Private telephone network connected to more than one public network

• US 20050129069A1
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• 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 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• 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 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

In conjunction with a data communication network (53) carrying multiple telephony signals and allowing for connection of telephone sets (17), a system and method in which two external feeders (55a, 55b) connect to the data network (53) at two distinct points via two distinct devices. The data network can be based on dedicated wiring or can use existing in premises medium such as telephone, powerlines or CATV wiring. In the latter case, the wiring can still carry the original service for which it was installed. The external telephone connections can be based on the traditional PSTN, CATV network, cellular telephone network or any other telephone service provider network, using specific adapter for any medium used. In the case of connection to a POTS telephone signal, VoIP gateway (or any other converter) is required.

Claims

1. A system (100) for coupling one or more telephone sets to multiple telephone services using a wired local area network in a building carrying multiple digitized telephone channels, the system comprising:

a telephone adapter coupled to the network, couplable to a telephone set and operative to couple the telephone set to at least one first digitized telephone channel;

a first service adapter coupled to the network in a first point and couplable to a first telephone service, the adapter operative to couple the first telephone service to at least one second digitized telephone channel;

a second service adapter, couplable to a second telephone service and operative to couple the second telephone service to at least one third digitized telephone channel, the second service adapter couples to the network in a distinct second point; and

a router coupled to the network and operative to couple said first, second and third digitized telephone channels, for allowing said telephone set to be coupled to said first and second telephone services.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a gateway coupled to the network and to a telephone service for coupling POTS telephone service signal to the network, the gateway being operative to convert at least one POTS telephone service to digital telephony signals.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the network wiring comprising of a wire pair coupled to via one or more outlets.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wire pair is one out of telephone wiring, CATV wiring and powerline wiring.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least part of at least one adapter is integrated into an outlet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the telephone services is based on cellular telephone network, and the system further comprises a cellular adapter operative for communicating with a cellular telephone network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the adapter comprises a cellular telephone device.

8. A method for upgrading an existing wired local area network in a building to allow for coupling one or more telephone sets to multiple telephone services using digitized telephone channels over the network, the method comprising:

coupling a telephone adapter to the network, the adapter being couplable to a telephone set and operative to couple the telephone set to at least one first digitized telephone channel;

coupling a first service adapter to the network at a first point, the adapter being couplable to a first telephone service and being operative to couple the first telephone service to at least one second digitized telephone channel;

coupling a second service adapter to a second telephone service, the adapter being operative to couple the second telephone service to at least one third digitized telephone channel, the second service adapter being coupled to the network at a distinct second point; and

coupling a router to the network, the router being operative to couple said first, second and third digitized telephone channels, for allowing said telephone set to be coupled to said first and second telephone services.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of coupling a gateway to the network and to a telephone service, the gateway being operative to convert at least one POTS telephone service to digital telephony signals, for coupling POTS telephone service signal to the network.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the network wiring comprises a wire pair coupled to one or more outlets.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wire pair is one out of telephone wiring, CATV wiring and powerline wiring.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least part of at least one adapter is integrated into an outlet.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the telephone services is based on a cellular telephone network, and the method further comprises providing a cellular adapter operative for communicating with the cellular telephone network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the adapter comprises a cellular telephone device.