Telephone outlet with packet telephony adapter, and a network using same

• US 20050083959A1
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SercoNet Limited (Yehuda Binder, MBA)
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0081 Network operation, administration, maintenance, or provisioning

Abstract

An outlet for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter that converts VoIP to and from analog telephony, and a standard telephone jack (e.g. RJ-11 in North America) for connecting an ordinary analog (POTS) telephone set. Such an outlet allows using analog telephone sets in a VoIP environment, eliminating the need for an IP telephone set or external adapter. The outlet may also include a hub that allows connecting both an analog telephone set via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack. The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the VoIP/POTS adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular analog service, VoIP telephony service using an analog telephone set, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet requires two standard telephone jacks and a data-networking jack. Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation.

Claims

1. A network for coupling a plurality of analog telephone devices to the Internet, the network comprising:

a telephone wire pair at least in part in a wall within a building, said wire pair being connected for concurrently carrying an analog telephone signal carried in an analog telephone signal frequency band frequency multiplexed with a digital data signal carried in a digital data signal frequency band, the digital data signal containing digitized and packetized telephone data, the digital data signal frequency band being distinct from, and higher than, the analog telephone signal frequency band;

a gateway connected between said telephone wire pair and the Internet, said gateway being operative to couple the digital data signal between the telephone wire pair and the Internet; and

a first device housed within a single enclosure and connected to said telephone wire pair, said first device being connectable to a first analog telephone device and being operative to couple the analog telephone signal to the first analog telephone device,

wherein the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol, and said enclosure is attached to a wall of a building.

2. The network according to claim 1, further comprising a second device that is operative to convert between the digitized and packetized telephone data and a second analog telephone signal, said second device being connectable to a second analog telephone device and being operative to couple the second analog telephone signal to the second analog telephone device.

3. The network according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure is mounted in the wall of the building.

4. The network according to claim 1 further operative to couple a data terminal equipment unit to the Internet, the device further comprising a data connector connectable to the data terminal equipment unit, and operative to couple the digital data signal to the data terminal equipment unit.

5. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is operative to couple to a distinct service provider over the Internet, to couple to digital data from the distinct service provider.

6. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is connected to the Internet by a DSL medium.

7. The network according to claim 1 wherein said first device is housed within a telephone outlet.

8. The network according to claim 1 wherein said first device is attachable to a telephone outlet.

9. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is operative to connect to a distinct service provider to couple to data and voice services from the distinct service provider.

10. A device for coupling digitized and packetized telephone data to an analog telephone unit and for coupling a digital data signal to a data terminal equipment unit, said device being connectable to a single wire pair that concurrently carries DC power and a digital data signal, the digital data signal containing digitized and packetized telephone data, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to the single wire pair;

a filter coupled to said wiring connector and having a data signal output for passing only the digital data signal;

a wiring modem coupled to said data signal output for conducting the digital data signal;

a data connector connectable to a data terminal equipment unit;

a telephone connector connectable to the analog telephone unit for coupling an analog telephone signal to the analog telephone unit;

an adapter connected to said telephone connector and operative to convert the digitized and packetized telephone data to an analog telephone signal;

a multi-port unit comprising one of;

a hub;

switch; and

a router, said multi-port having a first port coupled to said data connector, a second port coupled to said wiring modem and a third port coupled to said adapter; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said wiring modem and said adapter,

wherein the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and said enclosure is attachable to a wall of a building.

11. The device according to claim 10 further housed within an outlet.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the enclosure is attachable to an outlet.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said device is further operative to power said adapter with the DC power.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said enclosure is mountable in a wall of a building.

15. The device according to claim 10 further operative for a life-line, wherein:

said device further comprises a telephone port for coupling to a life-line analog telephone signal; and

said device is operative to assume a life-line state in which said device disconnects said telephone connector from the digitized and packetized telephone data and couples said telephone connector to the said telephone port for coupling the life-line analog telephone signal to the analog telephone unit.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein said device shifts to the life-line state upon sensing the absence of the digital data signal.

17. A device for coupling an analog voice device to digitized and packetized voice data contained in a digital data signal and for coupling a data terminal equipment unit to the digital data signal, for use with packet-based Local Area Network wiring within a building, the wiring concurrently carrying power and the digital data signal, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to the Local Area Network wiring;

a data connector connectable to the data terminal equipment unit;

an analog voice connector connectable to the analog voice device for coupling an analog voice signal to the analog voice device;

an adapter connected to said analog voice connector and operative to convert the digitized and packetized voice data to an analog voice signal;

a multi-port unit comprising one of;

a hub;

switch; and

a router, said multi-port having a first port coupled to said data connector, a second port coupled to said wiring connector and a third port coupled to said adapter; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said data connector, said analog voice connector, said adapter and said multi-port unit,

wherein said adapter is coupled to said wiring connector to be powered by the power signal, the digitized and packetized voice data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol, and said enclosure is mountable in a wall of the building.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the power is DC power.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the power is carried using Power over Ethernet (PoE).

