System and method for providing a universal communications port with computer-telephony interface

• US 20060165110A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Magendanz, Chad L., Belali, Mohamed, Westerinen, William J., Adan, Manolito E., Van Flandern, Michael W., Phillips, Thomas G., DeMaio, Pasquale
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks

Abstract

A computing system is equipped with one or more ports, each of which includes a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage connectors that may be associated with different types of external services and/or devices, including public switched telephone networks, Ethernet networks, ISDN networks, and/or telephone devices. Upon detecting a connection to a port, a controller evaluates at least one electrical property of the lines of the port. Based on the evaluation, the controller determines if the port is engaged with a known type of service or device. When the type of service or device is known, the controller selectively switches a plurality of port lines to appropriate communications subsystems to enable the computing system to communicate with the device or service. For example, a conventional telephone device can then be used as an audio input/output device for communication over the Internet rather than over a public switched telephone network.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication between a computing system and an external system, comprising the steps of:

(a) equipping the computing system with at least one coupler presenting a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage a connector associated with the external system and presenting a plurality of connector lines;

(b) engaging the coupler with the connector such that at least a first portion of the coupler lines are electrically connected to at least a portion of the connector lines;

(c) performing an evaluation of at least one electrical property manifested in the first portion of coupler lines to determine whether characteristics of the external system are identifiable from among known external systems with which the computing system can automatically interface using the coupler; and

(d) when the evaluation indicates the external system is among the know external systems with which the computing system can automatically interface using the coupler, selectively interconnecting at least a second portion of the coupler lines with at least one subsystem configured to facilitate interfacing the computing system with the external system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the evaluation of the at least one electrical property of at least one of the first portion of coupler lines includes the step of determining at least one of:

(a) whether an analog signal is carried on the first portion of the coupler lines;

(b) whether a digital signal is carried on the first portion of the coupler lines;

(c) a voltage carried between lines in the first portion of the coupler lines;

(d) a resistance between lines in the first portion of the coupler lines; and

(e) an impedance between lines in the first portion of the coupler lines.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a connection status indication, including at least one of:

(a) an indication that the external system is successfully automatically interfaced with the computing system using the coupler;

(b) an indication that the external system was detected, but the external system was not successfully automatically interfaced with the computing system using the coupler; and

(c) an indication that the external system is not among those known to be capable of automatically interfacing with the computer system using the coupler.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing the connection status indication includes the step of energizing lights of different colors.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of performing the evaluation includes the step of identifying the external system as one of:

(a) a public switched telephone network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used by the public switched telephone network and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a modem;

(b) a conventional telephone device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for audio input and output, and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a telephone-to-AC97 converter and an AC97 CODEC;

(c) a user interface telephone device configured to be used as an audio input/output device for a computing device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for audio input and output, and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected with the AC97 CODEC;

(d) an integrated services data network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for integrated services data network communication and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an integrated services data network terminal adapter;

(e) one of an Ethernet network and a Gigabit Ethernet network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for Ethernet communication, and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an Ethernet adapter;

(f) a power source, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes power lines, and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a power receiver; and

(g) a computer input/output device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for input/output devices, and the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an input/output interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the coupler includes a jack and the connector includes a plug configured to be received within and electrically mate with the jack.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the jack includes an RJ-45 jack presenting a plurality of pins configured to receive electrical signals from the plug, and the plug includes one of:

(a) an RJ-45 plug; and

(b) an RJ-11 plug.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the external system as the public switched telephone network is made by detecting a predefined voltage between a coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging pin 5.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the external system as the conventional telephone device is made by detecting a predefined resistance between the coupler line engaging pin 3 and the coupler line engaging pin 4.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the external system as the integrated services data network is made by detecting:

(a) a voltage in a predefined range between a coupler line engaging pin 3 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 5 and 6; and

(b) a voltage in a predefined range between coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 5 and 6.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the Ethernet network is made by detecting:

(a) a predefined range of resistance between a coupler line engaging pin 1 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 3 and 6; and

(b) a predefined range of resistance between a coupler line engaging pin 2 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 3 and 6.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the Power over Ethernet network is made when the coupler line:

