Packet communication system

• US 5,654,957 A
• Filed: 05/09/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Safourek, Benedict V.
• Application Number:
  US08/436,183
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 370/16, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/85.13, 370/94.1, 370/94.2, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/389, 370/401, 370/402, 370/902, 455/3.1, 455/6.1, 455/340, 455/379, 348/6, 348/10, 348/14, 348/16, 348/461, 348/471, 379/93, 379/100
• US Class Current: 370/355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• 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 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• 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 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

The packet communication system enables communication between a communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network and a communication unit in a packet mode network. A device for exclusively selecting the connection network is provided so that, at the time of transmission of a signal from one communication unit to another, the connection path is selected according to the kind of the network to which the other communication unit belongs. At the time of signal reception, the communication unit is connected to only one of the conventional telephone network and the packet mode network. The packet communication system includes a packet processor for converting an information signal, such as speech, inputted from an input unit (for example, a transmitter microphone of a handset) into the form of a packet. The packet is transmitted to the packet mode network and converted into the original information signal stream to reproduce the signal stream by an output unit (for example, a receiver of the handset). A conventional telephone network interface controller is provided for reproducing the speech or like information signal received from the conventional telephone network by the output unit. An exclusive selector selects either the conventional telephone network or the packet mode network at the time of signal reception.

Claims

1. A packet communication system for making communication between a communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network and a communication unit connected in a packet mode network, comprising:

means for connecting said communication unit connected in a packet mode network to said conventional telephone network;

means for connecting said communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network to said packet mode network;

an input unit for inputting an external information signal from an external source;

an output unit for reproducing an information signal and outputting the reproduced information signal;

packet processor means for converting said external information signal inputted from said input unit into the form of a packet transmitting the packet to said packet mode network and converting the packet transmitted from said packet mode network into an information signal and providing the information signal to said output unit;

conventional telephone network interface control means for reproducing by said output unit an information signal received from said conventional telephone network; and

exclusive selection means for selectively operating one of said conventional telephone network interface control means and said packet processor means in accordance with whether the information signal arrives from said packet mode network or from said conventional telephone network.

2. A packet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting either said conventional telephone network interface control means or said packet processor means at the time of signal transmission on the basis of the information of the destination of the signal transmission.

3. A packet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising mail formatting means for converting the information signal received from said conventional telephone network into the form of the packet and transferring the packet to a mail server connected to said packet mode network to store the same.

4. A packet communication system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for connecting the information signal received from said conventional telephone network to an additional output unit different from said output unit and having a power supply different from that for said packet communication unit when the power supply for said packet communication unit is not turned on.

5. A packet communication system according to claim 1, wherein said packet communication unit is connected to said conventional telephone network through said packet mode network and a communication gateway.

6. A packet communication system according to claim 1, wherein said packet communication unit includes at least a display unit as said output unit, and arrival of said information signal is displayed on the screen of said display unit.

7. A packet communication system according to claim 1, wherein said information signal includes an audio signal.

8. A packet communication system according to claim 1, wherein said information signal includes a video signal.

9. A packet mode network system for making communication with a communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network, comprising:

a packet mode network for transmitting a packet, and a plurality of packet communication units connected to said packet mode network;

at least one of said plural packet communication units being connected to said conventional telephone network;

an input unit for inputting an information signal from an external source;

an output unit for reproducing an information signal and outputting the same;

packet processor means for converting said information signal inputted from said input unit into the form of a packet to transmit the packet to said packet mode network and converting the packet received from said packet mode network into an information signal and providing the information signal to said output unit;

conventional telephone network interface control means for reproducing by said output unit an information signal received from said conventional telephone network; and

exclusive selection means for selectively operating only one of said conventional telephone network interface control means and said packet processor means according to whether the information signal arrives from said packet mode network or from said conventional telephone network.

10. A packet mode network system according to claim 9, wherein said packet communication unit connected to said conventional telephone network further includes means for selecting at the time of signal transmission one of said conventional telephone network interface control means and said packet processor means on the basis of the information of the destination of the signal transmission.

11. A packet mode network system according to claim 9, wherein said system further comprises a mail server connected to said packet mode network, and said packet communication unit connected to said conventional telephone network further includes mailing means for converting the information signal received from said conventional telephone network into the form of the packet and transferring the packet to said mail server to store the same.

12. A packet mode network system according to claim 9, wherein said packet communication unit connected to said conventional telephone network further includes control means for connecting the information signal received from said conventional telephone network to an additional output unit different from said output unit and having a power supply different from that for said packet communication unit when the power supply for said packet communication unit is not turned on.

13. A packet mode network system according to claim 9. wherein said packet mode network system is connected to said conventional telephone network through a communication gateway.

14. A packet mode network system according to claim 9, wherein said information signal includes an audio signal.

15. A packet mode network system according to claim 9, wherein said information signal includes a video signal.

16. A packet mode network system for making communication with a communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network, comprising:

a packet mode network for transmitting a packet, and a plurality of packet communication units connected to said packet mode network;

at least one of said plural packet communication units being connected to said conventional telephone network;

an audio input unit for inputting an audio signal from an external source;

an audio output unit for reproducing an audio signal and outputting the same;

a video input unit for inputting a video signal from an external source;

a video output unit for reproducing a video signal and outputting the same;

packet processor means for converting an information signal including the audio signal inputted from said audio input unit and the video signal inputted from said video input unit into the form of a packet and transmitting the packet to said packet mode network and converting the packet transmitted from said packet mode network into an information signal stream and providing the information signal stream to both said audio output unit and said video output unit;

conventional telephone network interface control means for reproducing an information signal received from said conventional telephone network by both said audio output unit and said video output unit; and

exclusive selection means for selectively operating only one of said conventional telephone network interface control means and said packet processor means according to whether the information signal arrives from said packet mode network or from said conventional telephone network.

17. A packet mode network system according to claim 16, wherein said packet communication unit connected to said conventional telephone network system further includes means for selecting at the time of signal transmission one of said conventional telephone network interface control means and said packet processor means on the basis of the destination of the signal transmission.

18. A packet mode network system according to claim 17, wherein said packet communication unit connected to said conventional telephone network displays the arrival of the information signal on the screen of said video output unit.