Computer implemented voice over data communication apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A communication apparatus comprising:
- a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line;
a voice receiving interface apparatus for use in receiving voice signals from a local user;
a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to the local user; and
processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to;
convert received voice signals from the local user into outgoing digital voice information and convert incoming digital voice information into voice signals for conveyance to the local user;
compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information and decompress compressed incoming digital voice information into the incoming digital voice information;
packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information and provide outgoing voice packets based thereon, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header;
packetize outgoing data packets comprising outgoing digital data information, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header;
combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets to provide a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line via the modem;
receive a stream of incoming packets via the modem from the telephone line, the stream of incoming packets comprising incoming data packets and incoming voice packets, each of the incoming voice packets comprising at least one header and each of the incoming data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; and
separate the stream of incoming packets to provide the incoming data packets comprising incoming digital data information and the incoming voice packets comprising the compressed incoming digital voice information.
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Abstract
A communication apparatus and method includes a modem operable for connection to a telephone line. Further, under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, various processing may be provided. For example, the apparatus and/or method may convert received voice signals from the local user into outgoing digital voice information and convert incoming digital voice information into voice signals, and further may compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information and decompress compressed incoming digital voice information into the incoming digital voice information. Yet further, processing circuitry may be operable to packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information and provide outgoing voice packets based thereon (e.g., each of the outgoing voice packets including at least one header), and further may packetize outgoing data packets including outgoing digital data information (e.g., each of the outgoing data packets including at least one header). The processing circuitry may yet further be operable to combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets to provide a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line via the modem, and also receive a stream of incoming packets via the modem from the telephone line. The stream of incoming packets may include incoming data packets and incoming voice packets. Each of the incoming voice packets includes at least one header and each of the incoming data packets includes at least one header. The headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets include information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus. Further, the processing circuitry may be operable to separate the stream of incoming packets to provide the incoming data packets and the incoming voice packets.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice receiving interface apparatus for use in receiving voice signals from a local user; a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to the local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; convert received voice signals from the local user into outgoing digital voice information and convert incoming digital voice information into voice signals for conveyance to the local user; compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information and decompress compressed incoming digital voice information into the incoming digital voice information; packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information and provide outgoing voice packets based thereon, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; packetize outgoing data packets comprising outgoing digital data information, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header; combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets to provide a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line via the modem; receive a stream of incoming packets via the modem from the telephone line, the stream of incoming packets comprising incoming data packets and incoming voice packets, each of the incoming voice packets comprising at least one header and each of the incoming data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; and separate the stream of incoming packets to provide the incoming data packets comprising incoming digital data information and the incoming voice packets comprising the compressed incoming digital voice information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving outgoing digital voice information; compressing the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetizing the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receiving outgoing digital data information; packetizing the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header; combining the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets for use in providing a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, the stream of incoming packets comprising incoming voice packets comprising compressed incoming digital voice information and incoming data packets comprising incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprises at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprises at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice receiving interface apparatus for use in receiving voice signals from a local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; receive outgoing digital voice information; compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receive outgoing digital data information; packetize the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the outgoing voice packets and outgoing data packets comprise information allowing an apparatus that receives such information to route such outgoing packets based thereon; combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets resulting in a stream of outgoing packets; and communicate the stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer implemented communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving outgoing digital voice information; compressing the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetizing the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receiving outgoing digital data information; packetizing the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the outgoing voice packets and outgoing data packets comprise information allowing an apparatus that receives such information to route such outgoing packets based thereon; combining the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets resulting in a stream of outgoing packets; and communicating the stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to a local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; receive a stream of incoming packets using the modem, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; separate the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompress the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for conveyance to the local user. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 68)
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32. A computer implemented communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for use in conveyance to a local user. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets;
separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets, wherein separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprises removing the compressed incoming digital voice information from the incoming voice packets;decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information; detecting corrupted transmission of the incoming data packets and requesting retransmission in response thereto; and detecting corrupted transmission of the incoming voice packets and ignoring such corruption.
