Telephonic communications – Subscriber line or transmission line interface
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-18
2002-09-24
Tsang, Fan (Department: 2645)
Telephonic communications
Subscriber line or transmission line interface
C379S093050, C370S431000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06456714
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to telephone-based interfaces with telecommunications networks, and more particularly, to methods and systems for connecting a telecommunications network to a network having devices coupled through a high speed digital bus.
In standard telephone service, sometimes referred to as “plain old telephone service” or “POTS,” peripheral devices (e.g., telephones, modems, etc.) transmit analog voice signals over copper wire telephone lines to a telephone office, such as a local area telephone exchange. At the exchange, the analog signal is converted to a 64-Kbps (kilobits per second) digital signal. Generally, conventional telephone service is thereafter restricted to a speed of 64 Kbps.
This standard telephone service suffers several disadvantages. First, the slow-speed and low bandwidth of conventional telephone service makes it impossible to access more than one outside telecommunications network at a time. For example, a user could not talk on the telephone while surfing the Internet. The only currently available solution is to physically install a second telephone line. Second, current telephone service is physically inflexible. For example, a user desiring access to outside telecommunications networks from an additional room in a house must physically install an additional length of copper wire telephone line and a telephone jack to that room.
New wide band services have been developed to allow more data to be transmitted over existing copper wire telephone lines than standard telephone service. Examples of wide band services include the digital subscriber line (xDSL) standard and the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). The xDSL standard, which employs defined modulation techniques to digitally pack data onto the copper wire telephone lines, supports data rates of greater than 1 Mbps (mega bits per second). More information about the xDSL standard and ISDN is available from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). These new services, while a step in the right direction, do not solve the above noted problems with standard telephone service.
Recent advances in digital bus technology make possible the interconnection of a variety of consumer electronic devices to form a multimedia network. One such digital bus technology is the IEEE-1394 digital interface standard, which enables data communications of greater than 100 Mbps among consumer electronic devices, such as video camcorders, electronic still cameras, video cassette recorders, personal computers, and any other digital audio/visual equipment that include a serial interface. More complete information regarding the IEEE-1394 standard is available from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a typical multimedia network
100
, including various consumer electronic devices
110
-
150
coupled through a high-speed serial bus
160
. The high-speed serial bus
160
may be, for example, an IEEE 1394 bus. Generally, the multimedia network
100
is located in one physical building, such as a home or an office. The exemplary multimedia network
100
in
FIG. 1
includes digital video camera
110
, digital video monitor
120
, personal computer
130
, digital VCR
140
, and printer
150
. The high-speed serial bus
160
supports communication of digital audio/video data and computer transmission data between the network devices. One disadvantage of multimedia network
100
is that consumer electronics devices
110
-
150
cannot access devices in an outside telecommunications network and vice versa.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention overcome the above and other disadvantages in conventional telephone service and home multimedia networks by providing multiple logical connections between an outside telecommunications network and a multimedia network having devices coupled through a high-speed digital bus. In particular, a system consistent with the present invention includes a peripheral device connected to a telephone network through a telephone line and connected to a multimedia network through a high-speed serial bus. The peripheral device establishes and maintains multiple logical connections between devices in the multimedia network and devices in the telecommunications network.
A method consistent with the present invention connects a multimedia network having devices coupled through a high-speed digital bus to an outside telecommunications network. In particular, a peripheral device receives a call request. The peripheral device then determines whether sufficient bandwidth is available to establish and maintain the requested connection. If so, the peripheral device allocates bandwidth to the requested connection.
The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only and should not restrict the scope of the claimed invention. Both are intended to provide examples and explanations to enable others to practice the invention. The accompanying drawings, which form part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the following detailed description, explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5479447 (1995-12-01), Chow et al.
patent: 5787259 (1998-07-01), Haroun et al.
patent: 5852655 (1998-12-01), McHale et al.
patent: 5951637 (1999-09-01), Kuzma
patent: 5987061 (1999-11-01), Chen
patent: 5991520 (1999-11-01), Smyers et al.
patent: 6047006 (2000-04-01), Brakefield et al.
patent: 6125127 (2000-09-01), Smith, Jr.
patent: 2002/0012353 (2002-01-01), Gerszberg et al.
Written Opinion From PCT/US00/06931.
Chilamakuri Chenchu
Hu Qi Benjamin
Kou Sho
Shima Hisato
Vemuri Ratna
Escalante Ovidio
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP
Sony Corporation
Tsang Fan
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