Telecommunication apparatus and method for forwarding packets using separate collision domains

A telecommunication apparatus, comprising:

• a first I/O device receiving packets from the first network via a first communication path;
• a second I/O device in electrical communication with the second network via a second communication path;
• an input port for receiving signals from an input device;
• and
• a packet controller in electrical communication with the input port and the I/O devices, the packet controller forwarding a first portion of the received packets to the second I/O device and discarding a second portion of the received packets without forwarding such packets to the second I/O device.

A telecommunication apparatus, comprising:

• a first I/O device in electrical communication with the first network via a first communication path;
• a second I/O device in electrical communication with the second network via a second communication path;
• an input port for receiving signals from an input device;
• and
• a packet controller in communication with the first and second I/O devices and the input port, the packet controller (a) forwarding packets received by the I/O device to the second I/O device for transmission to the second network, (b) generating packets from the signals received by the input port for forwarding to at least one of the first and second I/O devices, and (c) prioritizing packets prior to forwarding such packets to one of the I/O devices.

A telecommunication apparatus, comprising:

• a packet switching device in communication with a first network and a second network, the packet switching device communicating with the first network via a first communication path and with the second network via a second communication path, the packet switching device forwarding packets received from the first network to the second network;
• an input port for receiving signals from an input device;
• and
• a packet controller in electrical communication with the packet switching device and the input port, the packet controller generating packets from the signals received by the input port for transmission to at least one of the first and second networks through the packet switching device.

A telephone set, comprising:

• a first media access control (MAC) device in electrical communication with a first network via a first communication path;
• a second MAC device in electrical communication with a second network via a second communication path;
• an input port for receiving signals from an input device;
• and
• a packet controller in communication with the first and second MAC devices and the input port, the packet controller (a) forwarding packets received by the first MAC device to the second MAC device for transmission to the second network and (b) generating packets from the signals received by the input port for transmission to at least one of the first and second MAC devices.

In a telecommunication system including a first network coupled to a second network by a telecommunication device, a method for providing packets to at least one of the first and second networks comprising the steps of:

• receiving at the telecommunication device packets from the first network via a first communication path;
• receiving at the telecommunication device signals from an input device;
• forwarding packets received from the first network to the second network via a second communication path;
• and
• generating packets at the telecommunication device from the signals received by the input port for forwarding to at least one of the first and second networks.