Voice and data communication system
First Claim
1. A voice communication system comprising:
- voice means for supplying an analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth;
analog-to-digital converter means for converting the analog voice signal to a corresponding digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate;
data compression means for converting the digital voice signal to a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate;
data means for supplying a first digital data signal;
multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce a composite digital signal;
selector means for selectively connecting to an output terminal either the analog voice signal or the composite digital signal; and
transmitter means for transmitting the signal connected to the output terminal by the selector means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone communication system for transmitting and receiving both voice signals and digital data signals, with no significant distortion to the voice signals and with substantially higher digital data rates than previously could be obtained in comparable systems. The voice signals are digitized, data compressed, and time-division multiplexed with the digital data signals, to produce a composite digital signal that can be transmitted over conventional telephone lines. The system can be selectively configured in a conventional telephone operating mode, in which the system transmits and receives merely the analog voice signals and all of its various digital circuitry elements are bypassed. The system is automatically configured in this conventional telephone operating mode whenever a significant failure in any of its individual units is detected.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A voice communication system comprising:
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voice means for supplying an analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth; analog-to-digital converter means for converting the analog voice signal to a corresponding digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate; data compression means for converting the digital voice signal to a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate; data means for supplying a first digital data signal; multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce a composite digital signal; selector means for selectively connecting to an output terminal either the analog voice signal or the composite digital signal; and transmitter means for transmitting the signal connected to the output terminal by the selector means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A voice and digital data telephone communication system comprising:
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a plurality of remote user units for simultaneously transmitting and receiving combined voice and digital data signals; a plurality of central office units for simultaneously transmitting and receiving combined voice and digital data signals; and means for interconnecting each remote user unit with a separate central office unit, such that each remote user unit transmits a first combined voice and digital data signal to a predetermined, corresponding central office unit and receives back from the same central office unit a second combined voice and digital data signal; wherein each of the remote user units includes voice terminal means for supplying a first analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth, analog-to-digital converter means for converting the first analog voice signal to a corresponding first digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate, data compression means for converting the first digital voice signal to a first compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate, data terminal means for supplying a first digital data signal, multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the first compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce the first combined voice and digital data signal, for transmission to the predetermined, corresponding central office unit via the interconnecting means, demultiplexer means for time-division demultiplexing the second combined voice and digital data signal received from the predetermined, corresponding central office unit via the interconnecting means, to produce a second compressed voice signal and a second digital data signal, the second digital data signal being output by the data terminal means, data expansion means for decompressing the second compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding second digital voice signal, and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the second digital voice signal to a corresponding second analog voice signal for output by the voice terminal means; and wherein each of the central office units includes voice terminal means for supplying a second analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth, analog-to-digital converter means for converting the second analog voice signal to a corresponding second digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate, data compression means for converting the second digital voice signal to a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate, data terminal means for supplying a second digital data signal, multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the second compressed voice signal and the second digital data signal to produce the second combined voice and digital data signal for transmission to the predetermined corresponding remote user unit via the interconnecting means, demultiplexer means for time-division demultiplexing the first combined voice and digital data signal received from the predetermined, corresponding remote user unit via the interconnecting means, to produce a first compressed voice signal and a first digital data signal, the first digital data signal being output by the data terminal means, data expansion means for decompressing the first compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding first digital voice signal, and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the first digital voice signal to a corresponding first analog voice signal for output by the voice terminal means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 25)
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12. A voice and digital data telephone communication system comprising:
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a plurality of remote user units for simultaneously transmitting and receiving combined voice and digital data signals; a corresponding plurality of central office units for simultaneously transmitting and receiving combined voice and digital data signals; and means for interconnecting each remote user unit with a separate central office unit, such that each remote user unit transmits a first combined voice and digital data signal to a predetermined, corresponding central office unit and receives back from the same central office unit a second combined voice and digital data signal; wherein each of the remote user units includes voice terminal means for supplying a first analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth, analog-to-digital converter means for converting the first analog voice signal to a corresponding first digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate, data compression means for converting the first digital voice signal to a first compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate, data terminal means for supplying a first digital data signal, multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the first compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce the first combined voice and digital data signal, for transmission to the predetermined, corresponding central office unit via the interconnecting means, demultiplexer means for time-division demultiplexing the second combined voice and digital data signal received from the predetermined, corresponding central office unit via the interconnecting means, to produce a second compressed voice signal and a second digital data signal, the second digital data signal being output by the data terminal means, data expansion means for decompressing the second compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding second digital voice signal, and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the second digital voice signal to a corresponding second analog voice signal for output by the voice terminal means, and selector means for selectively transmitting to the predetermined, corresponding central office unit via the interconnecting means either the first combined voice and digital data signal or the first analog voice signal; wherein each