Enhanced dual mode telephone for internet telephony
First Claim
1. A dual mode telephone including a ringer circuit, an earpiece, a mouthpiece and an alphanumeric character selector for use with a telephone network in a first mode of operation or with a global information network in a second mode of operation, said dual mode telephone comprising:
- a configuration memory storing first data for said first mode of operation and second data for said second mode of operation;
a control processor coupled to said configuration memory and to said alphanumeric character selector and responsive to user-initiated inputs to said alphanumeric character selector for reading either said first data or said second data from said configuration memory in accordance with said user initiated inputs;
an analog signal circuit coupled to the earpiece and mouthpiece for use in the first mode of operation;
a digital signal circuit coupled to the earpiece and mouthpiece for use in the second mode of operation; and
a mode control switch coupled to said control processor and responsive to a manual user selection for connecting the analog signal circuit to the telephone network for use in the first mode of operation or for connecting the digital signal circuit to the global information network in the second mode of operation, wherein said mode control switch is further coupled to said control processor for automatically connecting said analog signal circuit to the telephone network or said digital signal circuit to the global information network in accordance with said first or second data read from said configuration memory by said control processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual mode Internet telephone is capable of operating as a tone/pulse dial telephone as well as with the Internet by transmitting dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones in response to dialing. The dual mode telephone includes a mode control switch which is either manually selectable to permit a user to choose between making a call over a standard telephone network or over the Internet or is automatically controlled to route the call via the more advantageous communications link depending upon various factors and considerations. In the standard telephone mode of operation, most of the Internet telephony circuit is disabled and the dial/touchtone keypad, earpiece and mouthpiece, and ringer are connected to the telephone line. In the Internet mode of operation, dialed digits are stored and converted to Internet telephony call set-up messages. The signals to/from the earpiece and mouthpiece are digitized, compressed and packetized by a digital signal processor. A built-in modem connects the digital signal processor and the call control messages through the standard telephone line to the Internet Service Provider (ISP). A control processor manages the connections and drives the keypad and ringer. A non-volatile memory stores configuration data such as the ISP number(s) to call and various other features related to the Internet mode of operation. The memory can also be programmed with other operating parameters for use by the control processor in an automatic mode of operation to override the manual switch and automatically place or receive a call via either the standard telephone network or the Internet.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dual mode telephone including a ringer circuit, an earpiece, a mouthpiece and an alphanumeric character selector for use with a telephone network in a first mode of operation or with a global information network in a second mode of operation, said dual mode telephone comprising:
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a configuration memory storing first data for said first mode of operation and second data for said second mode of operation;
a control processor coupled to said configuration memory and to said alphanumeric character selector and responsive to user-initiated inputs to said alphanumeric character selector for reading either said first data or said second data from said configuration memory in accordance with said user initiated inputs;
an analog signal circuit coupled to the earpiece and mouthpiece for use in the first mode of operation;
a digital signal circuit coupled to the earpiece and mouthpiece for use in the second mode of operation; and
a mode control switch coupled to said control processor and responsive to a manual user selection for connecting the analog signal circuit to the telephone network for use in the first mode of operation or for connecting the digital signal circuit to the global information network in the second mode of operation, wherein said mode control switch is further coupled to said control processor for automatically connecting said analog signal circuit to the telephone network or said digital signal circuit to the global information network in accordance with said first or second data read from said configuration memory by said control processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for communicating via either a telephone network or a global information network, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing first and second data in a memory for respectively communicating either via the telephone network or via the global information network, wherein communication is established via either the telephone network by said first data or the global information network by said second data in accordance with various operating parameters;
manually selecting to communicate via either the telephone network or the global information network;
orin the absence of a manual selection to communicate via either the telephone network or the global information network, reading either said first or said second data from said memory depending upon said various operating parameters; and
communicating by the telephone network if said first data is read from said memory or by the global information network if said second data is read from said memory. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification