Point card

• US 6,778,662 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Phillip M. DeLaine, Jr.
• Original Assignee: Phillip M. DeLaine, Jr.
• Inventors: DeLaine, Phillip M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/557,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 379/333, 379/399, 379/93.05, 379/93.09, 370/352, 370/353, 370/463
• US Class Current: 379/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

Disclosed is a computer telephony device with a telephone line distribution system. The invention enables simultaneous operations of computer telephony and connected equipment. The connected equipment can be modems, telephones, fax machines, answering machines or any other device that needs access to a telephone line. Priorities for telephone line usage by the equipment or the routing of incoming calls to the equipment can be set by the user via software selection. The invention can work in digital and analog environments, and if necessary, perform digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for routing digital and analog data signals call traffic among a plurality of telecommunication devices over a network comprising:

a network interface for connection to a local area network;

a discrimination circuit for detecting and identifying an input data signal, wherein the input data signal is at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal;

a wireless interface, connected to the discrimination circuit, wherein the wireless interface communicates both digital and analog data signals plurality of wireless telecommunication devices; and

a plurality of telephony interfaces, connected to the discrimination circuit, for connecting a plurality of wireline telecommunication devices, wherein each of the plurality of telephony interfaces communicates both digital and analog data signals between the plurality of wireline telecommunication devices,

wherein the apparatus routes the digital and analog data signals between the network interface and the telephony and wireless interfaces for communication over the local area network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephony interfaces comprise a plurality of jacks for connecting the plurality of wireline telecommunications devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of wireline telecommunications devices comprise a plurality of PSTN compatible devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of PSTN compatible devices comprise a telephone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless telecommunication devices include wireless telephones.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an analog-to-digital conversion circuit and a digital-to-analog conversion circuit for enabling the wireline and wireless telecommunications devices to communicate the digital and analog data signals over the local area network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local area network is an Ethernet network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a modem circuit for communicating over the Internet through the network interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the call traffic comprises voice traffic and the apparatus further comprises a telephony circuit for communicating the analog data signals voice traffic through the network interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fax circuit for communicating the analog data signals call traffic through the network interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface is an antenna for sending and receiving the analog and digital data signals call traffic from the wireless telecommunications devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising interface connections for electrically connecting the apparatus to a computer bus in a computer system.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an upgradeable memory device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the upgradeable memory device is upgradeable using software.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface communicates with a PBX system.

16. A system for routing analog and digital data signals call traffic among a plurality of telecommunication devices over a cellular network comprising:

a switch comprising;

a discrimination circuit for detecting and identifying an input data signal, wherein the input data signal is at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal;

an antenna, for communicating with a plurality of cellular telecommunication devices over the cellular network, wherein the antenna communicates analog and digital data signals through the cellular telecommunication devices;

a wireless interface, connected to the discrimination circuit, wherein the wireless interface communicates both digital and analog data signals between plurality of wireless telecommunication devices; and

a plurality of telephony interfaces, connected to the discrimination circuit, for connecting a plurality of wireline telecommunication devices, wherein each of the plurality of telephony interfaces communicates both digital and analog data signals between the plurality of wireline telecommunication devices,

wherein the switch routes the digital and analog data signals call traffic between the antenna and the wireless and telephony interfaces.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the switch is a peripheral card for use in a computer system.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the antenna is mounted to a remote unit that is physically separate from the switch and is electrically connected to the switch by a wire line.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices include wireless telephones.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of telephony interfaces are compatible with a PSTN network.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of telephony interfaces are compatible with digital telephone lines.

22. A system for routing analog and digital data signals among a plurality of telecommunication devices over wirelines comprising:

a switch comprising;

a discrimination circuit for detecting and identifying an input data signal, wherein the input data signal is at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal;

a first plurality of telephony interfaces, connected to the discrimination circuit, for connecting a plurality of wireline telecommunication devices, wherein each of the plurality of telephony interfaces communicates both digital and analog data signals between the plurality of wireline telecommunication devices; and

a wireless interface, connected to the discrimination circuit, wherein the wireless interface communicates both digital and analog data signals between plurality of wireless telecommunication devices;

a first remote unit, in electrical communication with the switch, wherein the first remote unit includes an antenna for wireless communication; and

a second remote unit, in wireless communication with the first remote unit through the antenna, wherein the second remote unit includes a second plurality of telephony interfaces for connecting at least one communication line, and wherein the second remote unit communicates both digital and analog data signals between the switch and the communication line, through the first remote unit,

wherein the switch routes the digital and analog data signals from the first plurality of wireline telecommunication devices and the wireless telecommunication devices to the at least one communication line, and

wherein the switch is a peripheral card electrically connected to a computer bus in a computer system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices include wireless telephones.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second plurality of telephony interfaces are compatible with a PSTN network.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one communication line is a digital telephone line.