Locally configurable audio IP network appliance and method for configuring the same

• US 6,775,697 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Surazski, Luke K., Knappe, Michael Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/579,722
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 434/350, 345/705, 345/709
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration

Abstract

A locally configurable audio IP network appliance provides audio feedback to the installer while in a configuration mode. The appliance includes a normal audio output module, that generates a signal for the speaker driver, which in turn drives a speaker. The appliance also includes a switch that permits, during configuration, its maintenance module to be coupled to the speaker driver instead of the normal audio output module. The maintenance module includes prompts that generate suitable utterances when applied to the speaker. The installer listens to the utterances, while interactively pushing the buttons of a numeric keypad such as a DTMF keypad. A method is for the appliance to present the installer with an option to change the settings of configuration parameters. Presentation is made by announcement through the speaker. The appliance then waits for inputs, such as the keystrokes. When valid inputs are received, then the appliance implements the inputted settings.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an internet protocol (IP) network appliance, comprising:

the appliance decoding a first configuration command corresponding to an IP address associated with or accessed by the IP network appliance;

the appliance generating a first electrical signal responsive to the first configuration command;

the appliance applying the first electrical signal to a speaker located in the appliance to generate a first sound signal audibly identifying the IP address; and

the appliance automatically switching to outputting verbal human recognizable audio signals from the speaker generated from a remote phone endpoint or automatically switching to outputting music from the speaker generated by a music player when the first configuration command is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP appliance is an IP phone or IP music device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a keypad in the IP phone or IP music device for generating numeric signals; and

interpreting the numeric signals to decode the first configuration command.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the IP network appliance in configuration mode for configuring the IP network appliance;

generating the first electrical signal corresponding to the IP address during the configuration mode;

operating the IP network appliance in a normal operating mode for presenting normal audio sounds to a user;

generating a second electrical signal corresponding to the normal audio sounds during the normal operating mode;

switching the first electrical signal to the speaker during the configuration mode and switching the second electrical signal to the speaker during the normal operating mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an initial electrical signal; and

applying the initial electrical signal to the speaker to generate an associated sound signal corresponding to a greeting.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a menu electrical signal audibly presenting options for identifying, setting or modifying the IP address; and

applying the menu electrical signal to the speaker to generate an associated sound signal corresponding to a menu.

13. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the maintenance module outputs a first electrical signal to the speaker in the appliance associated with a first verbal prompt and generates a second electrical signal to the speaker in the appliance associated with a second verbal prompt when no input is received within a preset period of time after generating the first electrical signal.

7. The method for configuring an internet protocol (IP) network appliance, comprising:

decoding a first configuration command;

the appliance generating a first electrical signal responsive to the first configuration command;

the appliance applying the first electrical signal to a speaker of the appliance to generate a first sound signal;

after applying the first electrical signal to the speaker, waiting to receive an input for a preset period of time;

if no input has been received after the present period of time, generating a second electrical signal; and

applying the second electrical signal to the speaker.

8. An appliance for installing at a specific location in an internet protocol (TP) network comprising:

a speaker located in the appliance;

a driver located in the appliance for driving the speaker in response to a supplied audio signal;

a normal audio output module located in the appliance supplying a normal verbal audio signal to the driver for human reception and interpretation during a normal operating mode;

a maintenance module located in the appliance and configured to access a plurality of settings that define a specific location of the appliance in the IP network and further configured to control the settings in a configuration mode, the maintenance module a further configured to internally generate a verbal configuration audio signal for human reception and interpretation associated with the settings in the configuration mode; and

a switch located in the appliance for supplying to the driver the verbal configuration audio signal instead of the normal verbal audio signal while in the configuration mode.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein

the configuration audio signal generates present verbal prompts, when applied to the speaker.

10. The appliance of claim 8, wherein

the configuration audio signal generates verbal utterances characteristic of current settings, when applied to the speaker.

11. The appliance of claim 8, further comprising:

a keypad for generating numeric signals; and

an input processing module for receiving the numeric signals to control a transition between the normal operating mode and the configuration mode.

12. The appliance of claim 8, further comprising:

a keypad for generating numeric signals;

an input processing module for receiving the numeric signals to control the maintenance module.

14. A method for configuring an Internet Protocol (IP) appliance, comprising:

powering up the IP appliance;

automatically operating the IP application in a configuration mode after the IP appliance is powered up, the IP appliance in the configuration mode providing a verbal prompt directly from within the IP appliance audibly querying a user to identify, set or adjust a configuration parameter for the IP appliance;

receiving a request to identify, set or adjust the configuration parameter responsive to the verbal prompt;

identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the received request;

generating an electrical signal corresponding to the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter;

applying the electrical signal to a speaker of the appliance to audibly identify or verify the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter; and

automatically switching the IP appliance from the configuration mode to a normal audio output mode where music from an internal music source or human recognizable voice signals received from a user at an opposite telephone endpoint are output from the speaker when the received request indicates no additional identifying, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter is required.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

looking up in a library a prompt; and

applying the library prompt to the speaker to generate the verbal prompt.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals from a phone keypad containing the request responsive to the verbal prompt; and

identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the DTMF signals.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operating the appliance in a normal operating mode for generating normal audio signals;

operating the appliance in a configuration mode for configuring the appliance;

generating configuration signals during the configuration mode corresponding to the configuration parameter; and

controlling switching to the speaker for supplying the speaker with the normal audio signals during the normal operating in mode and supplying the speaker with the configuration signals during the configuration mode.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the configuration parameter to identify, set, or adjust an IP address configured in a Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone or IP radio.