(a) engaging pin 4 registers a voltage differential of approximately ±

48 volts relative to the second coupler line engaging one of pins 7 and 8; and

(b) engaging pin 5 registers a voltage differential of approximately ±

48 volts relative to the second coupler line engaging one of pins 7 and 8.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying the Gigabit Ethernet network is made by detecting substantially a zero direct current voltage between a coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging pin 5.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the computing system with a plurality of couplers, each of the plurality of couplers presenting a plurality of coupler lines.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of performing the evaluation determines that a telephone device is connected with a first coupler and that a public switched telephone network is connected with a second coupler, further comprising the step of selectively interconnecting the coupler lines between the first coupler and the second coupler to enable the telephone device to be used with the public switched telephone network when the computing system is not using the public switched telephone network for data communication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of drawing power from the public switched telephone network when the computing system is powered down, to maintain an interconnection between the coupler lines of the first coupler and the second coupler.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of performing the evaluation determines that a telephone device is connected with a first coupler and that a broadband Internet connection is connected with a second coupler, further comprising the step of configuring the telephone device to serve as an input/output device for Voice over Internet Protocol that is conveyed over the broadband Internet connection.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one subsystem that is configured to facilitate interfacing the computing system with the external system is implemented in at least one of:

(a) dedicated hardware; and

(b) machine executable instructions that are executable by a processor.

19. A method for facilitating communication between a computing system and an external system, comprising the steps of:

(a) equipping the computing system with a plurality of identical couplers, each of the couplers presenting a plurality of coupler lines that are configured to engage a connector associated with the external system and which are electrically connected to a plurality of connector lines included with the connector;

(b) engaging a plurality of couplers with a plurality of the connectors such that, at least a first portion of the coupler lines in the couplers thus engaged are electrically connected to at least a portion of the connector lines of the connector engaged with the coupler;

(c) for each of the plurality of couplers engaged with one of the plurality of connectors;

(i) performing an evaluation of at least one electrical property of the at least one of the first portion of the coupler lines to determine whether characteristics of the external system connected through the connector to the coupler enable the external system to be identified from among known external systems with which the computing system is able to automatically interface through the couplers, the evaluation of the at least one electrical property of at least one of the first portion of the coupler lines including the step of detecting at least one of;

(A) an analog signal that is carried in the first portion of the coupler lines;

(B) a digital signal carried in the first portion of the coupler lines;

(C) a voltage between specific lines in the first portion of the coupler lines;

(D) a resistance between specific lines in the first portion of the coupler lines; and

(E) an impedance between specific lines in the first portion of the coupler lines; and

(ii) when the evaluation identifies the external system from among those known to be able to automatically interface with the computing system, selectively interconnecting at least a second portion of the coupler lines of that coupler with at least one subsystem configured to facilitate automatically interfacing the computing system with the external system, regardless of which of the couplers with which the connector is engaged.

20. A method for facilitating communication between a computing system and an external system, comprising the steps of:

(a) equipping the computing system with at least one coupler presenting a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage a connector associated with the external system and presenting a plurality of connector lines, the external system including one of;

(i) a public switched telephone system;

(ii) a telephone device; and

(iii) a network connection;

(b) engaging the coupler with the connector such that at least a first portion of the coupler lines are engaged by at least a portion of the connector lines;

(c) performing an evaluation of at least one electrical property of the at least one of the first portion of the coupler lines to perform an identification of which type of external system has engaged the coupler; and

(d) based on the identification of the external system, selectively interconnecting a second portion of the coupler lines with supporting subsystems, such that;

(i) when the external system includes a public switched telephone network, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a telephone interface;

(ii) when the external system includes a telephone device, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a telephone converter enabling the telephone device to be used as an audio/input device for a computing system application; and

(iii) when the external system includes a network connection, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a network adapter that is configured to enable the computing system to communicate over the network connection.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the coupler includes a jack and the connector includes a plug configured to be received within and electrically mate with the jack.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the jack includes an RJ-45 jack presenting a plurality of pins configured to receive electrical signals from the plug, and the plug includes one of:

(a) an RJ-45 plug; and

(b) an RJ-11 plug.

23. A system for facilitating communications with an external system, comprising:

(a) at least one user input device;

(b) a display screen;

(c) a processor;

(d) a memory;

(e) a bus operably coupling the user input device, the display screen, the processor, and the memory; and

(f) an input/output interface in communication with the bus, the input/output interface comprising;

(i) at least one coupler presenting a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage a plurality of connector lines presented by a connector associated with the external system;

(ii) a controller configured to;

(A) perform an evaluation of at least one electrical property of at least a first portion of the coupler lines engaging the connector lines to determine whether characteristics of the external system indicate identify it and indicate that it is among known external systems with which the system automatically interfaces; and

(B) when the evaluation successfully identifies the external system that is connected through the coupler, selectively interconnect at least a second portion of the coupler lines used to communicate with the external system, with at least one subsystem automatically configured to facilitate interfacing the system with the external system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the evaluation of the at least one electrical property of at least one of the first portion of the coupler lines includes determining:

(a) whether the first portion of the coupler lines presents an analog signal;

(b) whether the first portion of the coupler lines presents a digital signal;

