Methods, apparatus, and systems for facilitating audio communications between disparate devices
First Claim
1. An access node, comprising:
- a first access communication device (ACD) interface configured to communicate via a first audio channel with a first ACD and via a first control channel with the first ACD;
a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and
a processor configured to;
receive first incoming audio signals from the first ACD via the first audio channel;
generate a first outgoing packetized voice stream based on the first incoming audio signals;
multicast the first outgoing packetized voice stream over the network;
in response to multicasting the first outgoing packetized voice stream, receive a first incoming packetized voice stream from a first edge device via the network interface;
generate first outgoing audio signals based on the first incoming packetized voice stream; and
provide the first outgoing audio signals to the first ACD via the first audio channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An access node for facilitating communications between disparate devices is disclosed. The access node includes an access communication device (ACD) interface configured to connect to an ACD and a network interface configured to communicate with a network. The access node provides configuration information associated with the ACD to an edge device coupled to the network in a common format irrespective of a native format in which the configuration information is maintained by the ACD, and facilitates modification of configuration parameters of the ACD by the edge device. The access node also facilitates audio communications between the ACD and one or more edge devices irrespective of the location of such edge devices, or of differences between the manners of audio signaling of the ACD and the edge devices.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An access node, comprising:
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a first access communication device (ACD) interface configured to communicate via a first audio channel with a first ACD and via a first control channel with the first ACD; a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and a processor configured to; receive first incoming audio signals from the first ACD via the first audio channel; generate a first outgoing packetized voice stream based on the first incoming audio signals; multicast the first outgoing packetized voice stream over the network; in response to multicasting the first outgoing packetized voice stream, receive a first incoming packetized voice stream from a first edge device via the network interface; generate first outgoing audio signals based on the first incoming packetized voice stream; and provide the first outgoing audio signals to the first ACD via the first audio channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An edge device, comprising:
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a network interface adapted to communicate with a network; an audio output port; an audio input port; and a processor configured to; establish a control communication session with an access node via a unicast address associated with the access node; receive, from the access node, a first incoming packetized voice stream via a first multicast address associated with a first access communication device (ACD), the first ACD being connected to the access node; render the first incoming packetized voice stream to the audio output port; receive audio signals of a user via the audio input port; generate a first outgoing packetized voice stream comprising a plurality of packets, wherein the plurality of packets is addressed to the first multicast address; and transmit the first outgoing packetized voice stream onto the network for receipt by the access node and communication to the first ACD. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An access node, comprising:
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an access communication device (ACD) interface configured to establish an analog audio channel with an ACD and a control channel with the ACD; a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and a processor configured to; receive incoming analog audio signals from the ACD via the analog audio channel, translate the incoming audio signals into an outgoing packetized voice stream, and multicast the outgoing packetized voice stream onto the network via the network interface; receive an incoming packetized voice stream from an edge device addressed to a multicast address associated with the ACD, translate the incoming packetized voice stream into outgoing analog audio signals, and communicate the outgoing analog audio signals to the ACD via the analog audio channel; establish a control communication session with the edge device; receive a control command from the edge device via the control communication session, the control command including a configuration parameter value that corresponds to a configuration parameter of the ACD; and communicate the control command to the ACD via the control channel.
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22. An access node, comprising:
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an access communication device (ACD) interface configured to establish an analog audio channel with an ACD and a control channel with the ACD; and a processor configured to; translate incoming analog audio signals received from the ACD via the analog audio channel into outgoing packetized voice streams for multicast transmission onto a network; translate incoming packetized voice streams received from an edge device via a multicast address into outgoing analog audio signals for transmission to the ACD via the analog audio channel; and establish a control communication session with the edge device via which, in conjunction with the control channel, configuration parameters and configuration parameters values may be exchanged between the ACD and the edge device.
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Specification