Modular broadband adapter system

• US 7,200,156 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark L. Skarpness
• Original Assignee: Mark L. Skarpness
• Inventors: Skarpness, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US10/871,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/355, 370/356, 370/389, 370/392, 370493-495, 370/463, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 379/399.01, 713/201
• US Class Current: 370/480
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/14 Channel dividing arrangements , i.e. in which a single bit stream is divided between several baseband channels and reassembled at the receiver

Abstract

A system which allows modular expansion to provide additional services to high speed data. A high speed data line such as DSL or cable is input to a broadband expandable modem device. The modem device produces an output indicative of the data within the data stream. An expansion output is indicative of voice within the data stream which is separated from the data. The expansion output is coupled to one of a plurality of voice adapters. Each of the voice adapters is expandable so daisy chain communication is possible to add additional layers of voice by simply acquiring additional voice adapters. The system preferably uses USB for the expansion capability.

Claims

1. A broadband modem for telephony and data communications, comprising:

a broadband interface circuit to couple to a broadband line, said broadband interface circuit to receive broadband data from the broadband line;

a system controller to couple to said broadband interface circuit, wherein said system controller to separate a data portion and telephony information from the broadband data, wherein only the data portion is to be used by the broadband modem;

a host controller to couple to said system controller; and

an expansion port to couple to said host controller, wherein said expansion port to include a signal to carry the telephony information to a device controller of a peripheral device.

2. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said broadband interface circuit is a digital subscriber line interface circuit.

3. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said broadband interface circuit is a cable modem interface circuit.

4. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host controller is configured to operate in compliance with one of a Universal Serial Bus standard, a Firewire standard, and a wireless communication standard.

5. A broadband modem for telephony and data communications, comprising:

a broadband interface circuit to couple to a broadband line, said broadband interface circuit to receive broadband data from the broadband line;

a system controller to couple to said broadband interface circuit, wherein said system controller to separate a data portion and telephony information from the broadband data, wherein only the data portion is to be used by the broadband modem;

a host controller to couple to said system controller; and

an expansion port to couple to said host controller, wherein said expansion port to include a signal to carry the telephony information to a device controller of a peripheral device, said host controller being one of a Universal Serial Bus Controller, a Firewire controller, a Bluetooth controller, and a wireless controller.

6. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 5, wherein said system controller transfers data packets between said broadband intefface circuit and a local area network, and transfers the telephony information between said broadband interface circuit and said host controller.

7. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 5, wherein said broadband interface circuit is a digital subscriber line interface circuit.

8. A broadband modem as claimed in claim 5, wherein said broadband interface circuit is a cable modem interface circuit.