(19)
(11)EP 0 291 470 A3

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)Date of publication A3:
23.08.1989 Bulletin 1989/34

(43)Date of publication A2:
17.11.1988 Bulletin 1988/46

(21)Application number: 88830179.3

(22)Date of filing:  29.04.1988
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC)4H04M 3/56
(84)Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB SE

(30)Priority: 14.05.1987 IT 2051887

(71)Applicant: SGS-THOMSON MICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
I-20041 Agrate Brianza (Milano) (IT)

(72)Inventors:
  • Natali, Francesco
    I-24030 Almenno S. Bartolomeo (Bergamo) (IT)
  • Pariani, Angelo
    I-28041 Arona (Novera) (IT)

(74)Representative: Perani, Aurelio et al
c/o JACOBACCI & PERANI S.p.A Via Visconti di Modrone, 7
20122 Milano
20122 Milano (IT)


(56)References cited: : 
  
      


    (54)A method of attenuating the echo signal in so-called telephone fork converting circuits intended for conference, and an apparatus operating on said method


    (57) A method of attenuating the echo signal in so-called telephone fork converting circuits (4), adapted for telephone conferences with a plurality of participants, consists of switching and arranging sequentially on a serial line (14) messages (ST) from each participant as coded (A,B,C) in the PCM code, by means of a digital switching array (9), and of performing a sign reversal on the PCM codings (A,B,C) of a number of messages (ST) equal to the approxximation to the nearest number below the number of participants in the conference divided by two. In the instance of an odd number of participants, first and second conferences are set up by means of a conference actuator (18), each conference comprising a different combination of inverted-sign coded messages and remaining coded messages from the participants, with consequent cancellation of the echo components having opposite sign; subsequently, on the double-wire receiving line (7) associated with the telephone fork (4) of each participant, one of said conferences is transmitted as deprived of the message related to that participant including a number of inverted-sign messages equal to that of the remaining original messages.







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