CA2215681A1 - Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network - Google Patents
Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2215681A1 CA2215681A1 CA002215681A CA2215681A CA2215681A1 CA 2215681 A1 CA2215681 A1 CA 2215681A1 CA 002215681 A CA002215681 A CA 002215681A CA 2215681 A CA2215681 A CA 2215681A CA 2215681 A1 CA2215681 A1 CA 2215681A1
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- Prior art keywords
- telephone
- user
- packet
- packet network
- conventional telephone
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
- H04M7/006—Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer
- H04M7/0066—Details of access arrangements to the networks
- H04M7/0069—Details of access arrangements to the networks comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
- H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/253—Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
- H04M1/2535—Telephone sets using digital voice transmission adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
- H04M7/006—Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
- H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
- H04L2012/6443—Network Node Interface, e.g. Routing, Path finding
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
- H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
- H04L2012/6472—Internet
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
- H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
- H04L2012/6475—N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
- H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
- H04L2012/6481—Speech, voice
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M2203/20—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to features of supplementary services
- H04M2203/2066—Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
Abstract
An apparatus and method for routing telephone calls between conventional analog telephones, conventional telephone lines and packet network access devices that are all located on the premises of the customer, is presented. The apparatus is a small sealed enclosure with a plurality of interfaces including conventional telephone line interfaces, conventional telephone interfaces and packet network interfaces. Use is made of an embedded software agent located in the apparatus to decide which interfaces to use on the apparatus for completing telephone calls. The software agent takes decisions based on a set of routing rules that are determined by a combination of client-side and server-side processes. The complete operation of the apparatus is entirely transparent to the subscriber.
Description
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packet networks. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a method and an 10 apparatus to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art is replete with software enabling a first user to establish a telephone-like conversation with a second user running the same software.
These software usually run on personal computers 20 equipped with microphones to capture the sounds and with sound cards to reproduce the sounds from the other user. The software therefore captures the sound from a first user, digitizes it, compresses it, and forwards it to the Internet Protocol address (IP address) of the second user. The sounds is then uncompressed, transferred back to analog 25 sound by the sound card and reproduced on the premises of the second user. Of course, these steps are performed bidirectionnally to result in a full duplex connection.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 The drawbacks of the above mentioned software system are multiple. For example, a dedicated PC must be used as a telephone, both users must be similarly equipped and running the same software and it is not possible to reach users equipped with conventional 5 telephones.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide 10 an improved apparatus and method for transmitting live sounds over a packet network.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method to use a conventional telephone set to make 15 telephone calls on a packet network.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of 20 example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings:
Figure 1 is a schematized block diagram illustrating the various components of a telephone to packet adaptor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 Figure 2 is a schematized block diagram illustrating a packet network where users are provided with telephone to packet adaptors according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between user 2 and user 1 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between user 1 and user 2 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between one of users 1 or 2 and user 3 of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a block diagram showing another way of illustrating the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 of the appended drawings illustrates a block diagram of a full duplex telephone to packet adaptor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The adaptor 10 includes a telephone inpuVoutput (IO) port 12 to which a conventional telephone (not shown) may be connected, a telephone line IO port 14 to which a telephone line (not shown) may be CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 connected and a cable IO port 16 to which a conventional television cable (not shown) may optionally be connected.
The adaptor 10 electronic circuitry generally includes an 5 analog to digital (A/D) and a digital to analog (D/A) full duplex interface 18 connected to a controller circuit 20, a speech encoder/decoder 22 connected to the controller circuit 20, a telephone interface 24 interconnecting the IO port 14 and the controller circuit 20 and a cable interface 26 interconnecting the IO port 16 and the controller circuit 20.
The controller circuit 20 is provided with a central processing unit (CPU) and sufficient memory to store a software agent program and other data stored in databases.
The speech encoder/decoder 22 includes the required circuitry to preform digital speech encoding and decoding to decrease the bandwidth required to transfer the information to a user to another and to recuperate the complete information after the transfer.
It is believed within the reach of one skilled in the art to provide adequate electronic circuitry for the elements 18-26 described hereinabove.
Turning now to Figure 2 of the appended drawings, a packet network 30 (hereinafter referred to as "the internet") in which the users are equipped with the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1 is illustrated. Figure 2 will be further described hereinafter with a view to illustrate some of the various possibilities of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 A first user 32 is connected to the internet 30 via a first service provider 34 and a telephone line 36. The first service provider 34 has a conventional internet server 38 provided with conventional modems (not shown) to interconnect its clients, for example first user 32, to the 5 internet. The first user 32 has a conventional modem 40, a telephone to packet adaptor 1 Oa and a conventional telephone 42. It is to be noted that the cable lO port 16 (not shown) of the adaptor 1 Oa is not used.
Figure 2 also illustrates a second service provider 44 10 connected to the internet via an internet server 46 and including a telephone to packet adaptor 10b interconnecting the internet server 46 and a telephone line 48 the purpose of which will be described hereinafter with reference to Figure 5.
The internet 30 is also connected to a server 50 of a cable company 52 providing internet services to its clients, for example second user 54, via a conventional television cable 58 connected to the server 50 via adequate circuitry (not shown) known in the art.
The second user 54 is equipped with a cable modem 60 connected to the conventional television cable 58 and a telephone to packet adaptor 10c interconnecting the cable modem 60 and a conventional telephone 62. The telephone to packet adaptor 10c is also connected to a telephone line 64.
Finally, Figure 2 also illustrates a third user 66 equipped with a conventional telephone 68 connected to a conventional telephone line 70.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 Turning now to Figures 3-5, three different methods of use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 will be described.
Figure 3 generally illustrates the steps taken when the second user 54 wants to reach another person.
After the telephone to packet adaptor 10c is started (step 100) and initialized (step 102), the system waits until the second user 54 picks up the handset and dials a telephone number (step 104).
The telephone to packet adaptor 10c then verifies if the dialled telephone number is present in a database contained in the controller circuit 20 (Figure 1) (Step 106). If it is not the case, the telephone to packet adaptor connects the telephone 62 to the telephone line 64 and dials the telephone number (step 108) which means that the number dialled by the second user does not correspond to a known user of the present invention and that the telephone number must be conventionally dialled over a telephone line to establish the connection.
If the dialled number is present in the database, the controller 20 then determines if the IP address corresponding to this telephone number is in its database (step 110). If it is not the case, the telephone to packet adaptor 10c interrogates the internet server 50 of the cable company 52 (or any other server having a table of the IP address vs telephone numbers) to find the required IP address (step 112). When this is done, the telephone to packet adaptor 10c establishes the connection between the second user 54 and the other user (for example the first user 32) (step 114). The two connected users may then communicate normally in full duplex since the conversation is CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 bidirectionally digitized, transformed into packets and transferred via the internet 30 to the other user where it is converted back into an analog signal and supplied to the handset.
The telephone to packet adaptor 1 Oc then waits until the communication is broken (step 1 16) and then returns to step 104.
An advantage of the above mentioned method is that the second user 54 may transparently connect to both conventional telephone users and users of the present invention.
Figure 4 of the appended drawings generally illustrates the steps taken when the first user 32 wants to reach another person.
Steps 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 214 and 216 are respectively identical to steps 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 14 and 1 16 of Figure 3.
Since the first user is not connected to the internet via a cable company, the internet server 38 of the first internet service provider 34 (or any other server having a table of the IP address vs telephone numbers) is interrogated in step 212.
A step 218 has been added between step 206 and 210 to instruct the modem 40 to connect to the service provider 34.
The telephone 42 is therefore connected to the telephone line directly if a conventional telephone call is requested and CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 to the internet via the first service provider 34 if a telephone call to another user of the present invention is requested.
Finally, Figure 5 of the appended drawings illustrates 5 another use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1. This application advantageous to reduce the long distance costs of the user.
The general principle is to detect if the telephone number dialled by the user is a long distance number and to do a routing 10 of the call to a service provider (for example the second service provider 44 in Figure 1) in the area of the telephone number to therefore prevent any long distance charges to the user if it is so. Of course the service provider 44 is equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor 1 Ob that may dial a local number via a telephone line 48.
Steps 300, 302, 304, 308 and 316 are identical to the corresponding steps 100, 102, 104, 108 and 116 of Figure 1 and described hereinabove.
In step 306, the telephone to packet adaptor determines if the telephone number dialled is a long distance number. If this is not the case, step 308 is done as mentioned above.
If the telephone number dialled is a long distance number (for example the telephone number of the third user 66), the telephone to packet adaptor searches a database (located in the controller circuit or in an internet server) to find the IP address of a serviceprovider equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor (for example the CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 second service provider 44) in the area of the telephone number dialled (step 320).
The telephone to packet adaptorthen connects with this 5 service provider 44 gives its own IP address and the telephone number of the third user 66 (step 322).
The telephone to packet adaptor 10b of the second service provider 44 then takes the telephone line 48 and dials the 10 received telephone number to establish the communication with the third user.
Again, the use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 is transparent to the user since only one number is dialled. Also, this 15 application enables the user of the present invention to communicate with a user of a conventional telephone.
It is to be noted that it would also be possible to make a local call to a user of a conventional telephone by using a local service 20 provider equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor to do local calls.
This way, the second user 54, for example, would not require a conventional telephone line.
It is to be noted that conventional and/or cable modems 25 could be integrated with the telephone to packet adaptor 10.
It is also to be noted that the telephone to packet adaptor 10 also includes a dial tone generator (not shown) to locally simulate the conventional dial tone in the handset.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 As will be easily understood by one skilled in the art, the software running in the telephone to packet adaptor 10 may advantageously include supplementary features. For example, once an internet server is interrogated to link an IP address to a telephone 5 number, the control circuit 20 may keep this information in a database for future reference in view of decreasing the required connection time.
Similarly, speed dial numbers may be assigned to such kept IP
addresses.
Also, it is to be noted that the flow diagrams illustrated in Figures 3-5 are schematized and that actual flow diagrams would be al lot more complex and would include other rules for routing the calls.
For example, if the telephone to packet adaptor detects that an emergency number (911 in North America) has been dialled it will 15 automatically take the telephone line and dial this emergency number.
Turning now to Figure 6 that shows another way of illustrating the present invention, an embedded software agent is used to compute a route based on information acquired or stored locally as well 20 as information acquired from a network server. A calling method is derived from these rules and is used to determine which interfaces will be involved in the process of completing the call. The appropriate route is triggered from an embedded software agent running in a central processing unit located in the apparatus. The embedded software agent 25 may decide to exchange route information with an intelligence server located on the network in order to "remember" this information in further calls. The embedded software agent will decide when it is appropriate to select whether to use the packet network interface or the telephone network interface to carry through a call. This method permits of using a CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 dedicated connexion to a packet network in the home as a mean for automatically diverting some telephone calls through a least cost route.
Although the present invention has been described 5 hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.
Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packet networks. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a method and an 10 apparatus to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art is replete with software enabling a first user to establish a telephone-like conversation with a second user running the same software.
These software usually run on personal computers 20 equipped with microphones to capture the sounds and with sound cards to reproduce the sounds from the other user. The software therefore captures the sound from a first user, digitizes it, compresses it, and forwards it to the Internet Protocol address (IP address) of the second user. The sounds is then uncompressed, transferred back to analog 25 sound by the sound card and reproduced on the premises of the second user. Of course, these steps are performed bidirectionnally to result in a full duplex connection.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 The drawbacks of the above mentioned software system are multiple. For example, a dedicated PC must be used as a telephone, both users must be similarly equipped and running the same software and it is not possible to reach users equipped with conventional 5 telephones.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide 10 an improved apparatus and method for transmitting live sounds over a packet network.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method to use a conventional telephone set to make 15 telephone calls on a packet network.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of 20 example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings:
Figure 1 is a schematized block diagram illustrating the various components of a telephone to packet adaptor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 Figure 2 is a schematized block diagram illustrating a packet network where users are provided with telephone to packet adaptors according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between user 2 and user 1 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between user 1 and user 2 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the general steps taken to establish a communication between one of users 1 or 2 and user 3 of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a block diagram showing another way of illustrating the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 of the appended drawings illustrates a block diagram of a full duplex telephone to packet adaptor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The adaptor 10 includes a telephone inpuVoutput (IO) port 12 to which a conventional telephone (not shown) may be connected, a telephone line IO port 14 to which a telephone line (not shown) may be CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 connected and a cable IO port 16 to which a conventional television cable (not shown) may optionally be connected.
The adaptor 10 electronic circuitry generally includes an 5 analog to digital (A/D) and a digital to analog (D/A) full duplex interface 18 connected to a controller circuit 20, a speech encoder/decoder 22 connected to the controller circuit 20, a telephone interface 24 interconnecting the IO port 14 and the controller circuit 20 and a cable interface 26 interconnecting the IO port 16 and the controller circuit 20.
The controller circuit 20 is provided with a central processing unit (CPU) and sufficient memory to store a software agent program and other data stored in databases.
The speech encoder/decoder 22 includes the required circuitry to preform digital speech encoding and decoding to decrease the bandwidth required to transfer the information to a user to another and to recuperate the complete information after the transfer.
It is believed within the reach of one skilled in the art to provide adequate electronic circuitry for the elements 18-26 described hereinabove.
Turning now to Figure 2 of the appended drawings, a packet network 30 (hereinafter referred to as "the internet") in which the users are equipped with the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1 is illustrated. Figure 2 will be further described hereinafter with a view to illustrate some of the various possibilities of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 A first user 32 is connected to the internet 30 via a first service provider 34 and a telephone line 36. The first service provider 34 has a conventional internet server 38 provided with conventional modems (not shown) to interconnect its clients, for example first user 32, to the 5 internet. The first user 32 has a conventional modem 40, a telephone to packet adaptor 1 Oa and a conventional telephone 42. It is to be noted that the cable lO port 16 (not shown) of the adaptor 1 Oa is not used.
Figure 2 also illustrates a second service provider 44 10 connected to the internet via an internet server 46 and including a telephone to packet adaptor 10b interconnecting the internet server 46 and a telephone line 48 the purpose of which will be described hereinafter with reference to Figure 5.
The internet 30 is also connected to a server 50 of a cable company 52 providing internet services to its clients, for example second user 54, via a conventional television cable 58 connected to the server 50 via adequate circuitry (not shown) known in the art.
The second user 54 is equipped with a cable modem 60 connected to the conventional television cable 58 and a telephone to packet adaptor 10c interconnecting the cable modem 60 and a conventional telephone 62. The telephone to packet adaptor 10c is also connected to a telephone line 64.
Finally, Figure 2 also illustrates a third user 66 equipped with a conventional telephone 68 connected to a conventional telephone line 70.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 Turning now to Figures 3-5, three different methods of use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 will be described.
Figure 3 generally illustrates the steps taken when the second user 54 wants to reach another person.
After the telephone to packet adaptor 10c is started (step 100) and initialized (step 102), the system waits until the second user 54 picks up the handset and dials a telephone number (step 104).
The telephone to packet adaptor 10c then verifies if the dialled telephone number is present in a database contained in the controller circuit 20 (Figure 1) (Step 106). If it is not the case, the telephone to packet adaptor connects the telephone 62 to the telephone line 64 and dials the telephone number (step 108) which means that the number dialled by the second user does not correspond to a known user of the present invention and that the telephone number must be conventionally dialled over a telephone line to establish the connection.
If the dialled number is present in the database, the controller 20 then determines if the IP address corresponding to this telephone number is in its database (step 110). If it is not the case, the telephone to packet adaptor 10c interrogates the internet server 50 of the cable company 52 (or any other server having a table of the IP address vs telephone numbers) to find the required IP address (step 112). When this is done, the telephone to packet adaptor 10c establishes the connection between the second user 54 and the other user (for example the first user 32) (step 114). The two connected users may then communicate normally in full duplex since the conversation is CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 bidirectionally digitized, transformed into packets and transferred via the internet 30 to the other user where it is converted back into an analog signal and supplied to the handset.
The telephone to packet adaptor 1 Oc then waits until the communication is broken (step 1 16) and then returns to step 104.
An advantage of the above mentioned method is that the second user 54 may transparently connect to both conventional telephone users and users of the present invention.
Figure 4 of the appended drawings generally illustrates the steps taken when the first user 32 wants to reach another person.
Steps 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 214 and 216 are respectively identical to steps 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 14 and 1 16 of Figure 3.
Since the first user is not connected to the internet via a cable company, the internet server 38 of the first internet service provider 34 (or any other server having a table of the IP address vs telephone numbers) is interrogated in step 212.
A step 218 has been added between step 206 and 210 to instruct the modem 40 to connect to the service provider 34.
