Switchable voice source network interface device module

• US 20070230442A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Multach, Jeffrey, Hurst, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,681,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A system and method for switching between voice signals. The system includes a network interface device and a digital logic device. The network interface device may include a splitter and a switch. The splitter includes a network input configured to receive a combined voice and digital signal. The splitter generates a separate first voice output and a digital signal. The first voice signal is provided from the splitter to the switch, while the digital signal is provided to the digital logic device. The digital logic device is configured to generate a second voice signal that is also provided to the switch. Further, the digital logic device provides a control signal to the switch. The control signal manipulates the switch to selectively provide either the first or second voice signal to a voice output.

Claims

1. A network interface device for a customer premises comprising:

a splitter having an input configured to receive a combined voice and digital signal and to generate separately a first analog voice signal and a digital signal, the splitter comprising a digital output configured to carry the digital signal;

a switch in communication with the splitter, the switch comprising;

a first input in communication with the splitter and configured to receive the first analog voice signal from the splitter;

a second input configured to receive a second analog voice signal;

a control input configured to receive a control signal relating to the presence of the second analog voice signal; and

wherein the switch is configured to selectively provide the first or second analog voice signal to a voice output in response to the control signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second analog voice signal comprises a VoIP signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is based on configuration information provided in the digital signal.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second analog voice signals are TDM signals.

6. A telephonic switching system for a customer premises comprising:

a digital logic device configured to receive a digital signal, convert the digital signal to a first analog voice signal, and provide the first analog voice signal to a voice output, the digital logic device being further configured to provide a control signal to a control output, the control signal being based on the digital signal; and

wherein the control signal is indicative of a command to select between the first analog voice signal and a second analog voice signal.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the digital logic device is configured to generate the control signal based on configuration information provided in the digital signal.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second analog voice signal comprises a VoIP signal.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second analog voice signals are TDM signals.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the digital logic device includes a DSL modem configured to receive the digital signal.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the digital logic device includes a logic unit in communication with the DSL modem and configured to generate the control signal to select between the first and second analog voice signals.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the digital logic device includes a VoIP adapter in communication with the DSL modem and configured to generate the second analog voice signal from the digital signal.

14. A telephonic switching system for a customer premises comprising:

a network interface device comprising a splitter and a switch, the splitter having an input configured to receive a combined voice and digital signal and to generate a first analog voice signal and a digital signal, the splitter being in communication with the switch and configured to provide the first analog voice signal separately from the digital signal;

a digital logic device configured to receive the digital signal from the splitter, convert the digital signal to a second analog voice signal, and provide the second analog voice signal to the switch, the digital logic device being further configured to provide a control signal to the switch based on the digital signal; and

wherein the switch is configured to selectively provide the first or second analog voice signal to a voice output in response to the control signal.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the second analog voice signal comprises a VoIP signal.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the digital logic device is configured to control the switch based on configuration information provided in the digital signal.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the configuration information includes an activation signal.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the activation signal is a VoIP activation signal.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first and second analog voice signals are TDM signals.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein the digital logic device includes a DSL modem configured to receive the digital signal from the splitter.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the digital logic device includes a logic unit in communication with the DSL modem and configured to generate the control signal to selectively provide the first and second analog voice signals to the voice output.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the digital logic device comprises a VoIP adapter in communication with the DSL modem and configured to generate the second analog voice signal from the digital signal.

24. The system according to claim 14, wherein the network interface device comprises a housing to enclose the splitter and switch, the network interface device having a first external connection providing the digital signal to the digital logic device and a second external connection to provide the second signal from the digital logic device to the switch.

25. A method of switching between voice signals, the method comprising:

receiving a combined voice and digital signal;

separating the combined voice and digital signal into a first analog voice signal and a digital signal;

communicating the first analog voice signal to a switch;

communicating the digital signal to a logic device output configured to communicate the digital signal to a logic device;

receiving a second analog voice signal at a logic device input;

communicating the second analog voice signal to the switch;

receiving a control signal from a control input; and

selectively providing the first or second analog voice signal to a voice output based on the control signal.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the control signal is based on the digital signal.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the first and second analog voice signal are TDM signals.

29. A method of switching between voice signals, the method comprising:

receiving a digital signal;

converting the digital signal into a first analog voice signal;

transmitting the first voice output to the switch; and

transmitting a control signal configured to indicate whether the first analog voice signal or a second analog voice signal is to be communicated to a voice output based on information from the digital signal.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the information is a VoIP activation signal.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein the first and second analog voice signal are TDM signals.

33. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for switching between voice signals, the instructions for executing the following method:

receiving a digital signal;

converting the digital signal into a first analog voice signal;

transmitting the first analog voice signal to the switch; and

selectively providing the first analog voice signal or a second analog voice signal to a voice output based on information from the digital signal.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the digital signal is a DSL signal.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the first and second analog voice signal are TDM signals.