Subscriber-side unit arrangement for data transfer services and associated components

• US 7,516,231 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Langer, Eric, Lugger, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/526,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/232, 709/237
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The invention relates to, inter alia, an unit arrangement containing a network personal computer and a portable unit which are both used to provide the same data transfer service. By dividing the functional units between two units, a constantly high speech quality is guaranteed during the transfer of speech data.

Claims

1. A user-side device arrangement for a data transfer service, comprising:

a first computer comprising

a first storage unit in which program instructions can be stored,

a first processor which executes the stored program instructions, and

a signaling unit for implementing features of the data transfer service that interfaces with a private branch exchange,

wherein the first computer is configured to process one or more application programs subjecting the first processor to a variable processing load; and

an input device,

a second computer operatively connected to the first computer via a data transmission network, the second computer configured according to information entered into the input device of the first computer, the second computer comprising

a data processing unit that processes the data to be transferred or actually transferred within the scope of the data transfer service, wherein with the signaling unit and the data processing unit in respective first and second computers the second computer is operated substantially independently of the first computer, and

a second storage unit and a second processor for use of the data processing unit, wherein the second computer further comprises a transmitting/receiving unit which receives data over the data transmission network and/or transmits data into the data transmission network, wherein the data transmission network operates according to an internet protocol, wherein the data comprises voice data and/or video data, wherein a quality indication of the voice data and/or video data is substantially determined by the second computer and is substantially independent of the variable processing load to which the first processor is subjected to when processing said one or more application programs,

wherein the second computer is disposed between the first computer and a hub of the data transmission network, and wherein in an overload situation data sent to or received by the second computer has a priority over data sent to or received by the first computer.

2. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first computer further comprises a first operating system program, and the second computer further comprises a second operating system program.

3. The device arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the second computer further comprises a circuit operative without the involvement of an operating system program.

4. The device arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the second computer is housed outside the first computer.

5. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second computer contains a power supply unit operating independently of a power pack of the first computer.

6. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second computer is operatively connected to the power supply of a data transmission network.

7. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second computer provides the data transfer service when the first computer has been deactivated.

8. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second computer is contained in a portable device.

9. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first computer is a network computer which receives an application program over the data transmission network.

10. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first computer further comprises a transmitting/receiving unit which transmits and receives data packets over the data transmission network, wherein the data transmission network operates according to an internet protocol.

11. The device arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the first computer further comprises a setting unit which transmits a setting value to the transmitting/receiving unit of the first computer.

12. The device arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the signaling unit and/or the setting unit contains an interface to a data viewing program.

13. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the internet protocol is transmitted according to a H.323 based protocol.

14. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein signaling messages are transmitted to the transmitting/receiving unit of the second computer according to a control protocol for transferring data in data packets, the control protocol selected from the group consisting of H.225, H.245, SIP.

15. The device arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the device arrangement is adapted to register an overload case on the data transmission network between the first computer and the second computer and wherein upon registry of the overload case, forwarding a data packet is given a priority.

16. A method for arranging a first computer and a second computer in a user-side device for a data transfer service, the method comprising:

configuring a first computer to process one or more application programs subjecting a processor of the first computer to a variable processing load; and

coupling a second computer to the first computer via a data transmission network, the second computer configured according to information entered into an input device of the first computer; and

operating the second computer to transmit and/or receive data over the data transmission network, wherein the data transmission network operates according to an internet protocol, wherein the data comprises voice data and/or video data, wherein a quality indication of the voice data and/or video data is substantially determined by the second computer, and the quality indication is substantially independent of the variable processing load to which the processor of the first computer is subjected to when processing said one or more application programs, wherein the second computer is disposed between the first computer and a hub of the data transmission network, and wherein in an overload situation data sent to or received by the second computer has a priority over data sent to or received by the first computer.