Unbalanced slic with a built-in ring circuit

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal to be conditioned; and

performing an unbalanced output buffering function upon said signal to be conditioned using an unbalanced buffering circuit, performing said unbalanced output buffering function comprising switching between a plurality of power supplies to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving said signal further comprises receiving a telecommunications signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a first power supply, a second power supply, and a third power supply;

switching between said first, second, and third power supplies based upon the level of said signal to be conditioned to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein providing said first and said second power supply further comprises providing power from said signal to be conditioned.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

switching a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch to modify operating voltages of a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit based upon transitions of said signal to be conditioned.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a signal to be conditioned further comprises receiving a ringing signal.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a signal to be conditioned; and

means for performing an unbalanced output buffering function upon said signal to be conditioned using an unbalanced buffering circuit, performing said unbalanced output buffering function comprising switching between a plurality of power supplies to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first amplifier for receiving and conditioning a tip signal;

a second amplifier for receiving and conditioning a ringing signal;

a plurality of power supplies for providing operating voltages for operating said first and second amplifiers; and

a plurality of switches for modifying said operating voltages of said first and second amplifiers based upon said ringing signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of power supplies comprises a first power supply, a second power supply and a third power supply.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first power supply provides about 100 Volts, said second power supply provides about −200 Volts, and said third power supply provides about −50 Volts.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said first and second power supply is provided by said ringing signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of switches for modifying said operating voltages comprises a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, said first, second, and third switches being capable of switching between said first, second, and third power supplies to maintain said predetermined maximum voltage relating to said first and second amplifiers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a first diode in series with said first switch, a second diode in series with said second switch and a third diode in series with said third switch.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a controller for controlling the operation of said first, second, and third switches.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said predetermined maximum voltage is about 150 Volts.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said first, second, and third switches being capable of tracking the change in the voltage level of said ringing signal.

17. A system, comprising:

a subscriber line; and

a line card electronically coupled with said subscriber line, said line card comprising:

a first amplifier for receiving and conditioning a tip signal;

a second amplifier for receiving and conditioning a ringing signal;

a plurality of power supplies for providing operating voltages for operating said first and second amplifiers; and

a plurality of switches for modifying said operating voltages of said first and second amplifiers based upon said ringing signal.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said first amplifier, said second amplifier, said power supplies and said plurality of switches are positioned on a ringing subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC).

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of power supplies comprises a first power supply, a second power supply and a third power supply.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein said first power supply provides about 100 Volts, said second power supply provides about −200 Volts, and said third power supply provides about −50 Volts.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said first and second power supply is provided by said ringing signal.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of switches for modifying said operating voltages comprises a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, said first, second, and third switches being capable of switching between said first, second, and third power supplies to maintain said predetermined maximum voltage relating to said first and second amplifiers.

23. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a first diode in series with said first switch, a second diode in series with said second switch and a third diode in series with said third switch.

24. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a controller for controlling the operation of said first, second, and third switches.

25. The system of claim 22 , wherein said predetermined maximum voltage is about 150 Volts.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein said first, second, and third switches being capable of tracking the change in the voltage level of said ringing signal.

27. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:

receiving a signal to be conditioned; and

performing an unbalanced output buffering function upon said signal to be conditioned using an unbalanced buffering circuit, performing said unbalanced output buffering function comprising switching between a plurality of power supplies to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit.

28. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 27 , wherein receiving said signal further comprises receiving a telecommunications signal.

29. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 27 , the method further comprising:

switching a first power supply, a second power supply, and a third power supply based upon the level of said signal to be conditioned to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit.

30. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 29 , wherein providing said first and said second power supply further comprises providing power from said signal to be conditioned.

31. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 29 , the method further comprising:

switching a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch to modify operating voltages of a plurality of devices relating to said unbalanced buffering circuit based upon transitions of said signal to be conditioned.

32. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 27 , wherein receiving a signal to be conditioned further comprises receiving a ringing signal.

33. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal to be conditioned; and

switching between a plurality of power supplies using said signal to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices used for conditioning said signal.

34. The method of claim 33 , further comprising:

providing a first power supply, a second power supply, and a third power supply;

switching between said first, second, and third power supplies based upon the level of said signal to be conditioned to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across said plurality of devices used for conditioning said signal.

35. The method of claim 34 , further comprising:

switching a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch to modify operating voltages of said plurality of devices used for conditioning said signal based upon the levels of said signal to be conditioned.

36. The method of claim 33 , wherein receiving a signal to be conditioned further comprises receiving a ringing signal.

37. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal to be conditioned; and

switching at least once between a first power supply, a second power supply, and a third power supply using said signal to maintain a predetermined maximum voltage across a plurality of devices used for conditioning said signal.

38. The method of claim 37 , further comprising:

switching a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch to modify operating voltages of said plurality of devices used for conditioning said signal based upon the levels of said signal to be conditioned.

39. The method of claim 37 , wherein receiving a signal to be conditioned further comprises receiving a ringing signal.