Private telephone network connected to more than one public network

• US 7,746,905 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laekemariam; Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US10/492,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20050129069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,317 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.05, 379/93.07, 379/100.12, 370/493, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• 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 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• 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 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

In conjunction with a data communication network (53) carrying multiple telephony signals and allowing for connection of telephone sets (17), a system and method in which two external feeders (55a, 55b) connect to the data network (53) at two distinct points via two distinct devices. The data network can be based on dedicated wiring or can use existing in premises medium such as telephone, powerlines or CATV wiring. In the latter case, the wiring can still carry the original service for which it was installed. The external telephone connections can be based on the traditional PSTN, CATV network, cellular telephone network or any other telephone service provider network, using specific adapter for any medium used. In the case of connection to a POTS telephone signal, VoIP gateway (or any other converter) is required.

Claims

1. A system for coupling one or more telephone sets to first and second distinct telephone networks external to a building and for coupling first and second digitized telephone channels carried in a wired local area network (LAN) in the building, the system comprising:

a telephone adapter coupled to the wired LAN and couplable to a telephone set and operative to couple the telephone set to of the first and second digitized telephone channels;

a first service adapter coupled to a first point in the wired LAN and couplable to the first telephone network, said first service adapter being operative to couple the first digitized telephone channel to the first telephone network;

a second service adapter distinct from said first service adapter, couplable to a second point in the wired LAN, the second point being spaced from the first point, said second adapter being couplable to the second telephone network, said second service adapter being operative to couple the second digitized telephone channel to second telephone network; and

a router coupled to the wired LAN and operative to couple said first and second digitized telephone channels to said telephone adapter, for allowing the telephone set to be coupled to the first and second telephone networks.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first telephone network is an analog telephone network, and said first service adapter further comprises a gateway coupled between the wired LAN and the first telephone network for coupling a POTS telephone service signal to the first network, said gateway being operative to convert at least one POTS telephone signal to a digital telephone signal on said first digitized telephone channel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the wired LAN wiring comprises a wire pair coupled to one or more outlets.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wire pair is one of:

telephone wiring, CATV wiring and powerline wiring.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least part of at least one of said adapters is integrated into an outlet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the telephone networks is based on a cellular telephone network, and the system further comprises a cellular adapter operative for communicating with the cellular telephone network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the adapters comprises a cellular telephone device.

8. A method for upgrading an existing wired local area network (LAN) in a building to allow for connecting one or more telephone sets to multiple telephone networks using first, second and third digitized telephone channels over the network, the method comprising:

connecting a telephone adapter to the network and to a telephone set, the adapter being operative to couple the telephone set to at least the first digitized telephone channel;

connecting a first service adapter to the LAN at a first point and to a first telephone network, the first service adapter being operative to couple the first telephone network to at least the second digitized telephone channel;

connecting a second service adapter to a second telephone network, the second service adapter being operative to couple the second telephone network to at least the third digitized telephone channel, the second service adapter being connected to the LAN at a distinct second point spaced from the first point; and

connecting a router to the LAN, the router being operative to couple said first, second and third digitized telephone channels, for allowing the telephone set to be coupled to a selected one of the first and second telephone networks.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of coupling a gateway to the LAN and to one of the telephone networks, the gateway being operative to convert at least one POTS telephone service to digital telephony signals, for coupling POTS telephone service signal to the LAN.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the LAN wiring comprises a wire pair coupled to one or more outlets.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wire pair is one out of telephone wiring, CATV wiring and powerline wiring.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein at least part of at least one adapter is integrated into an outlet.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the telephone networks is based on a cellular telephone network, and the method further comprises providing a cellular adapter operative for communicating with the cellular telephone network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the cellular adapter comprises a cellular telephone device.