Phone line computer networking

• US 5,896,443 A
• Filed: 01/10/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dichter, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/781,265
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.01-93.09, 379/93.14, 379/93.21, 379/93.28, 379/93.37, 379/110.01, 379/156-173, 379/387, 379/FOR 115 , 379/FOR 116, 379/FOR 112, 370/445, 370/450, 370/481, 370/488-497, 375/288
• US Class Current: 379/93.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

The invention provides for simultaneous local area networking and analog telephony using a single telephone line. The local area networking is carried out using two or more high-frequency modems, which when coupled to devices, can transfer data on high-frequency signals. These high-frequency signals may be carried on the telephone line along with the lower frequency signals used for analog telephony provided there is proper isolation. Thus, the invention utilizes selectively high-frequency bandpass and audio frequency bandpass filters coupled to the telephone line.

Claims

1. A system for local area networking among a plurality of devices on a local loop of an analog telephone line simultaneously with analog telephony, said system comprising:

a plurality of high-frequency modems coupled to said telephone line, each modem coupled to one of said devices, each modem adapted to receive and transmit signals of frequencies higher than an analog telephony range, each modem adapted to full duplex by a use of one of a bandsplitting and an echo cancellation;

a high-frequency bandpass filter coupled to each modem for eliminating signals of frequencies within the analog telephony range from being received by said modem; and

an audio frequency bandpass filter coupled to said telephone line at a junction, said junction defining the boundary of said local loop, said filter adapted to prevent said higher-frequency signals from radiating outside said local loop.

2. A system for local area networking according to claim 1 further comprising a second audio frequency bandpass filter coupled to selected telephones coupled to said local loop that unduly attenuate said higher-frequency signals.

3. A system for local area networking according to claim 1 wherein said higher-frequency signals range from approximately 100 Kilohertz to 200 Kilohertz.

4. A system for communicating over a network according to claim 1 wherein said higher-frequency signals represent data and control information of said devices.

5. A system for local area networking according to claim 1 wherein said high-frequency modems utilize frequency shift keying.

6. A system for local area networking according to claim 1 wherein said low-frequency signals are utilized to dial out to a public switched telephone network for the purpose of analog telephony.

7. A system for local area networking according to claim 6 wherein said analog telephony includes the use of low-frequency modems that can dial out to a public switched telephone network.

8. A system for local area networking according to claim 1 wherein said devices include computers.

9. A method for simultaneous local area networking and analog telephony on a local loop comprising the steps of:

setting up the local loop for high-frequency local area networking;

setting up devices to be local area networked with high-frequency modems;

initiating said modems to send and receive data signals at high frequency, said modems configure to operate at full duplex by using one of a bandsplitting and an echo cancellation; and

communicating among said devices, said modems broadcasting high-frequency data signals on the local loop simultaneously with audio-range low frequency signals for analog telephony outside said local loop.

10. A method for simultaneous local area networking and analog telephony on a local loop according to claim 9 wherein the step of communicating includes the steps of:

broadcasting high-frequency signals from a first of said modems to one or more other of said modems designated as destination modems;

preventing collision between said broadcasted high-frequency signals and other high-frequency signals on said local loop; and

receiving said high-frequency signal at said destination modems.

11. A method for simultaneous local area networking and analog telephony on a local loop according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:

applying filtering to remove unwanted and audio frequency signals from being received by said destination modems.

12. A method for simultaneous local area networking and analog telephony on a local loop according to claim 9 wherein the step of preventing collision includes the steps of:

detecting collisions between said broadcasted signals and other high-frequency signals on said local loop; and

retrying said broadcasted signal after waiting a specified timeout.