Granted Patent B2

US 7,149,209 · App. 10/818,764 · Granted Dec 12, 2006

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method of providing audio communications over a computer network between sending and destination audio transceiver devices respectively coupled to one or more transmission networks, said transceiver devices utilizing differing first and second digital encoded audio signal formats, respectively, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving digitized audio data transmitted by said sending audio transceiver device at a single first digital audio data signal interface, said received digitized audio data signal utilizing said first audio data signal format;

identifying at least a destination identification portion and a format identification portion of said received digitized audio data signal;

identifying said first and second audio data signal formats;

responsive to said step of identifying at least said second audio data signal formats, providing a format translation signal to a format translator; and

responsive to said format translation signal, translating said first digital encoded audio data signal at a single translator to a second digital encoded audio data signal having said second audio data signal format, irrespective of which transmission networks the sending and destination audio transceiver devices are coupled to.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step of identifying said second audio data signal format comprises the steps of:

providing a plurality of destination audio data signal formats to a format identifier;

storing in a look-up table at a destination identifier said destination audio data signal formats at least one destination audio data signal format corresponding to at least one destination device;

searching said look-up table in response to a received destination identification signal and retrieving said at least one destination format corresponding to said destination device; and

providing said destination identification signal to said format translator.

3. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step of identifying said second audio data signal format comprises:

polling said destination device to receive an audio signal response;

identifying a format identification portion of said audio signal response;

searching a look-up table to identify a destination format identification signal corresponding to said format identification portion of said audio signal response; and

providing said destination format identification signal to said format translator.

4. A method of communicating between a first and at least a second audio transceiver device comprising the acts of:

transmitting a first audio signal in a first audio format from said first audio transceiver device to a first translator;

transmitting a second audio signal in a second audio format from said first translator to said at least a second audio transceiver device, said second audio format being different than said first audio format;

identifying a first destination identifier corresponding to said at least a second audio transceiver device;

identifying a first format identifier corresponding to said first audio format of said first audio signal;

identifying a second format identifier corresponding to said second audio format;

responsive to said act of identifying said second format identifier and said act of identifying said first format identifier, translating said first audio signal having said first audio format to said second audio signal having said second audio format at said first translator regardless of a transmission line upon which said first audio signal is received and regardless of said first audio format such that all translations are performed at said first translator.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 further including the act of polling said at least a second audio transceiver device to determine at least one acceptable second audio format.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said act of identifying said second audio format is responsive to a database comprising one or more audio formats corresponding to at least said second audio transceiver device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second audio format is predetermined and said first audio format is not predetermined.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4 further including identifying a second destination identifier corresponding to said first audio transceiver device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said act of identifying said first format identifier corresponding to said first audio format of said first audio signal is responsive to said act of identifying said second destination identifier corresponding to said first audio transceiver device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said act of identifying said second format identifier corresponding to said second audio format of said at least a second audio transceiver device is responsive to said act of identifying said first destination identifier corresponding to said second audio transceiver device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4 further including the act of storing in an audio format database at least one audio format corresponding to each of a plurality of destination audio transceiver devices, said plurality a destination audio transceiver devices including at least said first and said at least a second audio transceiver devices.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said act of identifying said second format identifier corresponding to said second audio format further includes searching said audio format database.

Assignments (14)