Computer telephony adapter and method

• US 6,345,047 B1
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spherix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Regnier, Jean Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H.
• Application Number:
  US09/096,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/401, 370/410, 370/422, 370/463, 370/468
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

For use at a subscriber site with a subscriber line, for simultaneously sending a telephone call from a PSTN compatible telephone terminal on the subscriber site, and IP packets from a first computer, over the subscriber line, the adaptor has a converter for converting signals from the telephone terminal into IP packets, and a multiplexer, for sending simultaneously the IP packets representing the telephone call and those from the computer, along the subscriber line. The adaptor is also arranged to handle calls without conversion to IP packets, when the subscriber telephone line is not used for carrying IP packets. Using one subscriber line, all phones in a household can remain operational, to make and receive calls, while one or more PCs are concurrently accessing online services, without needing a second line, or special equipment to increase the bandwidth transmissible over the line.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use at a subscriber site with a subscriber telephone line connecting the subscriber site and a telephone network, for simultaneously sending a telephone call from a PSTN compatible telephone terminal on the subscriber site, and IP packets from a first computer, over the subscriber telephone line, the apparatus comprising:

a converter having a PSTN compatible telephone line interface for coupling to the PSTN compatible telephone terminal, the converter being for converting signals from the PSTN compatible telephone terminal into IP packets representing the telephone call; and

a multiplexer coupled to the converter, and having a computer interface for coupling to the first computer, and a subscriber line interface for coupling to the subscriber telephone line, the multiplexer being arranged for sending simultaneously the IP packets representing the telephone call and those from the computer, along the subscriber telephone line;

the apparatus being arranged to handle telephone calls without conversion to IP packets, between the telephone terminal and the subscriber telephone line when the subscriber telephone line is not used for carrying IP packets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bridge for selectively coupling the subscriber telephone line to an internal telephone line to which the telephone terminal is attached.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the telephone terminal being coupled to the apparatus via an internal telephone line, the apparatus further comprising a telephone data interface coupled to the multiplexer and arranged for coupling to the internal telephone line, for receiving data from a further computer coupled to the internal telephone line, and distinguishing this data from analog signals from the telephone terminals, the multiplexer being arranged to send the data from the further computer along the subscriber telephone line.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the telephone terminal being coupled to the apparatus via an internal telephone line, the apparatus further comprising a telephone data interface coupled to the multiplexer and for coupling to the computer interface, for receiving data from a further computer coupled to the internal telephone line, the multiplexer being arranged to send the data from the further computer to the first computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the telephone line interface and the telephone data interface being arranged to communicate over the internal telephone line simultaneously.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the telephone line interface further comprising an internal line monitor for determining the state of telephony activity from the telephone terminal, the apparatus being arranged to control a telephone call in response to the determination.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a subscriber line monitor for determining the state of the subscriber telephone line the apparatus being arranged to control a telephone call in response to the determination.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an IP session monitor for determining when there is an IP session already existing, the apparatus being arranged to control a telephone call in response to this determination.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an internal line monitor for determining the state of telephony activity from the telephone terminal, and a subscriber line monitor for determining the state of the subscriber telephone line, the apparatus being arranged to control the call additionally on the basis of the outputs of the internal line monitor and the subscriber line monitor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, the telephone line interface being arranged to determine what number has been dialed, and establish the call as a VoIP call, or establish the call as a conventional telephone call, on the basis of the number dialed.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an internal line monitor, for determining the state of telephony activity from the telephone terminal, the apparatus being arranged to send a busy indication in response to an incoming call for the telephone terminal, if an IP session is established and if the internal line monitor determines that the telephone terminal is busy.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 being arranged to prompt a caller of an incoming call to indicate a party that he intends to reach, and the telephone interface being arranged to process the call on the basis of the party indicated by the caller.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the telephone line interface being arranged to output an alert specific to the party indicated by the caller.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the multiplexer further comprising a second subscriber line interface for coupling to a second subscriber line.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, the multiplexer further comprising a second subscriber line interface for handling a second connection over the subscriber telephone line, for use with a high bandwidth coupler for multiplexing the second connection over the subscriber telephone line.

16. Apparatus for use at a subscriber site with a subscriber telephone line connecting the subscriber site and a telephone network, for simultaneously receiving a telephone call to a PSTN compatible telephone terminal on the subscriber site, and IP packets directed to a first computer, both sent over the subscriber telephone line, the apparatus comprising:

a converter having a PSTN compatible telephone line interface for coupling to the PSTN compatible telephone terminal, the converter being for converting from IP packets representing the telephone call into signals for the PSTN compatible telephone terminal; and

a demultiplexer coupled to the converter, and having a computer interface for coupling to the first computer, and a subscriber line interface for coupling to the subscriber telephone line, the demultiplexer being arranged for receiving simultaneously the IP packets representing the telephone call and those for the computer, over the subscriber telephone line;

the apparatus being arranged to handle telephone calls without conversion to IP packets, between the telephone terminal and the subscriber telephone line when the subscriber telephone line is not used for carrying IP packets.

17. A method of simultaneously sending a telephone call from a PSTN compatible telephone terminal on a subscriber site and IP packets from a first computer, over a subscriber telephone line from the subscriber site, the method comprising the steps of:

converting signals from the PSTN compatible telephone terminal into IP packets representing the telephone call;

using a multiplexer coupled to the converter, and having a computer interface for coupling to the first computer, and a subscriber line interface for coupling to the subscriber telephone line, to send simultaneously the IP packets representing the telephone call and those from the computer, along the subscriber telephone line; and

handling telephone calls without conversion to IP packets, between the telephone terminal and the subscriber telephone line when the subscriber telephone line is not used for carrying IP packets.

18. Software stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out a method of simultaneously sending a telephone call from a PSTN compatible telephone terminal on a subscriber site and IP packets from a first computer, over a subscriber telephone line from the subscriber site, the method comprising the steps of:

converting signals from the PSTN compatible telephone terminal into IP packets representing the telephone call;

using a multiplexer coupled to the converter, and having a computer interface for coupling to the first computer, and a subscriber line interface for coupling to the subscriber telephone line, to send simultaneously the IP packets representing the telephone call and those from the computer, along the subscriber telephone line; and

handling telephone calls without conversion to IP packets, between the telephone terminal and the subscriber telephone line when the subscriber telephone line is not used for carrying IP packets.