Information terminal and information terminal system

• US 7,054,303 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeda, Yutaka, Koga, Naoki, Ogata, Keisuke, Miyazaki, Tomiya, Yahiro, Kazuo, Aritaka, Akitoshi, Tsujigawa, Takuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US09/731,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/293, 370/420, 370/469, 370/463, 370/502, 715/748, 713/300, 340/310.01, 340/310.2
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

An information terminal incorporates a network interface and an extension interface, and in the case of outside call, an audio send signal is modulated into an audio signal frequency band, and sent to the exchange through a private telephone line and a subscriber'"'"'s line by way of the network interface. An audio receive signal sent from the exchange through the subscriber'"'"'s line and private telephone line is demodulated into an ordinary audio frequency band through the network interface. On the other hand, in the case of extension service, an audio send signal is converted into a packetized digital signal by an extension interface circuit, and is further modulated into a higher frequency band so as not to overlap with the audio signal frequency band, and is transmitted through the private telephone line.

Claims

1. A telephone apparatus connected to another telephone apparatus through a private telephone line, the telephone apparatus connected to an exchange through a subscriber'"'"'s line which is connected to the private telephone line comprising:

a network interface that communicates a first audio signal which is analog data to the exchange through both the private telephone and the subscriber'"'"'s line using a first frequency band, and

an extension interface that communicates a second audio signal which is packetized digital data to the another telephone apparatus through the private telephone line using a second frequency band, the second frequency band being higher than the first frequency band,

wherein both said network interface and said extension interface are integrated in each of said telephone apparatus and said another telephone apparatus,

whereby the first and second audio signals communicate through the private telephone line without conflict of the analog data and the packetized digital data.

2. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the telephone apparatus and the another telephone apparatus are each assigned with an identification address to recognize each other, and

said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus recognized by the identification address.

3. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus with a transmission speed of 1 Mbps or more.

4. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus by wireless means with a transmission speed of 1 Mbps or more.

5. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus through Ethernet with a transmission speed of 10 Mbps or more.

6. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus through a power line, with a transmission speed of 1 Mbps or more.

7. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface communicates at least one of data audio and video as the packetized digital data.

8. The telephone apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said extension interface controls a priority between the telephone apparatus and the another telephone apparatus, and

said extension interface communicates the second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus based on the controlled priority.

9. The telephone apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a data communication interface, through which said extension interface is connected to a data terminal,

wherein said extension interface receives the second audio signal transmitted from the data terminal through said data communication interface, and communicates the received second audio signal to the another telephone apparatus.

10. The telephone apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said data communication interface includes an RS-232C which connects said extension interface and the data terminal.

11. The telephone apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said data communication interface includes parallel ports of a SCSI and a printer port which connects said extension interface and the data terminal.

12. The telephone apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said data communication interface includes a USB which connects said extension interface and the data terminal.

13. The telephone apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said data communication interface includes Ethernet which connects said extension interface and the data terminal.

14. The telephone apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said data communication interface includes band limiting means.

15. A communication method for executing communication of an audio signal between a telephone apparatus and another telephone apparatus connected to a private telephone line, and for executing communication of an audio signal to an exchange through a subscriber'"'"'s line which is connected to the private telephone line, the communication method comprising:

communicating a first audio signal which is analog data between the telephone apparatus and the exchange through both the private telephone line and the subscriber'"'"'s line using a first frequency band, and

communicating a second audio signal which is packetized digital data between the telephone apparatus and the another telephone apparatus through the private telephone line using a second frequency band, the second frequency band being higher than the first frequency band,

whereby the first and second audio signals communicate through the private telephone line without conflict of the analog data and the packetized digital data.