(c) a voltage carried by a first coupler line relative to one of a ground and a second coupler line;

(d) a resistance of the first coupler line relative to the second coupler line; and

(e) an impedance of the first coupler line relative to the second coupler line.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a connection status indicator that indicates whether the external system is successfully interfaced with the computing system, by indicating one or more states of the interface, the one or more states including:

(a) a state in which the external system has successfully interfaced with the computing system;

(b) a state in which the evaluation of the electrical property indicates an external system has been detected, but that the external system has not successfully interfaced with the computing system; and

(c) a state in which the evaluation of the electrical property indicates that an external system is not associated with the connector lines.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the connection status indicator includes at least one light emitting device, the connection status indicator presenting lights of different colors indicative of the states.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein identification of the characteristics of the external system includes identifying the external system as one of:

(a) a public switched telephone network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used by the public switched telephone network, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a modem;

(b) a conventional telephone device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for audio input and output, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a telephone-to-AC97 converter and an AC97 CODEC;

(c) a user interface telephone device configured to be used as an audio input/output device for a computing device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for audio input and output, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes the AC97 CODEC;

(d) an integrated services data network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for integrated services data network communication, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an integrated services data network terminal adapter;

(e) an Ethernet network, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for Ethernet communication, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an Ethernet adapter;

(f) a power source, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes power lines, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes a power receiver; and

(g) a computer input/output device, wherein the second portion of the conductor lines includes connector lines used for input/output devices, and wherein the subsystem with which the second portion of the conductor lines is selectively interconnected includes an input/output interface.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the coupler includes a jack, and wherein the connector includes a plug configured to be received within and electrically mated with the jack.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the jack includes an RJ-45 jack presenting a plurality of pins configured to receive electrical signals from the plug, and the plug includes one of:

(a) an RJ-45 plug; and

(b) an RJ-11 plug.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification of the external system as the public switched telephone network is made by detecting a predefined voltage between a coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging pin 5.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification of the external system as the conventional telephone device is made by detecting a predefined resistance between the coupler line engaging pin 3 and the coupler line engaging pin 4.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification of the external system as the integrated services data network is made by detecting:

(a) a voltage in a predefined range between a coupler line engaging pin 3 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 5 and 6; and

(b) a voltage in a predefined range between coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 5 and 6.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification of the external system as the Ethernet network is made by detecting:

(a) a predefined range of resistance between a coupler line engaging pin 1 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 3 and 6; and

(b) a predefined range of resistance between a coupler line engaging pin 2 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 3 and 6.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification identifies the external system as a Power over Ethernet network by detecting:

(a) a predefined voltage differential between a coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 7 and 8; and

(b) a predefined voltage differential between a coupler line engaging pin 5 and a coupler line engaging one of pins 7 and 8.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the identification identifies the external system as a Gigabit Ethernet network by detecting substantially a zero direct current voltage between a coupler line engaging pin 4 and a coupler line engaging pin 5.

36. The system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of couplers, each of the plurality of couplers presenting a plurality of coupler lines.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the controller is further configured such that upon determining that a telephone device is connected with a first coupler and that a public switched telephone network is connected with a second coupler, the controller selectively interconnects the coupler lines between the first coupler and the second coupler to enable the telephone device to be used with the public switched telephone network when the computing system is not using the public switched telephone network for data communication.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the controller is further configured to draw power from the public switched telephone network when the computing system is powered down, to maintain an interconnection between the coupler lines of the first coupler and the second coupler.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured, so that upon determining that a telephone device is connected with a first coupler and that a second coupler of the computing system is coupled with a broadband Internet connection, the controller couples the telephone device to serve as an input/output device for Voice over Internet Protocol over the broadband Internet connection.

40. A system for facilitating communication between a computing system and external systems, comprising:

(a) at least one coupler presenting a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage a connector associated with an external system and presenting a plurality of connector lines, the external system including one of;

(i) a public switched telephone system;

(ii) a telephone device; and

(iii) a network connection;

(b) a controller in communication with the plurality of coupler lines for each coupler and configured to;

(i) evaluate at least one electrical property of at least one of a first portion of the coupler lines from a coupler to determine an identification of which type of external system has engaged the coupler; and

(ii) based on the identification of the external system, selectively interconnect a second portion of the coupler lines with supporting subsystems, such that;

(A) when the external system includes a public switched telephone network, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a telephone interface;

(B) when the external system includes a telephone device, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a telephone converter enabling the telephone device to be used as an audio/input device for a computing system application; and

(C) when the external system includes a network connection, the second portion of the coupler lines is interconnected with a network adapter configured to enable the computing system to communicate over the network connection.