Systems and methods for multiple mode voice and data communications using intelligenty bridged TDM and packet buses and methods for performing telephony and data functions using the same

• US 7,586,908 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Converged Data Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, Edward T., Pickett, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Donald L
• Application Number:
  US10/325,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20030147381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,456 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 370/362, 370/364, 370/365, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/465, 370/466, 370/468
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2881 IP/Ethernet DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2896 Distributed processing, e.g. on line cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/43 with synchronous transmission, e.g. time division multiplex [TDM], slotted rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6408 Shared Medium, e.g. memory, bus, ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6424 Access arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6459 Multiplexing, e.g. TDMA, CDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 : in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 : Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 : Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 : Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 : for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A video conferencing method is provided in a system for managing voice and data communications to a plurality of users. Computer data is communicated between the system and one of a plurality of computers coupled to the system over one or more packet buses. Voice data is communicated between the system and one of a plurality of telephone devices coupled to the system. The voice data is coupled to a TDM bus in the system, and the voice data and/or the computer data are coupled from the TDM bus to a digital transmission link. Video and audio data are coupled between the system and a video conferencing unit and coupled to the TDM bus. The video and audio data are coupled from the TDM bus to a digital transmission link of the telecommunications network. A video conference participant participates in a video conference with the video conferencing unit over the digital transmission link, while concurrently a user participates in a telephone call with one of the telephone devices over the digital transmission link.

Claims

1. In a system for managing voice and data communications for a plurality of users, wherein the system is coupled to at least one wide area telecommunications network, wherein the system includes at least a processor and data storage resources, a method comprising the steps of:

communicating computer data between the system and one of a plurality of computers coupled to the system over one or more packet buses;

communicating voice data between the system and one of a plurality of telephone devices coupled to the system;

coupling the voice data to a TDM bus in the system, and coupling the voice data and/or the computer data from the TDM bus to a digital transmission link of the telecommunications network under control of the processor;

coupling video and audio data between the system and a video conferencing unit coupled to the system;

coupling the video and audio data to the TDM bus under control of the processor;

coupling the video and audio data from the TDM bus to the digital transmission link of the telecommunications network under control of the processor;

wherein a video conference participant participates in a video conference with the video conferencing unit over the digital transmission link, while concurrently a user participates in a telephone call with one of the telephone devices over the digital transmission link, wherein voice communications of the telephone call that stay in a circuit-switched form are provided via the TDM bus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit are coupled to the system over a serial bus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the serial bus comprises an interface trunk compliant with a V.35, V.36 or V.37 standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video conferencing unit is coupled to the system via an interface card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit is coupled to the system in a form compatible with data transmission over the digital transmission link.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit comprises PCM data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital transmission link comprises a T-1 line.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit is coupled to the system in a form compatible with data transmission over the T-1 line.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit are coupled to the system via a digital telecommunications interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital telecommunications interface comprises an ISDN interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the video and audio data from the video conferencing unit is coupled to the system using an H.320 protocol.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the video conferencing unit is coupled to the system via an ISDN-compliant interface card.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a video conference occurs with the video conferencing unit while concurrent voice and data communications are occurring over the digital transmission link.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling the video and audio data from the TDM bus to a digital transmission link of the telecommunications network comprises the step of coupling the video and audio data to and from a switch/multiplexer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling the video and audio data from the TDM bus to a digital transmission link of the telecommunications network comprises the steps of coupling the video and audio data from a first one or more channels of the TDM bus to a switch/multiplexer and coupling the video and audio data from the switch/multiplexer to a second one or more channels of the TDM bus.

16. In a system for managing voice and data communications for a plurality of users, wherein the system is coupled to at least one wide area telecommunications network, wherein the system includes at least a processor and data storage resources, a method comprising the steps of:

coupling video and audio data between the system and a first computer of a plurality of computers coupled to the system over one or more packet buses, wherein at least the first computer has coupled thereto a camera and a microphone providing the video and audio data coupled between the system and the first computer;

selectively coupling the video and audio data to a TDM bus in the system under control of the processor, wherein the video and audio data are bridged between the one or more packet buses and the TDM bus under control of the processor;

coupling the video and audio data from the TDM bus to the telecommunications network under control of the processor;

coupling voice data between the system and a telephone and coupling computer data between the system and a second computer;

coupling the voice data and/or the computer data to the TDM bus under control of the processor, wherein the computer data are bridged between the one or more packet buses and the TDM bus under control of the processor; and

coupling the voice data and/or the computer data from the TDM bus to the telecommunications network under control of the processor;

wherein a video conference participant participates in a video conference with the first computer over the telecommunications network, while concurrently a telephone user participates in a telephone call with the telephone over the telecommunications network, wherein voice communications of the telephone call that stay in a circuit-switched form are provided via the TDM bus.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the video and audio data are depacketized and processed in an HDLC format.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the video and audio data are processed with an HDLC framer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an output of the HDLC framer is coupled to the TDM bus.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the output of the HDLC framer is coupled to the TDM bus via a switch/multiplexer, wherein the switch/multiplexer couples the video and audio data to channels of the TDM bus.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of coupling the video and audio data to a third computer coupled to the one or more packet buses, wherein users of the first and third computers participate in the video conference.