Method and system for interfacing a telephony network and a digital data stream

• US 6,349,133 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1998
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RCD Investments No. 2, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Premisenet Incorporated
• Inventors: Frantz, Robert H., Koons, Patrick, Herring, Martin L., Matthews, Gordon H., Gibbs, Richard A., Stell, Larry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/060,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.08, 379/93.28, 379/93.31, 370/352, 370/353, 370/355, 370/356
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• 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

Abstract

A method and system interface a digital data stream having at least one telephony data set with a telephony network, such as a single twisted wire pair telephony network installed in a residence or business. The telephony data set is converted to a telephony signal for use by conventional telephony devices, such as telephones, and is transmitted through the telephony network in a telephony network band. The telephony network band can be located outside of the voiceband to avoid interference with central office signals. Plural data telephony data sets can each provide a telephony signal directed to one or more telephony devices associated with the telephony network. Telephone control modules interfaced associated with the telephony devices can translate telephony signals from the telephony network band to the voiceband for use by the associated telephony devices. The method and system can support plural simultaneous telephony communications through a single twisted pair or other telephony network. The digital data stream can comprise a TCP/IP data stream transmitted through internet transmission mediums, including telephone and cable internet interfaces with a personal computer.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing a telephony network and a digital data stream, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting the digital data stream over the Internet to the telephony network, the digital data stream having first and second voice data sets;

converting the first voice data set to a first voice signal;

converting the second voice data set to a second voice signal;

transmitting the first voice signal in a telephony network band through the telephony network to a first telephony device; and

transmitting the second voice signal in a telephony network band through the telephony network to a second telephony device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first voice signal and the second voice signal are transmitted simultaneously through the single twisted pair.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the Internet interfaces with the telephony network through a cable modem.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of translating the first voice signal from the telephony network band to the voiceband for use by the first telephony device.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

generating an outbound voice signal in the voiceband with the first telephony device;

translating the outbound voice signal from the voiceband to the telephony network band;

transmitting the outbound voice signal in the telephony network band through the telephony network;

converting the outbound voice signal to an outbound data set;

inserting the outbound data set into an outbound digital data stream; and

transmitting the outbound digital data stream over the Internet.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the first telephony device is a telephone, and wherein the outbound voice signal is an analog telephone voice signal.

8. A multi-station telephone system comprising:

a telephony network having plural telephony nodes, at least one of the telephony nodes operable to receive a digital data stream from the Internet, the digital data stream having first and second voice data sets;

a digital converter associated with the telephony network, the digital converter operable to convert the first and second voice data sets into first and second voice signals;

first and second frequency translators associated with the telephony network, the first frequency translator operable to transmit the first voice signal in a telephony network band to the telephony network, the second frequency translator operable to transmit the second voice signal in the telephony network band to the telephony network; and

first and second telephone control modules, associated with the telephony network, the first telephone control module operable to provide the first voice signal to a first telephony device, the second telephone control module operable to provide the second voice signal to a second telephony device.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the Internet interfaces with the telephony network through a telephone line.

11. The system according to claim 8 wherein the Internet interfaces with the telephony network through a coaxial cable.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein the first telephone control module comprises a frequency translator operable to receive the first voice signal in the telephony network band and to translate the first voice signal to the voiceband.

13. The system according to claim 8 wherein:

the first telephony device is operable to generate an outbound voice signal for transmission to the first telephone control module;

the first telephone control module is operable to transmit the outbound voice signal at the telephony network band to the telephony network;

the first frequency translator is operable to receive the outbound voice signal and to provide the outbound voice signal to the digital converter at the telephony network band; and

the digital converter is operable to convert the outbound voice signal to an outbound data set and to insert the outbound data set into an outbound data stream for transmission through the Internet.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the transmission medium comprises a telephone line, and wherein the transmission medium band comprises the voiceband.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the telephony network band lies outside of the voiceband.

16. A method for interfacing a digital data stream with a telephony network, the telephony network having plural telephony devices, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a digital data stream in the voice band through the Internet to the telephony network, the digital data stream having first and second data sets, the first data set having voice signal data associated with first telephony device, the second voice signal data associated with a second telephony device;

converting the first data set to a first voice signal;

converting the second data set to a second voice signal;

transmitting the first voice signal to the first telephony device in a telephony network band, the telephony network band being located outside of the voice band; and

transmitting the second voice signal to the second telephony device in the telephony network band.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the first data set is associated with at least one of the plural telephony network devices but not all of the plural telephony network devices.

18. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

receiving the first voice signal at a first telephony device;

translating the first voice signal from the telephony network band to the voice band; and

transmitting the first telephony signal in the voiceband at the telephony device.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the telephony device comprises an analog telephone.

20. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

generating an outbound voice signal in the voiceband with the first telephony device;

translating the outbound voice signal from the voiceband to the telephony network band;

transmitting the outbound voice signal in the telephony network band through the telephony network;

converting the outbound voice signal into an outbound data set; and

inserting the outbound data set into the digital data stream for transmission through the Internet.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair installed in a residence.

23. A telephone system comprising:

a telephony network operable to receive telephony signals in the voiceband;

at least first and second telephony devices interfaced with the telephony network;

a digital data stream interfaced with the telephony network through the Internet, the digital data stream having at least first and second telephony data sets;

a digital converter interfaced with the telephony network, the digital converter operable to convert the telephony data sets into inbound telephony data signals, the digital converter further operable to transmit the inbound telephony data signals across the telephony network at a telephony network band, the telephony network band located outside the voiceband; and

at least one telephone control module, the telephone control module associated with at least one telephony device, the telephone control module operable to receive one of the inbound telephony data signals in the telephone network band, the telephone control module further operable to translate the inbound telephony data signal to the voiceband for transmission to the at least one telephony device.

24. The system according to claim 23 wherein:

the telephone control module is further operable to receive an outbound telephony signal in the voiceband from the at least one telephony device, and to transmit the outbound telephony signal to the digital converter at the telephony network band; and

the digital converter is further operable to convert the outbound telephony signal to an outbound telephony data set, and to insert the outbound telephony data set into the digital data stream for transmission through the Internet.

25. The system according to claim 24 further comprising:

a processor interfaced with the digital data stream, the processor operable to identify telephony data sets within the digital data stream, each telephony data set associated with at least one predetermined telephone control module; and

a control path interfaced with the processor and the at least one telephone control modules, the control path operable to direct the predetermined at least one telephone control module to receive telephony data sets identified by the processor as associated with the predetermined at least one telephone control module.

26. The system according to claim 25 wherein:

each telephone control module is further operable to accept destination data from an associated telephony device, and to provide the destination data to the processor; and

the processor is further operable to insert the outbound telephony data set associated with the telephone control module into the digital data stream so that the outbound telephony data set is directed to a destination according to the destination data.

27. The system according to claim 23 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein the digital data stream interfaces with the telephony network through the voiceband.

29.A method for interfacing a digital data stream with a telephony network, the telephony network having plural telephony devices, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a digital data stream through the Internet to the telephony network through a cable modem, the digital data stream having a first data set associated with at least one of the plural telephony devices and a second data set associated with at a least a second one of the plural telephony devices;

transmitting the first and second data sets through the telephony network in a telephony network band; and

converting the first and second data sets to first and second voice telephony signals for use by the telephony devices associated with each data set.

29. The method according to claim 29 wherein the first data set is associated with at least one of the plural telephony network devices but not all of the plural telephony network devices.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the first data set is transmitted using packet-based techniques.

31. The method according to claim 29 wherein the telephony device comprises a facsimile device.

32. The method according to claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

generating an outbound telephony signal in the voiceband with one of the associated telephony devices;

converting the outbound telephony signal into an outbound data set;

translating the outbound data set from the voiceband to the telephony network band;

transmitting the outbound data set in the telephony network band to the telephony network; and

inserting the outbound data set into the digital data stream.

33. The method according to claim 33 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair installed in a residence.

35. The method according to claim 35 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone.

36. The method according to claim 35 wherein the telephony network comprises a single twisted pair installed in a residence.