Customer premises network with PSTN and packet telephony functions
First Claim
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1. A system for telephony, comprising:
- a plurality of telephone adapters, each of which is configured to be coupled to a telephone and to modulate output audio signals produced by the telephone in a voice band so as to generate upstream passband signals for transmission in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band, and to receive and demodulate downstream passband signals so as to generate input audio signals to the telephone; and
a telephony gateway, which is adapted to receive and demodulate the upstream passband signals and to generate and transmit the downstream passband signals to the telephone adapters, and which comprises a line interface for coupling to a telephone line of a circuit-switched telephone network and a data interface for coupling to a packet network, and which is operative to process the passband signals so as to couple a first telephone, via a first telephone adapter and the telephone line, to communicate over the circuit-switched telephone network, while coupling a second telephone, via a second telephone adapter and the data interface, to communicate over the packet network.
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Abstract
A method for telephony includes modulating output audio signals produced by first and second telephones in a voice band so as to generate respective first and second upstream passband signals in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band. The first and second upstream passband signals are transmitted to a telephony gateway, which couples the first telephone to communicate via a telephone line over a circuit-switched telephone network and couples the second telephone, via a data interface of the telephony gateway, to communicate over a packet network.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for telephony, comprising:
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a plurality of telephone adapters, each of which is configured to be coupled to a telephone and to modulate output audio signals produced by the telephone in a voice band so as to generate upstream passband signals for transmission in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band, and to receive and demodulate downstream passband signals so as to generate input audio signals to the telephone; and
a telephony gateway, which is adapted to receive and demodulate the upstream passband signals and to generate and transmit the downstream passband signals to the telephone adapters, and which comprises a line interface for coupling to a telephone line of a circuit-switched telephone network and a data interface for coupling to a packet network, and which is operative to process the passband signals so as to couple a first telephone, via a first telephone adapter and the telephone line, to communicate over the circuit-switched telephone network, while coupling a second telephone, via a second telephone adapter and the data interface, to communicate over the packet network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for telephony, comprising:
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at least one telephone adapter, which is configured to be coupled to a telephone and to a telephone line of a circuit-switched telephone network, and which comprises;
signal processing circuitry, which is operative to modulate output audio signals produced by the telephone in a voice band so as to generate upstream passband signals for transmission in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band, and to receive and demodulate downstream passband signals so as to generate input audio signals to the telephone; and
a switch, having a first configuration in which the telephone is connected to the telephone line so as to permit the telephone to communicate via the telephone line over the circuit-switched telephone network, and a second configuration in which the signal processing circuitry is connected between the telephone and the telephone line so as to transmit and receive the upstream and downstream passband signals over the telephone line; and
a telephony gateway, which comprises a line interface for coupling to the telephone line and a data interface for coupling to a packet network, and which is adapted to receive and demodulate the upstream passband signals and to generate and transmit the downstream passband signals to the at least one telephone adapter via the line interface, and which is operative to process the passband signals so as to connect the telephone, via the at least one telephone adapter and the data interface, to communicate over the packet network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A telephone adapter, comprising:
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a phone connector, for coupling to a telephone;
a line connector, for coupling to a telephone line of a circuit-switched telephone network;
signal processing circuitry, which is operative to modulate output audio signals produced by the telephone in a voice band so as to generate upstream passband signals for transmission in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band, and to receive and demodulate downstream passband signals so as to generate input audio signals to the telephone; and
a switch, having a first configuration in which the phone connector is connected to the line connector so as to permit the telephone to communicate via the telephone line over the circuit-switched telephone network, and a second configuration in which the signal processing circuitry is connected between the phone connector and the line connector so as to transmit and receive the upstream and downstream passband signals over the telephone line for communication with a packet telephony gateway. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. Apparatus for telephony, comprising:
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an audio input/output device;
a line connector, for coupling to a telephone line of a circuit-switched telephone network;
signal processing circuitry, which is operative to modulate output audio signals produced by the audio input/output device in a voice band so as to generate upstream passband signals for transmission in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band, and to receive and demodulate downstream passband signals so as to generate input audio signals to the audio input/output device; and
a switch, having a first configuration in which the audio input/output device is connected to the line connector so as to communicate directly via the telephone line over the circuit-switched telephone network, and a second configuration in which the signal processing circuitry is connected between the phone connector and the line connector so as to transmit and receive the upstream and downstream passband signals over the telephone line for communication with a packet telephony gateway. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method for telephony, comprising:
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modulating output audio signals produced by first and second telephones in a voice band so as to generate respective first and second upstream passband signals in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band;
transmitting the first and second upstream passband signals to a telephony gateway having a data interface;
responsively to receiving the first passband signals at the telephony gateway, coupling the first telephone, using the gateway, to communicate via a telephone line over a circuit-switched telephone network; and
responsively to receiving the second passband signals at the telephony gateway, coupling the second telephone, via the data interface of the telephony gateway, to communicate over a packet network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for telephony, comprising:
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applying analog modulation to output audio signals produced by a telephone in a voice band so as to generate respective an analog upstream passband signal in a passband at a frequency higher than the voice band;
transmitting the analog upstream passband signal to a telephony gateway having a data interface;
responsively to receiving the analog upstream passband signal at the telephony gateway, coupling the telephone, via the data interface of the telephony gateway, to communicate over a packet network.
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Specification