of the central office units includes voice terminal means for supplying a second analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth, analog-to-digital converter means for converting the second analog voice signal to a corresponding second digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate, data compression means for converting the second digital voice signal to a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate, data terminal means for supplying a second digital data signal, multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the second compressed voice signal and the second digital data signal to produce the second combined voice and digital data signal for transmission to the predetermined corresponding remote user unit via the interconnecting means, demultiplexer means for time-division demultiplexing the first combined voice and digital data signal received from the predetermined, corresponding remote user unit via the interconnecting means, to produce a first compressed voice signal and a first digital data signal, the first digital data signal being output by the data terminal means, data expansion means for decompressing the first compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding first digital voice signal, and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the first digital voice signal to a corresponding first analog voice signal for output by the voice terminal means, and selector means for selectively transmitting to the predetermined, corresponding remote user unit via the interconnecting means either the second combined voice and digital data signal or the second analog voice signal; wherein when one of the plurality of central office units receives the first analog voice signal via the interconnecting means, its selector means selectively connects the received signal directly to its voice terminal means; wherein when one of the plurality of remote user units receives the second analog voice signal via the interconnecting means, its selector means selectively connects the received signal directly to its voice terminal means; and wherein the interconnecting means includes means for time-division multiplexing the signals transmitted by the plurality of remote user units, to produce a first multiplexed signal suitable for transmission over a predetermined distance, first means for time-division demultiplexing the first multiplexed signal, to re-create the signals originally transmitted by the plurality of remote user units, means for connecting the signals re-created by the demultiplexing means to separate ones of the plurality of central office units, means for time-division multiplexing the signals transmitted by the plurality of central office units, to produce a second multiplexed signal suitable for transmission over a predetermined distance, second means for time-division demultiplexing the second multiplexed signal, to re-create the signals originally transmitted by the plurality of central office units, and means for connecting the signals re-created by the second demultiplexing means to separate ones of the plurality of remote user units; and wherein the multiplexer means of each central office unit is adapted to selectively incorporate a format code signal into the second combined voice and digital data signal, the format code signal indicating a desired operating condition of the predetermined, corresponding remote user unit, and the demultiplexer means of each remote user unit includes means for detecting the format code signal in the second combined voice and digital data signal and for configuring the remote user unit accordingly.
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13. A combined voice and digital data communication system comprising:
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voice terminal means for supplying an analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth; analog-to-digital converter means for converting the analog voice signal to a corresponding digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate, the digital voice signal being arranged in a succession of 8-bit bytes; data compression means for converting the digital voice signal to a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate, the compressed voice signal being arranged in a succession of 4-bit bytes; data terminal means for supplying a first digital data signal; control terminal means for supplying a digital control signal; multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the compressed voice signal with the digital data signal and the digital control signal to produce a combined voice and digital data signal arranged in a succession of 8-bit bytes; modulator means for modulating the combined voice and digital data signal onto a carrier; and transmitter means for transmitting the modulated carrier. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of communicating voice and data signals comprising steps of:
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supplying an analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth; converting the analog voice signal to a corresponding digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate; data compressing the digital voice signal to produce a compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate; supplying a first digital data signal; time-division multiplexing the compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce a composite digital signal; selectively connecting to an output terminal either the analog voice signal or the composite digital signal; and transmitting the signal connected to the output terminal in the step of selectively connecting. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A voice communication system comprising:
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voice means for supplying a first analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth; analog-to-digital converter means for converting the first analog voice signal to a corresponding first digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate; data compression means for converting the first digital voice signal to a first compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate; data means for supplying a first digital data signal; multiplexer means for time-division multiplexing the first compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce a first composite digital signal; selector means for selectively connecting to an output terminal either the first analog voice signal or the first composite digital signal; wherein the system receives at the output terminal a second composite digital signal, for transmission in a direction opposite to the direction of the first composite digital signal; demultiplexer means for time-division demultiplexing the second composite digital signal to produce a seoond compressed voice signal and a second digital data signal; data expansion means for decompressing the second compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding second digital voice signal; and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the second digital voice signal to a corresponding second analog voice signal; wherein the selector means further selectively directs the second composite digital signal to either the demultiplexer means or the voice means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 31)
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26. A method of communicating voice and data signals comprising steps of:
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supplying a first analog voice signal having a predetermined bandwidth; converting the first analog voice signal to a corresponding first digital voice signal having a predetermined data rate; data compressing the first digital voice signal to produce a first compressed voice signal having a reduced data rate; supplying a first digital data signal; time-division multiplexing the first compressed voice signal and the first digital data signal to produce a first composite digital signal; selectively connecting to an output terminal either the first analog voice signal or the first composite digital signal; receiving at the output terminal a second composite digital signal; time-division demultiplexing the second composite digital signal to produce a second compressed voice signal and a second digital data signal; data decompressing the second compressed voice signal to produce a corresponding second digital voice signal; converting the second digital voice signal to a corresponding second analog voice signal; and selectively connecting to a second output terminal either the second analog voice signal or the second composite digital signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification