Integrated services director (ISD) overall architecture

• US 7,376,142 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Irwin, Miller, Robert Raymond II, Russell, Jesse Eugene, Wallace, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US10/744,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20040151212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-358, 370/359, 370/386, 370/389, 370/401, 370/402, 370/420
• US Class Current: 370/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13076 Distributing frame, MDF, cross-connect switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1319 Amplifier, attenuation circuit, echo suppressor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 : Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 : Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13367 : Hierarchical multiplexing, add-drop multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

A video enable answering machine having many new features including customized video announcement messages, caller ID based video announcement messages, and time based video announcement messages.

Claims

1. A communication device disposed at a telephone customer premises, comprising:

a processor;

a digital subscriber line modem, connected to said processor, and further connected to a telephone network central office by a twisted-pair wire connection;

one or more communication interfaces, connected to said processor, and further connected to a plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment located at the telephone customer premises;

wherein said processor is configured to;

multiplex outgoing digital data from said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment for transmission on said twisted-pair wire connection by said digital subscriber line modem in a digital portion of a frequency spectrum of said digital subscriber line modem;

facilitate communication from a first one of said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment to a second one of said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment both the first and second pieces located at the same telephone customer premises;

monitor a use status of one or more of said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment; and

redirect incoming data traffic in accordance with said use status; and

an analog telephone connected to said digital subscriber line modem by a lifeline connection, whereby analog telephone service may continue to be provided in the event of a power failure at the telephone customer premises.

2. The communications device of claim 1, where said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment includes a telephone.

3. The communications device of claim 2, where said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment further includes a television set-top box.

4. The communications device of claim 2, where said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment further includes a videophone.

5. The communications device of claim 2 where said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment further includes a personal computer.

6. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency interface, communicatively connected to said processor; and

an integrated digital services network interface, communicatively connected to said processor.

7. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a cordless telephone interface, communicatively connected to said processor and a cordless telephone.

8. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a residential interface located at said telephone customer premises and connected to said processor; and

a plurality of analog telephones connected to said residential interface, wherein said processor is configured to create a plurality of virtual telephone lines to allow said plurality of analog telephones to simultaneously communicate using the twisted-pair telephone connection.

9. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a protector block between said digital subscriber line modem and said twisted-pair telephone connection.

10. The communications device of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to

dynamically allocate an available bandwidth of said digital subscriber line modem according to said use status.

11. The communications device of claim 1, wherein said one or more communication interfaces includes a fire wire interface carrying a plurality of video signals for a plurality of video devices.

12. A communications device disposed at a telephone customer premises, comprising:

a processor;

a digital subscriber line modem, connected to said processor, and further connected to a telephone network central office by a twisted-pair wire connection;

one or more communication interfaces, connected to said processor, and further connected to a plurality of customer premises equipment located at the telephone customer premises;

a residential interface located at said telephone customer premises and connected to said processor; and

a plurality of analog telephones connected to said residential interface, wherein said processor is configured to create a plurality of virtual telephone lines to allow said plurality of analog telephones to simultaneously communicate using the twisted-pair wire connection, and at least one analog telephone connected to said digital subscriber line modem by a lifeline connection, whereby analog telephone service may continue to be provided in the event of a power failure at the telephone customer premises; and

wherein said processor is further configured to;

multiplex outgoing digital data from said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment for transmission on said twisted-pair wire connection by said digital subscriber line modem in a digital portion of a frequency spectrum of said digital subscriber line modem; and

facilitate communication from a first one of said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment to a second one of said plurality of pieces of customer premises equipment both the first and second pieces located at the same telephone customer premises.

13. The communications device of claim 12, where said plurality of customer premises equipment includes an analog telephone.

14. The communications device of claim 12, where said plurality of customer premises equipment includes a cordless telephone.

15. The communications device of claim 12, where one of said communication interfaces is an Ethernet interface.

16. The communications device of claim 12, where one of said communication interfaces is an ISDN interface.

17. The communications device of claim 12, where said outgoing digital data is in a packetized form having an address.

18. The method of claim 12, where said incoming data is in a packetized form having an address.