Method and apparatus for powering electronics associated with a telephone line twisted pair

Apparatus (20) for extracting power from a twisted pair of telephone lines (24, 26) for feeding power to an auxiliary electrical device (22) located at an intermediate location of telephone lines (24, 26) between a central office (CO ) and address of a client (CP), comprising: a power supply (48) having first and second terminals (68, 70) for connection to said twisted pair at the intermediate location, receiving the power supply (48 ) at said first terminal (68) an input voltage and an input current from a first line (24) of said twisted pair and converting said input voltage and input current into an output voltage and output current shortlisted for the power supply of said auxiliary electrical device (22), providing the second terminal (70) of the power supply (48) a current return to a second line (26) of said twisted pair, characterized by comprising a first regulator current (120) at an output (80) of the power supply (48) to limit said output current to said auxiliary device (22) to a first predetermined value that is less than the current phone off the hook in that twisted pair; and a second current regulator (54) adapted for disposition in a second line (26) of said pair torsioando in said intermediate location to receive the current through the second line (26) from the customer premises (CP) to the central office (CO) also receiving the second current regulator (54) said return current from said second terminal (70) of said power supply (48) and having responsiveness the second current regulator ( 54) to the total current through the second line (26) to the central office (CO) corresponding to the combination of said stream from said customer premises (CP) and said return current from said power supply (48) to limit the current from the customer premises (CP) so that the total current mentioned passing through the second line (26) is less than a predetermined during a state phone second value off the hook at the customer premises (CP) .