Method for a link to a wide area network device in a home communication network

• US 6,724,750 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Sun, Peter C. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven H. D
• Application Number:
  US09/519,608
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351-356, 370/400-402, 370/465, 370/463, 370/493-495
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• 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 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 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line

Abstract

In the present invention a method is disclosed for using a link to wide area network to connect communications from outside a home voice and data network to within the network. Voice and data modules connect telephones and computers to the existing telephone wiring in a home or building. A link to wide area network allows phone calls to be placed between the network and the Public Service telephone network. All devices connected to the telephone wiring have their own ID and communicate by Tokens in Ethernet technology. This allows Ethernet packets to perform a plurality of communications between a plurality of devices connected to the network under the control of tokens. The communications is accomplished by passing packets containing voice and data signals between phones and computers internal to the network and to an external port to connect to outside of the network. The link to wide area network also allows connection to an ISP by converting from Ethernet packets to Internet packets and from Internet packets to Ethernet packets. The connection to the ISP also allows Internet Telephony without a special telephone or the use of a computer.

Claims

1. A method for an LTW (link to wide area network) device receiving a call from outside a voice and data network, comprising.

a) detecting an incoming call and asking for an extension number within the voice and data network,

b) storing a port address assigned to said extension number and destination address (DA) if said extension number is provided,

c) storing predefined port address as the DA if no extension number is provided,

d) sending a request for connection packet to queue with the DA as the destination address,

e) directing an outside line of the received call to a voice mail box or send a busy signal to the outside line and hang up the outside line if a line internal to voice and data network is busy, the line internal to the voice and data network being the intended destination of the call from outside,

f) sending a packet with a hang up signal to queue with the DA as destination address if a connection is not made and if a hang up signal from the call from outside said voice and data network is received,

g) monitoring for a connection packet if the line is not busy and a connection is not made,

h) continuing to monitor for a connection packet if a hang up signal from the outside line is not received, otherwise sending packet with a hang up signal to queue with the DA as destination address and return to detecting for incoming call if said hang up signal from the outside line is detected,

i) converting an incoming voice signal to an Ethernet packet with the DA as the destination address and a device ID as the source address and converting a received voice packet with the DA as the source address to voice signals and sending the received voice packet to the outside line if the line is not busy and if a connection is made,

j) hanging up the outside line and returning to detecting for an incoming call if a hang up packet from destination port is received,

k) sending a packet with hang up signal to queue with the DA as destination address and returning to detecting an incoming call if no hang up packet from destination port is detected and if a hang up signal from the outside line is detected,

l) continuing to convert incoming voice signals to Ethernet packets with the DA as the destination address and the device ID as the source address and continuing to convert received voice packet with the DA as the source address to voice signal and sending to the outside line if a hang up packet from destination port is not received and a hang up signal from outside line is not received.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, connecting communications from outside said voice and data network to phones and computers within said voice and data network is done through a link to wide area network device to receive said communications, and using said voice and data network with Ethernet technology to route said communications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, communicating to phones within said voice and data network uses existing phone lines within a building.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, converting said voice signal to said Ethernet packet is converting actual voice signals form a phone or digital signals from a computer with the use of a modem to provide the digital data to the voice and data network.

5. A method for an LTW (link to wide are network) device placing a call outside of a voice and data network, comprising:

a) detecting voice packets on the voice and data network,

b) storing a source address in said packets as destination address (DA) if a connection outside said voice and data network is requested,

c) sending a packet with no line available to queue with DA as destination address and port ID as source address if phone line is not available,

d) sending a packet with line status to queue with DA as destination address and port ID as source address if phone line is available,

e) storing dialing number in packet content,

f) dialing the stored dialing number to access an outside line and sending packet with dialing signal to queue with the DA as destination address and a port ID as source address if connection not made and if the outside line is not busy,

g) hanging up the outside line if a hang up packet received and returning to detecting voice packets,

h) sending packets with busy signal to queue with the DA as a destination address and the port ID as source address, hanging up outside line and returning to detecting voice packets if connection not made and if line is busy,

i) sending a packet with a connected signal to queue with the DA as destination address and the port ID as the source address if outside phone or computer is connected to an inside phone or computer,

j) converting received voice packets to voice signals and sending such voice signals to the outside line,

k) converting voice signals from the outside line to voice packets with the DA as a destination address and the device ID as the source address and sending such voice packets to queue,

l) continuing to convert received voice packets to voice signals and voice signals to voice packets if hang up packet with source as DA is not received and if hang up signal from outside is not received,

m) hanging up outside line if hang up packet with source as DA is received,

n) sending packet with hang up signal to queue with DA as destination address and port ID as source address, and hanging up outside line if hang up packet with source as DA is not received and if hang up signal from outside is received,

o) hanging up outside line if there is said hang up signal from outside and returning to detecting voice packets.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein, connecting communications from outside of said voice and data network to phones and computers within said voice and data network is done through a link to wide area network device to receive said communications, and using said voice and data network with Ethernet technology to route said communications.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein, communicating to phones within said voice and data network uses existing phone lines within a building.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein, converting said voice signal to said voice packet is converting actual voice signals from a phone or digital signals from a computer with the use of a modem to provide the digital data to the voice and data network.