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System for providing analog and digital telephone functions using a single telephone line
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Inventors: Davis, Jeffrey P.;
Assignee: Multi-Tech Systems, Inc. (Mounds View, MN)
Primary Examiner: Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.
An improved telecommunication device for simultaneous and independent communication of analog signals and digital data is disclosed. Processing of analog signals enables functions including, for example, message saver, speakerphone, caller identification and fax. Processing of digital data enables functions, including, for example, DSL modem communications, digital voice communications, video communications, and voice-over-data communications. The disclosed system may operate independently or coupled to one or more computers. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the embodiments described solve all of these problems and many more not mentioned expressly herein.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a telephone line interface for connection to a telephone line, an analog section, a digital section and a computer interface.
The analog section comprises a first signal processor coupled to the telephone line interface and a message storage.
The first message storage is adapted for processing digitized signals having frequencies in the audio spectrum.
The digital section includes a second processor, also coupled to the telephone line interface.
The second processor includes a modem adapted for communicating at frequencies substantially above the audio spectrum.
The computer interface is connected to the analog section and the digital section and enables coupling of the apparatus to a computer.
In one variation, the modem is a digital subscriber line modem.
Other variations provide that the computer interface includes an Ethernet port, a Universal Serial Bus port, or a wireless network connection.
One variation provides that the analog section comprises a caller identification information decoder, a packet header decoder, a facsimile tone decoder, a dual-tone multi-frequency decoder, or a distinctive ring decoder.
One variation includes an FXS/FXO (foreign exchange station and foreign exchange office) interface, a DID (direct inward dial) interface, or an E&M (ear and mouth) interface, and a connector coupled to the analog section.
One embodiment comprises a method, and includes establishing a modem communication session with a remote modem wherein the modem communication session is conducted within a first frequency band and using a local computer, a local modem, and a telephone line.
The method also includes establishing an analog telephone call on the telephone line wherein the analog telephone call includes audio from a remote caller in a second frequency band and the second frequency band includes frequencies different from those of the first frequency band
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