Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical... – Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2003-07-29
Woo, Stella (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Having transmission of a digital message signal over a...
C379S093090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06600815
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to the use of a telephone network for the transmission of voice and other types of signals.
Traditionally, telephone systems developed as a medium for the transmission of analogue voice information. The analogue transmission of digital data is also possible using traditional telephony (often termed POTS—Plain Old Telephone System) with modems to modulate and demodulate the digital information. A traditional telephone line based on a twisted pair of copper wires has a bandwidth of 64 kbits/sec. Conventional telephone networks have, more recently, been used to provide digital telephony (e.g. ISDN) in which data and voice are transmitted in digital form (i.e. as a series of bits) using two separate 64 kbit/sec telephone lines for two way transmission (one for each direction). A conventional telephone system can also be used to provide dedicated digital data transmission.
In a conventional telephony system, a telephone company provides a so-called “port card”, either at a switch or a local distribution point of the telephone network, which determines the type of service (e.g. POTS, ISDN or data services) provided on the telephone line(s) to subscriber's address. An appropriate number of twisted copper pairs are then run from the port card to the subscriber's home or business where one or more appliances such as telephones, fax machines, computers, etc. is/are connected.
In competition to conventional telephone systems, cable distribution systems (CATV) have been developed for providing video (e.g. television) and other services (including telephony services). Although CATV provides a relatively high bandwidth, cable television systems are essentially (e.g. 90% ) one way broadcast systems which are not provided with efficient two-way capability. Typically, cable television systems are not provided with a dedicated return channel suitable for providing telephony services in an efficient bidirectional transmission manner. Also, CATV networks are typically only provided in relatively restricted areas.
EP-A-0,666,680 describes a telephone controller for selectively connecting a fax/modem/voice chipset or a telephone to one of two available telephone lines. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,133 describes a data communication apparatus with a switching circuit for selectively coupling a telephone circuit or a modem to a selected one of two telephone lines. WO-A-93/23949 describes a telephone terminal that is arranged to selectively connect different devices to a single telephone line.
There is therefore a need to provide mixed voice, data and video services in a convenient and efficient manner using the copper-based infrastructure already widely available including copper lines to subscriber's premises.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a telephone network access adapter for a computer, the adapter comprising: at least two line ports for connection to a plurality of telephone network lines, a subscriber port for connection to subscriber telephone equipment, a video port for connection to video equipment and a computer port for connection to computer equipment; a subscriber interface connected to said subscriber port; a video interface connected to said video port; a line interface comprising a multiplexer/demultiplexer arranged to selectively connect said subscriber interface and/or said video interface to a selectable number of said plurality of telephone network lines to facilitate provision of different bandwidth services to said subscriber telephone equipment and/or said video equipment; and a controller connected to said computer port for controlling said adapter.
By providing a line interface which can selectively connect the external telephone line(s) to the subscriber interface and/or the video interface, a flexible line termination can be provided at a subscriber location for the connection of different media types.
Providing at least two line ports enables an option to receive or transmit a higher bandwidth. More preferably, the adapter comprises three line ports. Three line ports would provide sufficient capacity for the downloading of video information over, for example, a conventional telephone network to a subscriber location.
Preferably the controller is connected to the multiplexer/demultiplexer whereby the controller is able to provide internal control of the multiplexer/demultiplexer.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adapter comprises three line ports, wherein the multiplexer/demultiplexer permits the selectable connection of one, two or three lines selectively to provide a bandwidth of one, two or three times that of a single line. This allows the selective reception and/or transmission of transmissions which have different bandwidths to optimise the use of the available lines. The lines are conventional 64 kbit/sec telephone lines.
Preferably, the line interface comprises compression/decompression logic for decompressing compressed signals received from the line port(s) and for compressing signals to be sent to the line port(s).
Preferably the ccmpression/decompression and multiplexing/demultiplexing logic is selectively connectable under control of the control logic to the subscriber interface and/or the video interface in an information dependent manner. This enables a subscriber to receive and transmit information, whether that be voice, data or video or another information form in a desired manner.
Preferably, the video interface provides selectable connections between the line interface and the video port or between the line interface and the computer port or between the video port and the computer port. In particular, the video interface is preferably switchable to route video information from the line interface to the computer port for storage in the computer equipment, and is subsequently switchable to route video information from the computer port to the video port for supply to the video equipment.
The adapter can comprise a plug-in module, the computer port being connected to a standard computer module connector. Preferably, the module is a plug-in card.
The invention also provides a computer comprising a telephone network access adapter as set out above. In this case, the computer port is a computer bus connection.
Preferably the video interface is switchable to route video information from the line interface to a computer bus for storage in computer storage, and is subsequently switchable to route video information from the computer bus to the video port for supply to the video equipment.
By connecting the computer to a plurality of telephone lines, different bandwidth services can be provided using a selectable number of the plurality of lines.
By connecting the computer to two telephone lines it is possible selectively to provide, inter alia, analogue telephone services on one line, or digital telephone services on two lines, or video conferencing services on two lines, or video download services on two lines.
By additionally connecting the computer to a third telephone line it is possible selectively to provide, at the same time as analogue telephone services on one line, digital telephone services, or video conferencing services or video download services on two lines.
The invention further provides the use of a computer as set out above as the subscriber termination to a telephone network.
The invention further provides the use of a computer as set out above as the services on one line, or digital telephone services on two lines, or video conferencing subscriber termination of two telephone lines, selectively to provide, inter alia, analogue telephone services on two lines, or video download services on two lines.
The invention further provides the use of a computer as set out above as the subscriber termination of three telephone lines, selectively to provide, at the same time as analogue telephone services on one line, digital telephone services, or video conferencing services or video download services on two lines.
The invention further provides a method of pro
Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P.
Baker & Botts LLP
Sewell V. Lawrence
Smith Jessica W.
Woo Stella
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