System and method for retrofitting existing building telecommunications infrastructures
AssigneeWayport, Inc.
InventorsBrett B. Stewart, James W. Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved system and method for retrofitting telecommunications infrastructures of existing buildings with new telecommunications services. The present invention allows new telecommunications services to be provided over existing telephone lines with reduce cost. The present invention also includes an improved system and method for providing a plurality of telephone connections and data traffic over a single communications channel. The present invention also provides improved telephony line interface module and telephony device embodiments which effectively implement line card functionality in the telephony line interface module and/or telephony device, respectively.
Claims20
A system for providing improved telephony services on existing telephone wiring, the system comprising:
- a modulation unit coupled to receive telephony signals from a PBX, the modulation unit including:
- a plurality of voice inputs coupled to receive telephony signals from the PBX;
- one or more data inputs for receiving data signals from a network;
- and
- a first processor coupled to receive the telephony signals from the plurality of voice inputs and the data signals from the one or more data inputs, wherein the first processor is configured to modulate the telephony signals from the PBX and the data signals from the network into an integrated data stream;
- and
- a line interface transducer, including:
- at least one input for coupling to the modulation unit through the limited existing telephone wiring;
- one or more telephone outputs each configured to couple to a telephone;
- at least one data output configured to couple to a data processing unit;
- and
- a second processor coupled to receive the integrated data stream from the at least one input, wherein the second processor is configured to demodulate the integrated data stream into the telephony signals and the data signals, wherein the second processor is further configured to provide the telephony signals to the one or more telephone outputs, and wherein the second processor is further configured to provide the data signals to the at least one data output.
A telephony device which provides additional telephony and/or data services on an existing telephone system, wherein the existing telephone system is comprised in a building having a plurality of rooms, wherein the existing telephone system includes limited existing telephone wiring provided from a PBX to one or more locations in each of the rooms, the telephony device comprising:
- at least one input for coupling to the limited existing telephone wiring, wherein the at least one input receives telephony signals from the limited existing telephone wiring, wherein the telephony signals include a first POTS voice signal and a digital voice signal;
- a POTS splitter coupled to the at least one input which receives the telephony signals and provides a first output comprising the POTS voice signal and provides a second output comprising the digital voice signal;
- telephone circuitry coupled to POTS splitter which receives the POTS voice signal output from the POTS splitter, wherein the telephone circuitry performs telephony functions within the telephone;
- a digital transceiver coupled to POTS splitter which receives the digital voice signal output from the POTS splitter and decodes the digital voice signal;
- a subscriber line circuit coupled to the digital transceiver and to the telephone circuitry, wherein the subscriber line circuit is operable to receive the decoded digital voice signal and generate a ring signal to the telephone circuitry, wherein the subscriber line circuit is further operable to generate a second POTS voice signal in response to the decoded digital voice signal and provide the second POTS voice signal to the telephone circuitry;
- a handset port coupled to the telephone circuitry, wherein the handset port is for coupling to a handset;
- wherein the telephone circuitry provides one or more of the first and second POTS voice signals to the handset port.
A method of operating an integrated telecommunications system, wherein the integrated telecommunications system includes a PBX configured to couple to a PSTN, a modulation unit coupled to the PBX and to a data network connection, a plurality of line interface transducers coupled to the modulation unit, and a plurality of telephones each coupled to the PBX through one of the plurality of line interface transducers and through the modulation unit, wherein each of the plurality of telephones is configured to receive telephony signals through the PBX, the method comprising:
- the PBX receiving one or more telephony signals, wherein the one or more telephony signals are intended for one of the plurality of telephones;
- the PBX providing the one or more telephony signals to the modulation unit;
- the modulation unit receiving the one or more telephony signals from the PBX;
- the modulation unit providing the one or more telephony signals in a digital format to a respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers;
- the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers receiving the one or more telephony signals from the modulation unit;
- the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers demodulating the one or more telephony signals;
- and
- the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers providing the one or more telephony signals in an analog format to the one of the plurality of telephones;
- the modulation unit receiving one or more network data signals from the data network connection, wherein the one or more network data signals are intended for a computing device connected to the respective one of the plurality of line interface transducers;
- the modulation unit integrating the one or more data signals and the one or more telephony signals into an integrated data stream;
- and
- the modulation unit providing the integrated data stream to the line interface unit, wherein the integrated data stream includes the one or more telephony signals and the network data signals;
- and
- the line interface transducer providing the network data signals in a digital format to the computing device.
The method of 18, further comprising:
- the modulation unit integrating control signals into the integrated data stream, wherein the integrated data stream includes the one or more telephony signals, the network data signals, and the control signals;
- and
- the line interface transducer receiving the control signals in the integrated data stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.