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37. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice receiving interface apparatus for use in receiving voice signals from a local user; a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to the local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; convert received voice signals from the local user into outgoing digital voice information and convert incoming digital voice information into voice signals for conveyance to the local user; compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information and decompress compressed incoming digital voice information into the incoming digital voice information; packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information and provide outgoing voice packets based thereon, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; packetize outgoing data packets comprising outgoing digital data information, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header; combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets to provide a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line via the modem for connection to at least one packet switched network; receive a stream of incoming packets via the modem from the telephone line, the stream of incoming packets communicated from at least one packet switched network, the stream of incoming packets comprising incoming data packets and incoming voice packets, each of the incoming voice packets comprising at least one header and each of the incoming data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; and separate the stream of incoming packets to provide the incoming data packets comprising incoming digital data information and the incoming voice packets comprising the compressed incoming digital voice information. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving outgoing digital voice information; compressing the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetizing the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receiving outgoing digital data information; packetizing the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header; combining the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets for use in providing a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem for connection to at least one packet switched network; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, the stream of incoming packets communicated from at least one packet switched network, the stream of incoming packets comprising incoming voice packets comprising compressed incoming digital voice information and incoming data packets comprising incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprises at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprises at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice receiving interface apparatus for use in receiving voice signals from a local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; receive outgoing digital voice information; compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receive outgoing digital data information; packetize the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the outgoing voice packets and outgoing data packets comprise information allowing an apparatus that receives such information to route such outgoing packets based thereon; combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets resulting in a stream of outgoing packets; and communicate the stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem for connection to at least one packet switched network. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. A computer implemented communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving outgoing digital voice information; compressing the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information; packetizing the compressed outgoing digital voice information into outgoing voice packets, each of the outgoing voice packets comprising at least one header; receiving outgoing digital data information; packetizing the outgoing digital data information into outgoing data packets, each of the outgoing data packets comprising at least one header, wherein the headers of the outgoing voice packets and outgoing data packets comprise information allowing an apparatus that receives such information to route such outgoing packets based thereon; combining the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets resulting in a stream of outgoing packets; and communicating the stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line using the modem for connection to at least one packet switched network. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to a local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; receive a stream of incoming packets using the modem, the stream of incoming packets communicated from at least one packet switched network, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; separate the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompress the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for conveyance to the local user. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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63. A computer implemented communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, the stream of incoming packets communicated from at least one packet switched network, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for use in conveyance to a local user. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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66. A communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem, the stream of incoming packets communicated from at least one packet switched network, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets, wherein separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprises removing the compressed incoming digital voice information from the incoming voice packets; decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information; detecting corrupted transmission of the incoming data packets and requesting retransmission in response thereto; and detecting corrupted transmission of the incoming voice packets and ignoring such corruption.
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67. A communication apparatus comprising:
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a modem operable to be connected to a telephone line; a voice conveying interface apparatus for use in conveying voice signals to a local user; and processing circuitry operable under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, wherein the processing circuitry is operable to; receive a stream of incoming packets using the modem via the telephone line, wherein the incoming packets are received in a frame format, the frame format usable for communication of incoming packets between at least one packet switched network and the modem, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus; separate the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompress the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for conveyance to the local user.
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69. A computer implemented communication method comprising:
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providing a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer with a modem, the modem operable for connection to a telephone line; receiving a stream of incoming packets using the modem via the telephone line, wherein the incoming packets are received in a frame format, the frame format usable for communication of incoming packets between at least one packet switched network and the modem, wherein the stream of incoming packets comprises incoming voice packets and incoming data packets, wherein the incoming voice packets comprise compressed incoming digital voice information and the incoming data packets comprise incoming digital data information, wherein each of the incoming voice packets comprise at least one header and wherein each of the incoming data packets comprise at least one header, and further wherein the headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets comprise information used to route the incoming packets; separating the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets of the stream of incoming packets; and decompressing the compressed incoming digital voice information into incoming digital voice information for use in conveyance to a local user. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71)
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Specification