System and method for supporting multiple voice channels

• US 7,961,712 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fischer, Matthew J., Lukas, Robert M., Rabenko, Theodore F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shand; Roberta A
• Application Number:
  US09/851,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,689 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/431, 370/432, 370462-466, 370/471, 370/475, 370/402, 370/485, 370/467, 709/203, 709/225, 709217-219, 709/238, 709/245, 725 74- 82
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• 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: 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 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A communications system is configured with a plurality of media terminal adapters, a telephone line, and a gateway configured to exchange voice and data packets between a network and each of the media terminal adapters over the telephone line. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A communications gateway, configured to receive a packet payload, the packet payload being formatted according to a first communications protocol, comprising:

a Media Access Controller/Physical Layer Interface (MAC/PHY) configured to determine whether the packet payload is one of a voice packet or a data packet and to translate the packet payload from the first communications protocol to a second communications protocol;

a proxy gateway configured to determine whether the packet payload is to be formatted according to a third communications protocol or a fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet;

a controller configured to translate the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the third communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol or is the data packet; and

a processor configured to translate the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the fourth communications protocol.

2. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the first communications protocol is a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) communications protocol.

3. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the third communications protocol is a Home Phoneline Network Alliance (HomePNA) communications protocol.

4. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the fourth communications protocol is a baseband protocol capable of delivering Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) to one or more analog telephones.

5. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the proxy gateway is configured to determine the packet payload is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol when a first device that is configured to communicate using the third communications protocol goes off hook and the packet payload is to be formatted according to the fourth communications protocol when a second device that is configured to communicate using the fourth communications protocol goes off hook.

6. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the proxy gateway is configured to determine whether the packet payload is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol or the fourth communications protocol based upon a destination address within the packet payload.

7. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the second communications protocol is an internal communications protocol, the internal communications protocol being independent of the first communications protocol, the third communications protocol, and the fourth communications protocol.

8. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to decompress and depacketize the packet payload and to format the packet payload according to the fourth communications protocol to translate the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the fourth communications protocol.

9. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to format the packet payload according to the third communications protocol to translate the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the third communications protocol.

10. The gateway of claim 1, wherein the proxy gateway comprises:

a voice and data processor configured to determine whether the packet payload is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol or the fourth communications protocol.

11. A method for translating a packet payload, comprising:

(a) determining whether the packet payload is one of a voice packet or a data packet;

(b) translating the packet payload from a first communications protocol to a second communications protocol;

(c) determining whether the packet payload is to be formatted according to a third communications protocol or a fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet;

(d) translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the third communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol or is the data packet; and

(e) decompressing and depacketizing the packet payload then translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the fourth communications protocol.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b)(i) translating the packet payload from a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) communications protocol to the second communications protocol.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises:

(d)(i) translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to a Home Phoneline Network Alliance (HomePNA) communications protocol.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein step (e) comprises:

(e)(i) translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to a baseband protocol capable of delivering Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) to one or more analog telephones.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b)(i) translating the packet payload from the first communications protocol to an internal communications protocol, the internal communications protocol being independent of the first communications protocol, the third communications protocol, and the fourth communications protocol.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c)(i) determining whether the packet payload is to be formatted according to a third communications protocol or a fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet based upon a destination address.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein step (d) comprises:

(d)(i) formatting the packet payload according to the third communications protocol to translate the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the third communications protocol.

15. A method for translating a packet payload, comprising:

(a) determining whether the packet payload is one of a voice packet or a data packet;

(b) translating the packet payload from a first communications protocol to a second communications protocol;

(c) determining the packet payload is to be formatted according to a third communications protocol when a first device that is configured to communicate using the third communications protocol goes off hook and the packet payload is to be formatted according to a fourth communications protocol when a second device that is configured to communicate using the fourth communications protocol goes off hook;

(d) translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the third communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the third communications protocol or is the data packet; and

(e) translating the packet payload from the second communications protocol to the fourth communications protocol when the packet payload is the voice packet that is to be formatted according to the fourth communications protocol.