Modem with IP support

• US 6,515,996 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1997
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Tönnby, Ingmar, Hansson, Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US08/868,655
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-356, 370/524, 370/400, 370/401, 370/349, 370/589, 370/468, 370/389, 370/351, 375/222, 375/202, 709/202, 709/204, 709/230, 709/217, 340/426, 379/93.09, 379/211, 379/93.14, 379/114, 379/93.01, 345/1, 348/15, 714/15, 455/5.1
• US Class Current: 370/401
• 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 12/2863 Arrangements for combining access network resources elements, e.g. channel bonding modem pooling H04L25/14; routing of packets H04L45/00; multichannel or multilink protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2865 Logical combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 : ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 : Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A modem with IP support includes a device for autonomous, simultaneous access to the services of a switched telephony network and to the services of an IP based network. The autonomous, simultaneous access is established over a dialled up connection and is provided using the IP protocol.

Claims

1. A modem with IP support for providing simultaneous access to the services of a public telephone network and a public data network over a single telephony subscriber line, said modem with IP support comprising:

dial-up means for autonomous establishment of a dial-up session to an Internet gateway,

IP communication means for using IP communications services offered by the Internet gateway to provide the simultaneous access to the services of the public telephone network and the public data network via an IP protocol,

telephony application means for autonomous establishment of a connection to a telephony server via said IP communication means via the IP protocol, thereby providing the access to the services of the public telephone network,

telephony interface means for interfacing to a standard telephone and, via said telephony application means, supporting the telephony services from the standard telephone, and

device interface means for interfacing to devices which use said IP communications means.

2. The modem with IP support according to claim 1, wherein the IP communication means supports one or more applications that communicate via the IP protocol.

3. The modem with IP support according to claim 2, wherein the applications include first applications for communication with external applications residing in hosts connected to the Internet.

4. The modem with IP support according to claim 3, wherein said first applications further communicate with devices connected to the modem with IP support and the external applications.

5. The modem with IP support according to claim 4, wherein one of the first applications is an e-mail poller.

6. The modem with IP support according to claim 3, wherein said first applications include applications for remote control of appliances.

7. The modem with IP support according to claim 1, further comprising LAN interface means for direct connection to an on-premise LAN, thereby providing communication with devices associated with the LAN using the IP protocol in addition to providing access to the services of the public telephone network and the Internet via the IP communication means.

8. The modem with IP support according to claim 7, further comprising router means for selectively routing IP packets received via the telephone interface means and LAN interface means to the dial-up means and for selectively delivering IP packets received via the dial-up means to respective ones of the telephone and LAN interface means.

9. The modem with IP support according to claim 7, further comprising PC interface means for connection to a PC, wherein a telephony application in the PC allows for IP telephony via the subscriber line interface means.

10. The modem with IP support according to claim 9, wherein internal communication, using the IP protocol, is supported between said telephony application in a PC connected to the PC interface means and any of said telephony interfaces via the telephony application in the PC.

11. The modem with IP support according to claim 7, wherein internal communication is supported between the LAN interface means and any of said telephone interface means via said telephony application.

12. The modem with IP support according to claim 1, further comprising at least two telephone interface means, each one connected to a respective telephone loop so as to allow for several independent and simultaneous telephone calls using the IP protocol.

13. The modem with IP support according to claim 12, wherein intercommunication is provided between telephones connected to different telephone interfaces.

14. A system comprising a modem with IP support that, via a dial-up connection in the public telephone network to an internet gateway, accesses the services of an IP network and that comprises applications which, using the IP protocol, accesses services via the IP network, wherein said applications comprise a telephony application that, using the IP protocol, connects the modem with IP support to a telephony server that provides connections in the public telephone network, said modem with IP support thereby providing the services of the public telephone network to a user at a telephone connected to the modem with IP support, the modem with IP support thus providing autonomous simultaneous IP based access to the services of the IP network and to those of the public telephone network over a subscriber line to which the modem with IP support is connected.

15. A method of accessing services of an IP based network and services from a public telephony network via a modem with IP support using an IP protocol, said modem having a subscriber telephone number associated with it, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a dial-up connection in the public telephony network from the modem with IP support to an IP gateway,

setting up an IP link by the IP gateway to the modem with IP support,

accessing the services of the IP based network via the IP gateway by the modem with IP support therewith,

connecting to a telephony server that provides connections in the public telephone network, and registering the modem with IP support at said telephony server using the IP protocol, therewith accessing the services of the public telephone network via said telephony server, and

initiating, by the modem with IP support, and activating, by the telephony server, a call diversion service in the public telephone network so that calls that are directed to the subscriber'"'"'s telephone number, are directed to the telephony server where they are transferred to the modem with IP support using the IP protocol,

wherein said services of the IP based network and those of the public telephone network are autonomously and simultaneously accessible to the modem with IP support, using the IP protocol, over a subscriber line to which the modem with IP support is connected.