VoIP line seizure system and method

• US 9,621,734 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Petricoin, Jr., Dennis Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KAI J
• Application Number:
  US12/168,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,200 Days
• Field of Search: 370260, 370352-356, 379 37, 379 39, 379 46- 51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6429 Terminal adapters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• 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 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

A system for yielding control of a network to a device configured to operate on a PSTN. The system includes a network configured to couple one or more devices to a PSTN, and a PSTN telephone, a PSTN security system, and an ATA and modem coupled to the network. The ATA and modem are configured to provide a VoIP interface between the network and the Internet and to provide a dial tone to the network. An access detector is coupled to the network to detect when the security system attempts to use the network.

Claims

1. A system for yielding control of a network to a device configured to operate on a PSTN, the system comprising:

a network configured to couple one or more devices to the PSTN;

a first device coupled to the network and configured to operate on the PSTN;

a second device coupled to the network and configured to operate on the PSTN;

a third device coupled to the network, configured to provide a VoIP interface between the network and the Internet and to provide a dial tone to the network; and

a fourth device coupled between the network and the third device, and configured to detect when the second device attempts to use the network during a time when the first device is using the network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third device and the fourth device are incorporated into a single device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth device detects that the second device is attempting to access the network based on detecting a sequence of DTMF signals on the network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device generates a predetermined sequence of DTMF signals when attempting to access the network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sequence of DTMF signals corresponds to a telephone number of a remote location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth device determines that the second device is attempting to access the network when the fourth device detects the predetermined sequence of DTMF signals.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth device transmits a signal when the fourth device detects the second device attempting to access the network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal is a wireless signal.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device is disconnected from the network when the fourth device transmits the signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fourth device sends a second signal when the second device is no longer using the network and the first device is reconnected to the network when the fourth device transmits the second signal.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a fifth device connected between the first device and the network, the fifth device disconnecting the first device when the fifth device receives the signal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth device is incorporated in the first device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth device sends the signal as long as the second device is using the network.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device generates the predetermined sequence of DTMF signals when the second device detects that the first device is using the network.

15. A method of seizing control of a network configured to interface with a PSTN, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device, a sequence of DTMF signals over the network;

detecting the sequence of DTMF signals;

disconnecting a second device from the network when the detected sequence of DTMF signals matches a predetermined sequence of DTMF signals; and

communicating, by the first device, over the network following the disconnecting of the second device from the network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, transmitting a disconnect signal when the sequence of numbers matches the predetermined sequence of DTMF signals.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, transmitting a reconnect signal when the first device finishes communicating over the network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the reconnect signal and reconnecting the second device to the network following receiving the reconnect signal.

19. A VoIP security system, comprising:

a network comprising a first wire and a second wire;

a security system configured to operate on a PSTN, the security system coupled to the first wire and the second wire;

a PSTN telephone coupled to the first wire and the second wire and configured to operate on the PSTN;

a VoIP interface device coupled to the first wire and the second wire, configured to provide a VoIP interface between the network and the Internet and to provide a dial tone to the network;

a detector coupled to the first and the second wire, configured to detect when the security system attempts to access the network and send a signal indicating that the security system is attempting to access the network during a time when the PSTN telephone is using the network; and

a device coupled to the first and the second wire, configured to disconnect the PSTN telephone from at least one of the first wire and the second wire based on the signal.

20. The VoIP security system of claim 19, further comprising an access detector configured to detect the security system attempting to access the network and to generate the signal when the security system is attempting to access the network.

21. The VoIP security system of claim 20, wherein the access detector generates a second signal when the security system finishes accessing the network, the device reconnecting the telephone to the network upon receiving the second signal.

22. A system for yielding control of a network to a device configured to operate on a PSTN, the system comprising:

a network configured to couple one or more devices to a PSTN;

a telephone coupled to the network and configured to operate on the PSTN;

a security system coupled to the network and configured to operate on the PSTN;

an access detector coupled to the network and configured to detect when the security system attempts to use the network during a time when the telephone is using the network; and

an ATA and modem coupled to the network via the access detector and configured to provide a VoIP interface between the network and the Internet and to provide a dial tone to the network.