Computer telephony integration adapter
First Claim
1. A computer telephony interface adapter (CTIA) for interfacing a computing device, a telephone, and a telephone network, comprising:
- (a) a telephone network interface for communicating with the telephone network according to a telephone network protocol;
(b) a telephone interface for communicating with the telephone;
(c) a computer interface for communicating with the computing device according to a data communication protocol;
(d) a controller in communication with the telephone network interface and with the computer interface, said controller converting between the telephone network protocol and the data communication protocol; and
(e) a switch that selectively couples the telephone in communication with the telephone network and the computing device at the same time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer telephony interface adapter (CTIA) for interfacing a computing device, a telephone, and a telephone network. The CTIA communicates with the telephone network using a telephone network protocol, such as a PSTN or a PBX protocol. Also, the CTIA communicates with a POTS telephone or a PBX telephone according to the telephone network protocol and with the computing device according to a data communication protocol, such as a USB or wireless protocol. The CTIA includes a controller in communication with the telephone network, the telephone, and the computing device. The controller converts communications between the telephone network protocol and the data communication protocol. In addition, the controller selectively couples the telephone into communication with the telephone network and the computing device at the same time. Thus, the CTIA enables local control over real-time shared communication among the telephone, telephone network, and computing device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer telephony interface adapter (CTIA) for interfacing a computing device, a telephone, and a telephone network, comprising:
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(a) a telephone network interface for communicating with the telephone network according to a telephone network protocol;
(b) a telephone interface for communicating with the telephone;
(c) a computer interface for communicating with the computing device according to a data communication protocol;
(d) a controller in communication with the telephone network interface and with the computer interface, said controller converting between the telephone network protocol and the data communication protocol; and
(e) a switch that selectively couples the telephone in communication with the telephone network and the computing device at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for selectively coupling signaling data and audio signals among a telephone, a telephone network, and a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing communication between the telephone and the telephone network through a computer telephony integration adapter (CTIA) over a telephone-to-telephone network (T-TN) communication path between the telephone and the telephone network, said T-TN communication path enabling communication of the signaling data and audio signals according to telephone network protocols;
(b) establishing communication between the telephone and the computing device through the CTIA over a telephone-to-computer (T-C) communication path between the telephone and the computing device, said T-C communication path including a converter that converts the signaling data and audio signals between the telephone network protocols and data communication protocols used by the computing device; and
(c) establishing communication between the T-TN communication path and the T-C communication path so that the signaling data and the audio signals on the T-TN path are processed by the converter, thereby enabling sharing of the signaling data and the audio signals among the telephone, the computing device, and the telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer telephony interface adapter (CTIA) for interfacing a telephone, a telephone network, and a computing device, comprising:
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(a) a telephone-to-telephone network (T-TN) communication path, enabling communication of signaling data and audio signals according to telephone network protocols between a telephone and a telephone network;
(b) a telephone-to-computer (T-C) communication path enabling communication of signaling data and audio signals between the telephone and a computing device, said T-C communication path including a converter that converts the signaling data and audio signals between the telephone network protocols and data communication protocols used by a computing device;
(c) a computer-to-telephone network (C-TN) communication path enabling communication of signaling data and audio signals between the computing device and the telephone network, said C-TN communication path using the converter that converts the signaling data and audio signals between the telephone network protocols and data communication protocols used by the computing device; and
(d) a common connection coupling the T-TN communication path, the T-C communication path, and the C-TN communication path, to enable sharing of the signaling data and audio signals among a telephone, a telephone network, and a computing device.
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25. A method of controlling communication of signaling data and audio signals among a telephone, a telephone network, and a computing device, by executing machine instructions on the computing device, said machine instructions causing the computing device to carry out the steps of:
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(a) communicating an off hook instruction to a computer telephony integration adapter (CTIA) according to a data communication protocol, causing the CTIA to initiate communication with the telephone network according to a telephone network protocol;
(b) communicating a telephone number to the CTIA according to the data communication protocol, causing the CTIA to convert the telephone number into a sequence of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals that are communicated to the telephone network according to the telephone network protocol, to place a telephone call;
(c) receiving signaling data and audio signals for the telephone call from the CTIA, wherein the signaling data and audio signals conform to the data communication protocol; and
(e) communicating a switch instruction to the CTIA, causing the CTIA to connect a shared communication path among the telephone, the telephone network, and the computing device.
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26. A method of detecting a data value from a frequency shift keying (FSK) signal, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a high FSK signal;
(b) starting a timer with a timeout that is that is substantially equal to a period of time used to transmit a signal pulse corresponding to a bit of FSK data;
(c) detecting a transition to a low FSK signal;
(d) determining a time between starting the timer and detecting the transition to the low FSK signal;
(e) determining that an FSK bit is a 1 if the time is greater than zero; and
(f) determining that an FSK bit is a 0 if the time is one of less than and equal to zero.
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Specification