billing signal transmitted by the transmission unit, a DA conversion unit configured to perform DA conversion on the audio signal received by the reception unit, a decoding unit configured to decode the billing signal received by the reception unit, a conversion unit configured to convert the billing signal decoded by the decoding unit into an analog wave, and a combination unit configured to combine the audio signal subjected to the DA conversion by the DA conversion unit and the analog wave.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A signal transmission system for transmitting an analog signal, in which a billing signal is superposed on an audio signal, from a transmitting device to a receiving device, wherein
the transmitting device includes:
a separation unit configured to separate the audio signal from the analog signal;
an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the audio signal separated by the separation unit;
a detection unit configured to detect the billing signal from the analog signal;
a coding unit configured to encode the billing signal detected by the detection unit; and
a transmission unit configured to transmit the audio signal subjected to the AD conversion by the AD conversion unit and the billing signal encoded by the coding unit to the receiving device, and
the receiving device includes:
a reception unit configured to receive the audio signal and the billing signal transmitted by the transmission unit;
a DA conversion unit configured to perform DA conversion on the audio signal received by the reception unit;
a decoding unit configured to decode the billing signal received by the reception unit;
a conversion unit configured to convert the billing signal decoded by the decoding unit into an analog wave; and
a combination unit configured to combine the audio signal subjected to the DA conversion by the DA conversion unit and the analog wave.

2. The signal transmission system according to claim 1 , wherein the detection unit detects the billing signal, by detecting a plurality of different electric potentials that the analog signal contains, and change timings of the electric potentials.

3. The signal transmission system according to claim 2 , wherein the coding unit encodes the billing signal detected by the detection unit, in such a way as to indicate at least either level or up/down in the change timings of the electric potentials detected by the detection unit.

4. The signal transmission system according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion unit converts the billing signal decoded by the decoding unit into the analog wave, in which waveform normalization that refers to a predetermined billing signal standard is performed.

5. A signal transmission method for transmitting an analog signal, in which a billing signal is superposed on an audio signal, from a transmitting device to a receiving device, the method comprising:
a separation process for separating the audio signal from the analog signal;
an AD conversion process for performing AD conversion on the separated audio signal;
a detection process for detecting the billing signal from the analog signal;
a coding process for encoding the detected billing signal;
a transmission process for transmitting the AD-converted audio signal and the encoded billing signal to the receiving device;
a reception process for receiving the transmitted audio signal and the transmitted billing signal;
a DA conversion process for performing DA conversion on the received audio signal;
a decoding process for decoding the received billing signal;
a conversion process for converting the decoded billing signal into an analog wave; and
a combination process for combining the DA-converted audio signal and the analog wave.

6. The signal transmission method according to claim 5 , wherein the detection process detects the billing signal, by detecting a plurality of different electric potentials that the analog signal contains, and change timings of the electric potentials.

7. The signal transmission method according to claim 6 , wherein the coding process encodes the detected billing signal, in such a way as to indicate at least either level or up/down in the detected change timings of the electric potentials.

8. The signal transmission method according to claim 5 , wherein the conversion process converts the decoded billing signal into the analog wave, in which waveform normalization that refers to a predetermined billing signal standard is performed.

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Furuya Hiroyuki
• Tokuyasu Tomohiro
• FUKUZONO Hayato
• Ono Yu
• Tatsuta Tsutomu
• Nakayama Tomohiro

Classifications

• H04M17/023 Primary

  Circuit arrangements · CPC title

• H04M15/8228

  Session based · CPC title

• H04W4/24

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04M2017/246

  using signalling, e.g. USSD, UUS, DTMF · CPC title

• H04M15/00 Primary

  Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} · CPC title