Apparatus and method to bridge telephone and data networks

• US 8,760,487 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sonnenfeldt, Stewart H., Kuditipudi, Venkatram R., Penzias, Arno, Iyar, Subrah S.
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US12/903,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 379/93.06, 379/244, 709204-206
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• 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 7/006 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: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony

Abstract

In one embodiment, an adaptor includes a first interface configured to connect to a telephone handset and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone handset. The adaptor includes a second interface configured to connect to a telephone base and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a telephone network. The adaptor also includes a third interface configured to connect to a computer and to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a data network, via the computer. The adaptor also includes a user input mechanism configured to receive a start meeting command which causes the adaptor to initiate an online meeting between a user that utilizes the telephone handset and computer, and one or more other users.

Claims

1. An adaptor comprising:

a first interface configured to connect to a telephone handset and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone handset;

a second interface configured to connect to a telephone base and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a telephone network via the telephone base;

a third interface configured to connect to a computer and to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a data network via the computer;

a user input mechanism configured to receive a start meeting command from a user of the telephone handset and computer; and

a microprocessor configured to, in response to a start meeting command being received on the user input mechanism, initiate an online meeting between the user of the telephone handset and computer, and one or more other users accessible over the telephone network and the data network, by transmission of a start meeting command, via the computer over the data network, receipt of a meeting identification, via the computer from the data network, and transmission of the received meeting identification, via the telephone base to the telephone network.

2. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the received meeting identification.

3. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a second user input mechanism configured to receive a record command from the user to initiate recording of the online meeting.

4. The adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a third user input mechanism configured to receive a join meeting command from the user to initiate joining an ongoing online meeting.

5. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the signals received from, and the signals transmitted to, the telephone handset are analog signals, the signals received from, and the signals transmitted to, the telephone network, via the telephone base, are analog signals, and the signals received from, and the signals transmitted to, the data network, via the computer, are digital signals.

6. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first interface and the second interface comprise a RJ22 or a RJ45 jack.

7. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the third interface comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

8. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface comprises a wireless interface.

9. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the user input mechanism is a button disposed on the adaptor.

10. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein the telephone network is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

11. An adaptor comprising:

a first interface configured to connect to a telephone network and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone network;

a second interface configured to connect to a computer and to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a data network via the computer;

a user input mechanism configured to receive a start meeting command from a user of the computer; and

a microprocessor configured to, in response to a start meeting command being received on the user input mechanism, initiate an online meeting between the user of the computer, and one or more other users, by transmission of a start meeting command, via the computer over the data network, receipt of a meeting identification, via the computer from the data network, and transmission of the received meeting identification to the telephone network.

12. The adaptor of claim 11, further comprising:

a third interface configured to connect to a telephone base and configured to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone base.

13. The adaptor of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the received meeting identification.

14. The adaptor of claim 11, further comprising:

a second user input mechanism configured to receive a record command from the user to initiate recording of the online meeting.

15. The adaptor of claim 11, further comprising:

a third user input mechanism configured to receive a join meeting command from the user to initiate joining an ongoing online meeting.

19. The adaptor of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface comprises a wireless interface.

16. An adaptor comprising:

means for connecting to a telephone network to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone network;

means for connecting to a computer to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, a data network, via the computer;

means for receiving a start meeting command from a user; and

means for initiating an online meeting between the user and one or more other users accessible over the telephone network and data network, in response to a start meeting command being received on the user input mechanism from the user, by transmission of a start meeting command, via the computer over the data network, receipt of a meeting identification, via the computer from the data network, and transmission of the received meeting identification, via the telephone base to the telephone network.

17. The adaptor of claim 16, wherein the means for connecting to a telephone network comprise means for connecting to a telephone base to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone base.

18. The adaptor of claim 16, further comprising:

means for connecting to a telephone handset to receive signals from, and transmit signals to, the telephone handset.

20. The adaptor of claim 16, further comprising means for receiving a record meeting command from the user to initiate recording of the online meeting.