The telephone 42 is therefore connected to the telephone line directly if a conventional telephone call is requested and CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 to the internet via the first service provider 34 if a telephone call to another user of the present invention is requested.
Finally, Figure 5 of the appended drawings illustrates 5 another use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 of Figure 1. This application advantageous to reduce the long distance costs of the user.
The general principle is to detect if the telephone number dialled by the user is a long distance number and to do a routing 10 of the call to a service provider (for example the second service provider 44 in Figure 1) in the area of the telephone number to therefore prevent any long distance charges to the user if it is so. Of course the service provider 44 is equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor 1 Ob that may dial a local number via a telephone line 48.
Steps 300, 302, 304, 308 and 316 are identical to the corresponding steps 100, 102, 104, 108 and 116 of Figure 1 and described hereinabove.
In step 306, the telephone to packet adaptor determines if the telephone number dialled is a long distance number. If this is not the case, step 308 is done as mentioned above.
If the telephone number dialled is a long distance number (for example the telephone number of the third user 66), the telephone to packet adaptor searches a database (located in the controller circuit or in an internet server) to find the IP address of a serviceprovider equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor (for example the CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 second service provider 44) in the area of the telephone number dialled (step 320).
The telephone to packet adaptorthen connects with this 5 service provider 44 gives its own IP address and the telephone number of the third user 66 (step 322).
The telephone to packet adaptor 10b of the second service provider 44 then takes the telephone line 48 and dials the 10 received telephone number to establish the communication with the third user.
Again, the use of the telephone to packet adaptor 10 is transparent to the user since only one number is dialled. Also, this 15 application enables the user of the present invention to communicate with a user of a conventional telephone.
It is to be noted that it would also be possible to make a local call to a user of a conventional telephone by using a local service 20 provider equipped with a telephone to packet adaptor to do local calls.
This way, the second user 54, for example, would not require a conventional telephone line.
It is to be noted that conventional and/or cable modems 25 could be integrated with the telephone to packet adaptor 10.
It is also to be noted that the telephone to packet adaptor 10 also includes a dial tone generator (not shown) to locally simulate the conventional dial tone in the handset.
CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 As will be easily understood by one skilled in the art, the software running in the telephone to packet adaptor 10 may advantageously include supplementary features. For example, once an internet server is interrogated to link an IP address to a telephone 5 number, the control circuit 20 may keep this information in a database for future reference in view of decreasing the required connection time.
Similarly, speed dial numbers may be assigned to such kept IP
addresses.
Also, it is to be noted that the flow diagrams illustrated in Figures 3-5 are schematized and that actual flow diagrams would be al lot more complex and would include other rules for routing the calls.
For example, if the telephone to packet adaptor detects that an emergency number (911 in North America) has been dialled it will 15 automatically take the telephone line and dial this emergency number.
Turning now to Figure 6 that shows another way of illustrating the present invention, an embedded software agent is used to compute a route based on information acquired or stored locally as well 20 as information acquired from a network server. A calling method is derived from these rules and is used to determine which interfaces will be involved in the process of completing the call. The appropriate route is triggered from an embedded software agent running in a central processing unit located in the apparatus. The embedded software agent 25 may decide to exchange route information with an intelligence server located on the network in order to "remember" this information in further calls. The embedded software agent will decide when it is appropriate to select whether to use the packet network interface or the telephone network interface to carry through a call. This method permits of using a CA 0221~681 1997-09-16 dedicated connexion to a packet network in the home as a mean for automatically diverting some telephone calls through a least cost route.
Although the present invention has been described 5 hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (2)
1. A telephone to packet adaptor comprising:
a conventional telephone line interface;
a conventional telephone interface;
a packet network interface;
a controller circuit interconnecting said conventional telephone line, conventional telephone and packet network interfaces;
said controller circuit running an agent software for routing the telephone line interface to either said conventional telephone line interface and said packet network interface depending on predetermined rules.
a conventional telephone line interface;
a conventional telephone interface;
a packet network interface;
a controller circuit interconnecting said conventional telephone line, conventional telephone and packet network interfaces;
said controller circuit running an agent software for routing the telephone line interface to either said conventional telephone line interface and said packet network interface depending on predetermined rules.
2. A method of operating a telephone to packet adaptor comprising:
a conventional telephone line interface;
a conventional telephone interface;
a packet network interface;
a controller circuit interconnecting said conventional telephone line, conventional telephone and packet network interfaces;
said method comprising the step of:
running an agent software for routing the telephone line interface to either said conventional telephone line interface and said packet network interface depending on predetermined rules.
a conventional telephone line interface;
a conventional telephone interface;
a packet network interface;
a controller circuit interconnecting said conventional telephone line, conventional telephone and packet network interfaces;
said method comprising the step of:
running an agent software for routing the telephone line interface to either said conventional telephone line interface and said packet network interface depending on predetermined rules.
Priority Applications (10)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215681A CA2215681A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
| JP2000512340A JP2001517032A (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Apparatus and method for using conventional telephones for telephone calls over packet format networks |
| AT98943602T ATE430441T1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | METHOD OF USING A CONVENTIONAL TELEPHONE FOR TELEPHONE CALLS OVER A PACKET NETWORK |
| AU91490/98A AU9149098A (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone callson a packet network |
| EP98943602A EP1016260B1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
| CA002303392A CA2303392C (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
| PCT/CA1998/000879 WO1999014929A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
| DE69840794T DE69840794D1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | METHOD FOR USING A CONVENTIONAL PHONE FOR TELEPHONE CALLS VIA A PACKET NETWORK |
| BR9812647-4A BR9812647A (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-15 | Apparatus and method for using a conventional electronic device to make telephone calls on a packet network |
| US09/154,431 US6944151B1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1998-09-16 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215681A CA2215681A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2215681A1 true CA2215681A1 (en) | 1999-03-16 |
Family
ID=4161479
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002215681A Abandoned CA2215681A1 (en) | 1997-09-16 | 1997-09-16 | Apparatus and method to use a conventional telephone set to make telephone calls on a packet network |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US6944151B1 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1016260B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2001517032A (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE430441T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU9149098A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9812647A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2215681A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69840794D1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1999014929A1 (en) |
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| FI107209B (en) | 1999-06-21 | 2001-06-15 | Nokia Networks Oy | A method for establishing a connection |
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| US7804815B1 (en) | 1999-09-17 | 2010-09-28 | Intertex Data Ab | System and apparatus for telecommunication |
| US7050546B1 (en) | 1999-10-05 | 2006-05-23 | Thomson Licensing | System and method for providing POTS services in DSL environment in event of failures |
| KR100683012B1 (en) * | 1999-10-05 | 2007-02-15 | 톰슨 라이센싱 | System and method for providing pots services in dsl environment in event of failures |
| JP2003511908A (en) * | 1999-10-05 | 2003-03-25 | トムソン ライセンシング ソシエテ アノニム | Messaging service for digital subscriber loops |
| US7092380B1 (en) * | 1999-10-22 | 2006-08-15 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Method and system for providing voice communication over data networks |
| GB2357657B (en) * | 1999-12-21 | 2003-10-15 | David Adams | Communication system |
| WO2002003672A1 (en) * | 2000-06-29 | 2002-01-10 | Lin Ching Yi | Phone appliance with display screen and methods of using the same |
| US7301940B1 (en) * | 2001-07-18 | 2007-11-27 | 2Wire, Inc. | Dual-use packet/analog phone or phone-adapter in a packet telephony distribution system |
| US7142560B2 (en) * | 2001-08-14 | 2006-11-28 | Sharp Laboratories Of America, Inc. | System and method for virtual multiline telephony in a home-network telephone |
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| US7212520B2 (en) * | 2002-02-13 | 2007-05-01 | International Business Machines For Corporation | Net-aware telephone switch |
| JP2006501725A (en) | 2002-09-27 | 2006-01-12 | アクシズステル，インコーポレイテッド | A telephone terminal that provides a connection between a telephone and a data network |
| US7263362B1 (en) * | 2002-09-30 | 2007-08-28 | Digeo, Inc. | System and method for deploying multi-function access points in a data network |
| US20050152347A1 (en) * | 2004-01-14 | 2005-07-14 | Chen Christopher Y.W. | System and method for managing voice communications between a telephone, a circuit switching network and/or a packet switching network |
| US8750290B2 (en) * | 2005-06-10 | 2014-06-10 | Zoom Telephonics, Inc. | Method and apparatus for ensuring accessibility to emergency service via VoIP or via PSTN |
| US20080130635A1 (en) * | 2005-10-03 | 2008-06-05 | Sean Ryan | VOIP With Local Call Access |
| US7643519B2 (en) * | 2006-03-29 | 2010-01-05 | Intel Corporation | Pre-processing and packetizing data in accordance with telecommunication protocol |
| US8125998B2 (en) * | 2007-08-02 | 2012-02-28 | Phybridge Inc. | Backup system and method for network data communications |
| US20090175262A1 (en) * | 2008-01-04 | 2009-07-09 | Sean Ryan | VOIP With Internet Access |
| US9762748B2 (en) * | 2009-06-08 | 2017-09-12 | Mitel Networks Corporation | Power management in an internet protocol (IP) telephone |
| WO2012050547A1 (en) * | 2010-10-14 | 2012-04-19 | Thomson Licensing | System and method for providing automatic determination of a call type in telephony services over a data network |
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| US5726984A (en) * | 1989-01-31 | 1998-03-10 | Norand Corporation | Hierarchical data collection network supporting packetized voice communications among wireless terminals and telephones |
| JPH07170288A (en) * | 1993-12-15 | 1995-07-04 | Hitachi Ltd | Voice communication system and voice communication method |
| WO1995025407A1 (en) * | 1994-03-17 | 1995-09-21 | Sierra Wireless, Inc. | Modem for packet and circuit switched communication |
| JP3247540B2 (en) * | 1994-05-12 | 2002-01-15 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Packetized communication device and switching device |
| US5661785A (en) * | 1994-12-22 | 1997-08-26 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Flexible telecommunications line interface |
| US5563938A (en) | 1995-04-07 | 1996-10-08 | Teltone Corporation | Subscriber telephone diverter switch |
| US5610910A (en) * | 1995-08-17 | 1997-03-11 | Northern Telecom Limited | Access to telecommunications networks in multi-service environment |
| US5915008A (en) * | 1995-10-04 | 1999-06-22 | Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. | System and method for changing advanced intelligent network services from customer premises equipment |
| IL115967A (en) * | 1995-11-12 | 1999-05-09 | Phonet Communication Ltd | Network based distributed pbx system |
| JP2000511724A (en) * | 1996-06-04 | 2000-09-05 | テレフオンアクチーボラゲツト エル エム エリクソン（パブル） | Access network through dedicated media |
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| WO1998011704A2 (en) * | 1996-09-12 | 1998-03-19 | Dialnet, Inc. | Dedicated system and process for distributed communication on a packet-switched network |
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| US6307853B1 (en) * | 1996-11-21 | 2001-10-23 | Net2Phone, Inc. | Re-routing telephony communications traffic through a private branch exchange to a data network |
| US6078582A (en) * | 1996-12-18 | 2000-06-20 | Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. | Internet long distance telephone service |
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| US5978469A (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 1999-11-02 | U S West, Inc. | Apparatus for telephone extension control |
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| US6233234B1 (en) * | 1997-06-03 | 2001-05-15 | Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. | Secure LAN/internet telephony |
-
1997
- 1997-09-16 CA CA002215681A patent/CA2215681A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
1998
- 1998-09-15 DE DE69840794T patent/DE69840794D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-09-15 AT AT98943602T patent/ATE430441T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1998-09-15 JP JP2000512340A patent/JP2001517032A/en active Pending
- 1998-09-15 WO PCT/CA1998/000879 patent/WO1999014929A1/en active Application Filing
- 1998-09-15 AU AU91490/98A patent/AU9149098A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1998-09-15 EP EP98943602A patent/EP1016260B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-09-15 BR BR9812647-4A patent/BR9812647A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1998-09-16 US US09/154,431 patent/US6944151B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE69840794D1 (en) | 2009-06-10 |
| US6944151B1 (en) | 2005-09-13 |
| ATE430441T1 (en) | 2009-05-15 |
| EP1016260B1 (en) | 2009-04-29 |
| AU9149098A (en) | 1999-04-05 |
| BR9812647A (en) | 2001-12-18 |
| JP2001517032A (en) | 2001-10-02 |
| WO1999014929A1 (en) | 1999-03-25 |
| EP1016260A1 (en) | 2000-07-05 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Discontinued |