19. A method for configuring an appliance coupled to an internet protocol (IP) network, the method comprising:

operating the appliance in a first mode for conducting primary audio output operations;

receiving conventional audio signals consisting of verbal audio sounds from an external phone endpoint from a speaker in the appliance and operating a keypad in a conventional operating mode in the appliance when the appliance operates in the first mode;

operating the appliance in a second mode for configuring IP parameters in the appliance;

receiving a verbal prompt stored and generated internally from the appliance and output from the speaker identifying or querying for the IP parameters when the appliance is operating in the second mode;

using the keypad for entering a setting value identifying or varying the IP parameters in the appliance responsive to the verbal prompt when the appliance is operating in the second mode; and

receiving an audible signal back from the speaker verifying the setting value has been entered when the appliance is operating in the second mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the appliance is an IP phone or IP music device.

21. An Internet Protocol (IP) phone, comprising:

a normal audio output module for generating a normal verbal audio signal received from a phone endpoint;

a maintenance module for controlling the settings, and for generating a configuration audio signal internally from inside the IP phone verbally identifying an IP address configured within the IP phone;

a speaker;

driving means for driving the speaker in response to a supplied audio signal; and

switching means for supplying to the driving mean the normal audio signal during a normal operating mode and supplying the driving means the configuration audio signal during a configuration mode.

22. A system for configuring an Internet Protocol (IP) appliance, comprising:

means for powering up the IP appliance;

means for automatically operating the IP appliance in a configuration mode after the IP appliance is powered up, the IP appliance in the configuration mode providing a verbal prompt directly from within the IP appliance audibly querying a user to identify, set or adjust the configuration parameter for the IP appliance;

means for receiving a request to identify, set or adjust the configuration parameter responsive to the verbal prompt;

means for identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the received request;

means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter;

means for applying the electrical signal to a speaker of the appliance to audibly identify or verify the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter; and

means for automatically switching the IP appliance from the configuration mode to a normal audio output mode where music from an internal music source or human recognizable voice signals received from a user at an opposite telephone endpoint are output from the speaker when the received request indicates no additional identifying, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter is required.

23. A system according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for decoding a first configuration command;

means for generating a first electrical signal responsive to the first configuration command;

means for applying the first electrical signal to the speaker of the IP appliance to generate a first sound signal;

means for waiting to receive an input for a preset period of time after applying the first electrical signal to the speaker;

means for generating a second electrical signal when no input has been received after the preset period of time; and

means for applying the and electrical signal to the speaker.

24. A system according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals from a phone keypad containing the request responsive to the verbal prompt; and

means for identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the DTMF signals.

25. A system according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for operating the appliance in a normal operating mode for generating normal audio signals;

means for operating the appliance in a configuration mode for configuring the appliance;

means for generating configuration signals during the configuration mode corresponding to the configuration parameter; and

means for controlling switching to the speaker for supplying the speaker with the normal audio signals during the normal operating mode and supplying the speaker with the configuration signals during the configuration mode.

26. A system according to claim 22, further comprising means for using the configuration parameter to identify, set, or adjust an IP address configured in a Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone or IP radio.

27. A computer readable medium for configuring an Internet Protocol (IP) appliance without an interface that displays a configuration parameter, the computer readable medium comprising;

powering up the IP appliance;

automatically operating the IP Appliance in a configuration mode after the IP appliance is powered up, the IP appliance in the configuration mode providing a verbal prompt directly from within the IP appliance audibly querying a user to identify, set or adjust the configuration parameter for the IP appliance;

receiving a request to identify, set or adjust the configuration parameter responsive to the verbal prompt;

identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the received request;

generating an electrical signal corresponding to the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter;

applying the electrical signal to a speaker of the appliance to audibly identify or verify the identity, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter; and

automatically switching the IP appliance from the configuration mode to a normal audio output mode where music from an internal music source or human recognizable voice signals received from a user at an opposite telephone endpoint are output from the speaker when the received request indicates no additional identifying, setting or adjustment of the configuration parameter is required.

28. A computer readable medium according to claim 27, the computer readable medium further comprising:

decoding a first configuration command;

generating a first electrical signal responsive to the first configuration command;

applying the first electrical signal to the speaker of the IP appliance to generate a first sound signal;

waiting to receive an input for a preset period of time after applying the first electrical signal to the speaker;

generating a second electrical signal when no input has been received after the preset period of time; and

applying the second electrical signal to the speaker.

29. A computer readable medium according to claim 27, the computer readable medium further comprising:

receiving Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals from a phone keypad containing the request responsive to the verbal prompt; and

identifying, setting or adjusting the configuration parameter according to the DTMF signals.

30. A computer readable medium according to claim 27, the computer readable medium further comprising:

operating the appliance in a normal operating mode for generating normal audio signals;

operating the appliance in a configuration mode for configuring the appliance;

generating configuration signals during the configuration mode corresponding to the configuration parameter; and

controlling switching to the speaker for supplying the speaker with the normal audio signals during the normal operating mode and supplying the speaker with the configuration signals during the configuration mode.

31. A computer readable medium according to claim 27, the computer readable medium further comprising using the configuration parameter to identify, set, or adjust an IP address configured in a Voice Over IP (VoIP) phone or IP radio.