System and method for communicating information using the public switched telephone network and a wide area network
First Claim
1. A telephone for communicating information using the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a wide area network (WAN), the telephone being connectable to a computer and to a primary telephone line, the computer comprising at least one communications interface connectable to the PSTN, the telephone comprising:
- a computer interface for communicating with said computer;
at least one communication unit for receiving telephony signals from a user and providing telephony signals to said user;
a controller suitably connected to said at least one communication unit for processing the signals received from said at least one communication unit or the output of said computer and for controlling said at least one communication unit or said computer; and
a switch suitably connected to said controller, said computer interface and said primary telephone line for controlling the flow of information between said controller, said computer and said primary telephone line, said switch being switchable between two states, a first state in which said at least one communication unit is connected to the PSTN through said controller and said switch and a second state in which said at least one communication unit is connected through said controller, said switch and said computer interface to said computer, and said communications interface of said computer is connected to the PSTN by said primary telephone line.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and a method for communicating information using the public switched telephone network and a wide area network. The method includes the steps of a) the first system dialling a first telephone call to the second system, b) the first system sending to the second system a data block which includes at least data defining a call request, c) disconnecting the first telephone call, d) both systems connecting to the wide area network by each dialling a second telephone call, wherein the second system uses the call request data for dialling the second telephone call, e) one of the systems connecting to the other system through the wide area network and f) exchanging the information between the systems through the wide area network. The system includes at least a computer and a communications interface. The system can also include a telephone which includes a communication unit, a computer interface, a controller and a switch. The switch is switchable between two states. In the first state the communication unit is connected to a telephone line. In the second state the communication unit is connected to the computer and the computer is connected to the telephone line.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A telephone for communicating information using the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a wide area network (WAN), the telephone being connectable to a computer and to a primary telephone line, the computer comprising at least one communications interface connectable to the PSTN, the telephone comprising:
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a computer interface for communicating with said computer; at least one communication unit for receiving telephony signals from a user and providing telephony signals to said user; a controller suitably connected to said at least one communication unit for processing the signals received from said at least one communication unit or the output of said computer and for controlling said at least one communication unit or said computer; and a switch suitably connected to said controller, said computer interface and said primary telephone line for controlling the flow of information between said controller, said computer and said primary telephone line, said switch being switchable between two states, a first state in which said at least one communication unit is connected to the PSTN through said controller and said switch and a second state in which said at least one communication unit is connected through said controller, said switch and said computer interface to said computer, and said communications interface of said computer is connected to the PSTN by said primary telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A telephone system for communicating information using the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a wide area network (WAN), the telephone system comprising:
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a computer comprising at least one communications interface connectable to the PSTN; and a telephone for communicating information using the PSTN or a WAN, said telephone being suitably connected to said computer and to a primary telephone line, the telephone comprising; a computer interface for communicating with said computer; at least one communication unit for receiving telephony signals from a user and providing telephony signals to said user; a controller suitably connected to said at least one communication unit for processing the signals received from said at least one communication unit or the output of said computer and for controlling said at least one communication unit or said computer; and a switch suitably connected to said controller, said computer interface and said primary telephone line for controlling the flow of information between said controller, said computer and said primary telephone line, said switch being switchable between two states, a first state in which said at least one communication unit is connected to the PSTN through said controller and said switch and a second state in which said at least one communication unit is connected through said controller, said switch and said computer interface to said computer, and said communications interface of said computer is connected to the PSTN by said primary telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for exchanging information between a first communication system and a second communication system, each of the first and second communication systems comprising at least a computer, the computer comprising a communications interface, each of the first and second communication systems being connectable to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and to a wide area network (WAN), the method comprising the steps of:
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dialling a first telephone call through the PSTN from said first communication system to said second communication system; sending a data block from said first communication system to said second communication system, said data block comprising at least data defining a call request; disconnecting said first telephone call between said first communication system and said second communication system; each of said first and second communication systems connecting to said WAN by dialing a second telephone call, wherein said second communication system uses said call request data of said data block for dialling said second telephone call; said first communication system connecting to said second communication system through said WAN; and exchanging said information between said first communication system and said second communication system through said WAN. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for exchanging information between a first communication system and a second communication system, each of said first and second communication systems comprising at least a computer and a communications interface, each of said first and second communication systems being connectable to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and to a wide area network (WAN), the method comprising the steps of:
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dialling a first telephone call through the PSTN from said first communication system to said second communication system; sending a data block from said first communication system to said second communication system, said data block comprising at least data defining a call request; disconnecting said first telephone call between said first communication system and said second communication system; each of said first and second communication systems connecting to said WAN by dialing a second telephone call, wherein said second communication system uses said call request data of said data block for dialling said second telephone call; said second communication system connecting to said first communication system through said WAN by using data received during said first telephone call to obtain a WAN address of said first communication system; and exchanging said information between said first communication system and said second communication system through said WAN. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification