System and method for retrofitting existing building telecommunications infrastructures

• US 6,483,902 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B., Thompson, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur.
• Application Number:
  US09/302,588
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/93.08, 379/93.28, 379/93.31, 379/164, 379/165, 379/167, 379/171, 379/172, 379/173, 370/480, 370/493, 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/227
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/007 Access interface units for simultaneous transmission of speech and data, e.g. digital subscriber line [DSL] access interface units DSL access multiplexers H04Q11/0478, and H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/028 Subscriber network interface devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/10 Housing details

Abstract

An improved system and method for retrofitting telecommunications infrastructures of existing buildings with new telecommunications services. The present invention allows new telecommunications services to be provided over existing telephone lines with reduce cost. The present invention also includes an improved system and method for providing a plurality of telephone connections and data traffic over a single communications channel. The present invention also provides improved telephony line interface module and telephony device embodiments which effectively implement line card functionality in the telephony line interface module and/or telephony device, respectively.

Claims

1. A system for providing improved telephony services on existing telephone wiring, the system comprising:

a modulation unit coupled to receive telephony signals from a PBX, the modulation unit including;

a plurality of voice inputs coupled to receive telephony signals from the PBX;

one or more data inputs for receiving data signals from a network; and

a first processor coupled to receive the telephony signals from the plurality of voice inputs and the data signals from the one or more data inputs, wherein the first processor is configured to modulate the telephony signals from the PBX and the data signals from the network into an integrated data stream; and

a line interface transducer, including;

at least one input for coupling to the modulation unit through the limited existing telephone wiring;

one or more telephone outputs each configured to couple to a telephone;

at least one data output configured to couple to a data processing unit; and

a second processor coupled to receive the integrated data stream from the at least one input, wherein the second processor is configured to demodulate the integrated data stream into the telephony signals and the data signals, wherein the second processor is further configured to provide the telephony signals to the one or more telephone outputs, and wherein the second processor is further configured to provide the data signals to the at least one data output.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first processor is further configured to modulate control signals into the integrated data stream.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the line interface transducer includes a modulation output for coupling to additional line interface transducers in other locations in said one of the locations.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation unit further comprises:

a SLAC including an analog to digital converter logic coupled to receive the analog telephony signals from the PBX, wherein the analog to digital converter logic is configured to convert the analog telephony signals into digital telephony signals;

wherein the first processor is further coupled to receive the digital telephony signals from the analog to digital converter logic.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processor further comprises:

compression logic coupled to receive the integrated data stream, wherein the compression logic is configured to remove redundant information from the integrated data stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the SLAC further comprises:

ring voltage detection circuits coupled to the plurality of inputs, wherein each of the ring voltage detection circuits is configured to detect a ring voltage on a respective input; and

wherein the line interface transducer further comprises;

an RSLIC coupled to each of the one or more telephone outputs, wherein each RSLIC is configured to provide the ring voltage to a telephone coupled to a respective telephone output in response to a telephone call.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each ring voltage detection circuit is further configured to notify the first processor that the ring voltage has been detected, wherein the first processor is further configured to incorporate a ring voltage notification into the integrated data stream.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second processor is further configured to recognize the ring voltage notification, and wherein the second processor is further configured to provide the ring voltage notification to an appropriate RLSIC.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first processor and the second processor include first and second digital transceivers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first processor and the second processor include digital signal processors.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the line interface transducer comprises integral components and is sized to fit within a J box.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a modulation scheme used by the first processor is configured to provide at least two bits per hertz data throughput.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the data block is configured to provide at least 4 million bits per second of throughput over the communications channel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the throughput over the communications channel is in both directions.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing unit is a computer system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer system comprises a portable computer.

17. A telephony device which provides additional telephony and/or data services on an existing telephone system, wherein the existing telephone system is comprised in a building having a plurality of rooms, wherein the existing telephone system includes limited existing telephone wiring provided from a PBX to one or more locations in each of the rooms, the telephony device comprising:

at least one input for coupling to the limited existing telephone wiring, wherein the at least one input receives telephony signals from the limited existing telephone wiring, wherein the telephony signals include a first POTS voice signal and a digital voice signal;

a POTS splitter coupled to the at least one input which receives the telephony signals and provides a first output comprising the POTS voice signal and provides a second output comprising the digital voice signal;

telephone circuitry coupled to POTS splitter which receives the POTS voice signal output from the POTS splitter, wherein the telephone circuitry performs telephony functions within the telephone;

a digital transceiver coupled to POTS splitter which receives the digital voice signal output from the POTS splitter and decodes the digital voice signal;

a subscriber line circuit coupled to the digital transceiver and to the telephone circuitry, wherein the subscriber line circuit is operable to receive the decoded digital voice signal and generate a ring signal to the telephone circuitry, wherein the subscriber line circuit is further operable to generate a second POTS voice signal in response to the decoded digital voice signal and provide the second POTS voice signal to the telephone circuitry;

a handset port coupled to the telephone circuitry, wherein the handset port is for coupling to a handset;

wherein the telephone circuitry provides one or more of the first and second POTS voice signals to the handset port.

18. A method of operating an integrated telecommunications system, wherein the integrated telecommunications system includes a PBX configured to couple to a PSTN, a modulation unit coupled to the PBX and to a data network connection, a plurality of line interface transducers coupled to the modulation unit, and a plurality of telephones each coupled to the PBX through one of the plurality of line interface transducers and through the modulation unit, wherein each of the plurality of telephones is configured to receive telephony signals through the PBX, the method comprising:

the PBX receiving one or more telephony signals, wherein the one or more telephony signals are intended for one of the plurality of telephones;

the PBX providing the one or more telephony signals to the modulation unit;

the modulation unit receiving the one or more telephony signals from the PBX;

the modulation unit providing the one or more telephony signals in a digital format to a respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers;

the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers receiving the one or more telephony signals from the modulation unit;

the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers demodulating the one or more telephony signals; and

the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers providing the one or more telephony signals in an analog format to the one of the plurality of telephones;

the modulation unit receiving one or more network data signals from the data network connection, wherein the one or more network data signals are intended for a computing device connected to the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers;

the modulation unit integrating the one or more data signals and the one or more telephony signals into an integrated data stream; and

the modulation unit providing the integrated data stream to the line interface unit, wherein the integrated data stream includes the one or more telephony signals and the network data signals; and

the line interface transducer providing the network data signals in a digital format to the computing device.

19. The method of 18, further comprising:

the modulation unit integrating control signals into the integrated data stream, wherein the integrated data stream includes the one or more telephony signals, the network data signals, and the control signals; and

the line interface transducer receiving the control signals in the integrated data stream.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the control signals include a ring voltage notification, wherein the line interface transducer includes an RSLIC configured to provide ring voltage to the one of the plurality of telephones, the method further comprising:

the line interface transducer recognizing the ring voltage notification;

the line interface transducer providing the ring voltage notification to the RLSIC;

the RSLIC receiving the ring voltage notification; and

the RLSIC providing the ring voltage to the one of the plurality of telephones in response to receiving the ring voltage notification from the line interface transducer.