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein the power and the digital data signal are carried concurrently over the same wires, and said device further comprises a selective means for separating the power and the digital data signal.

21. The device according to claim 20 wherein the power is carried in a frequency band distinct from a frequency band containing the digital data signal, and said device further comprises a filter for separating the power and the digital data signals.

23. The device according to claim 17 wherein said enclosure is attachable to an outlet.

22. The device according to claim i 7, wherein said device is housed within an outlet.

24. A device for coupling an analog telephone unit in a building to digitized and packetized telephone data contained in a digital data signal carried by an Internet Protocol based network originating outside the building, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to wiring outside the building for connecting to the network and for coupling to the digital data signal;

a modem coupled to said wiring connector for conducting the digital data signal over said wiring;

a data connector connectable to a data terminal equipment unit;

a telephone connector connectable to an analog telephone unit for coupling an analog telephone signal to the analog telephone unit;

an adapter connected to said telephone connector and operative to convert the digitized and packetized telephone data to the analog telephone signal;

a multi-port unit comprising one of a router and a gateway, said multi-port having a first port coupled to said data connector, a second port coupled to said modem and a third port coupled to said adapter, said multi-port unit being operative to pass the digitized and packetized telephone data between said second and third ports; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said wiring modem and said adapter,

wherein the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and said device is further operative to connect to a distinct service provider Internet Protocol (IP) network to couple to said digitized and packetized telephone data therefrom.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein said enclosure is attachable to a wall of a building.

26. The device according to claim 24, wherein said device is housed within an outlet.

27. The device according to claim 24, wherein said enclosure is attachable to an outlet.

28. The device according to claim 24, wherein said enclosure is mountable in a wall of the building.

29. The device according to claim 24 further operative for a life-line, wherein:

said device further comprises a telephone port for coupling to a life-line analog telephone signal; and

said device is operative to assume a life-line state in which said device disconnects said telephone connector from the digitized and packetized telephone data and couples said telephone connector to the said telephone port for coupling the life-line analog telephone signal to the analog telephone unit.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein said device shifts to the life-line state upon sensing the absence of the digital data signal.

31. The device according to claim 24, wherein said device is further connected to the network by telephone wiring, and wherein said modem is a telephone wiring modem.

32. A device for coupling an analog telephone unit to digitized and packetized telephone data contained in a digital data signal, for use with packet-based Local Area Network wiring within a building, the wiring concurrently carrying power and the digital data signal, said device comprising:

a wiring connector connectable to the Local Area Network wiring;

a transceiver for conducting the digital data signal over Local Area Network wiring;

voice means for sending and receiving analog voice signals;

an adapter coupled to said voice means and operative to effect conversion between the digitized and packetized telephone data and the analog voice signals;

a multi-port unit comprising one of;

a hub;

a switch;

a gateway; and

a router, said multi-port having a first port coupled to said transceiver and a second port coupled to said adapter, said multi-port unit being operative to pass the digitized and packetized telephone data; and

a single enclosure housing said wiring connector, said transceiver, said voice means, said adapter and said multi-port unit,

wherein said adapter is coupled to the wiring connector for coupling to the power signal to be powered therefrom, and the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

33. The device according to claim 32, wherein the power is DC power.

34. The device according to claim 32, wherein the power is carried using Power over Ethernet (PoE).

35. The device according to claim 32, wherein the power and the digital data signal are carried concurrently over the same wires, and said device further comprises selective means for separating the power and the digital data signal.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein the power is carried over a frequency band distinct from a digital data frequency band carrying the digital data signal, and said selective means comprises a filter for separating the power and the digital data signal.

37. The device according to claim 32, wherein:

the Local Area Network wiring further carries an analog telephone signal;

said device is operative for a life-line and further comprises a telephone connector selectively connectable to said adapter, and a three port switch coupled to said telephone connector, said adapter and said wiring connector; and

said device is operative to have an additional state in which said switch is operative to disconnect said telephone connector from said adapter and to couple said telephone connector to the analog telephone signal.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein said device shifts to the additional state upon sensing the absence of the digital data signal.