Architecture for a mixed voice and data network

• US 7,130,297 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Sun, Peter C. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US09/519,605
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-357, 370/386, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.1, 370/395.2, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/401, 370/410, 370/445, 370/449, 370/450, 370464-467, 370493-496, 370/395.55
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols

Abstract

In the present invention a voice and data network is disclosed that has applicability to a home or building where existing phone lines are used to interconnect multiple phones and computers 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 voice and data network, comprising:

a) a telephone and a computer connected to a voice and data module (VDM) device, the telephone and computer having unique assigned network addresses with respect to one another,

b) a plurality of said VDM devices connected to a plurality of telephone wires in a building,

c) said plurality of telephone wires connected together to provide a telephone network in which only one phone can communicate on a given line at one time,

d) a link to wide area network (LTW) that connects said telephone network to a Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN) and an Internet Service Provider (ISP),

e) said LTW and said plurality of said VDM devices communicate together over said telephone network using communication addresses assigned to said LTW and each VDM device of said plurality of VDM devices by means of Token in Ethernet Protocol technology.

2. The voice and data network of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of VDM devices includes at least a first connection for a telephone and a second connection for a personal computer.

3. The voice and data network of claim 2, wherein each VDM device is connected to the telephone wires by an ordinary phone jack.

4. The voice and data network of claim 1, wherein telephone service is provided to said building from said ISP and said PSTN.

5. The voice and data network of claim 1, wherein:

the voice and data network is organized into at least two VDM locations, each VDM location including a VDM device having a first network address, a first connection for a device that is assigned a second network address, and a second connection for a device that is assigned a third network address, the first, second and third network addresses being different from one another.

6. The voice and data network of claim 5, wherein:

each VDM device is connected to a telephone by the first connection and connected to a computer by the second connection.

7. A method for communicating between network elements in a voice and data network, comprising:

a) monitoring a communication network by a first voice and data module (VDM) for a call from a second VDM and a call from a link to a wide area network (LTW) connected to said communication network,

b) monitoring a first phone and a first computer attached to said first VDM for an outgoing call to a destination containing a second phone and second computer connected to said second VDM, or an outside phone and an outside computer network through said LTW, the first phone having a first identification (ID) value and first computer having a second D value different from the first ID value,

c) detecting said outgoing call to a destination phone and connecting said call if said destination phone is not busy, else providing a busy signal and disconnecting said outgoing call, connecting said call including, if the destination phone is picked up, converting voice signals to a packet with an ID value as a source address, the ID value being the first ID value if the outgoing call originates from the first phone and being the second ID value if the outgoing call originates from the first computer,

d) detecting an incoming call and connecting said call if a receiving device comprising said first phone and said first computer is not busy, else sending back said busy signal and disconnecting said incoming call,

e) disconnecting phone calls or computer calls when a phone hang up or a computer disconnect signal is detected and returning to monitoring said network for said incoming call; and

communicating between computers according to Token in Ethernet protocol eliminating the need for any conversion.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, within step c) connecting said call further includes, if said outgoing call is not an outside call, sending a request for connection packet addressed to the second VDM and not the LTW.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein, connecting a long distance phone call is done through said ISP without the use of a computer to assist in the call.

10. The method of claim 7 further including, detecting a request from said first computer for a connection to an Internet service provider (ISP), sending request for the connection to said LTW and completing connection to said ISP when the LTW responds with a connection completed signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step e) further includes, if a hang up is detected from the first phone and an LTW hang up packet from the LTW has not been detected, sending a VDM hang up packet to queue, the VDM hang up packet having an address of the LTW as a destination address.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step c) further includes sending a packet with a no line available indication from the LTW if an outside line connected to the LTW is not available.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step d) further includes the LTW requesting an outside call to provide extension data for an incoming call, and if an extension number is not received, storing a predefined port address as a destination address in request for connection packet.