Telephone outlet with packet telephony adapter, and a network using same
View Patent ↗An outlet for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter that converts VoIP to and from analog telephony, and a standard telephone jack (e.g. RJ-11 in North America) for connecting an ordinary analog (POTS) telephone set. Such an outlet allows using analog telephone sets in a VoIP environment, eliminating the need for an IP telephone set or external adapter. The outlet may also include a hub that allows connecting both an analog telephone set via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack. The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the VoIP/POTS adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular analog service, VoIP telephony service using an analog telephone set, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet requires two standard telephone jacks and a data-networking jack. Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation.
1. A network for coupling a plurality of analog telephone devices to the Internet, the network comprising:
a telephone wire pair at least in part in a wall within a building, said wire pair being connected for concurrently carrying an analog telephone signal carried in an analog telephone signal frequency band frequency multiplexed with a digital data signal carried in a digital data signal frequency band, the digital data signal containing digitized and packetized telephone data, the digital data signal frequency band being distinct from, and higher than, the analog telephone signal frequency band;
a gateway connected between said telephone wire pair and the Internet, said gateway being operative to couple the digital data signal between the telephone wire pair and the Internet; and
a first device housed within a single enclosure and connected to said telephone wire pair, said first device being connectable to a first analog telephone device and comprising a relay connected to the first analog telephone device, said relay being operative to couple the analog telephone signal to the first analog telephone device only when the digital data signal is not present on said telephone wire pair,
wherein the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol, and said enclosure is attached to a wall of a building, and
wherein said enclosure is mounted in the wall of the building.
2. The network according to claim 1 , further comprising a second device that is operative to convert between the digitized and packetized telephone data and a second analog telephone signal, said second device being connectable to a second analog telephone device and being operative to couple the second analog telephone signal to the second analog telephone device.
3. The network according to claim 1 further operative to couple a data terminal equipment unit to the Internet, the device further comprising a data connector connectable to the data terminal equipment unit, and operative to couple the digital data signal to the data terminal equipment unit.
4. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is operative to couple to a distinct service provider over the Internet, to couple to digital data from the distinct service provider.
5. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is connected to the Internet by a DSL medium.
6. The network according to claim 1 wherein said first device is attachable to a telephone outlet.
7. The network according to claim 1 wherein said gateway is operative to connect to a distinct service provider to couple to data and voice services from the distinct service provider.
8. A network for coupling a plurality of analog telephone devices to the Internet, the network comprising:
a telephone wire pair at least in part in a wall within a building, said wire pair being connected for concurrently carrying an analog telephone signal carried in an analog telephone signal frequency band frequency multiplexed with a digital data signal carried in a digital data signal frequency band, the digital data signal containing digitized and packetized telephone data, the digital data signal frequency band being distinct from, and higher than, the analog telephone signal frequency band;
a gateway connected between said telephone wire pair and the Internet, said gateway being operative to couple the digital data signal between the telephone wire pair and the Internet; and
a first device housed within a single enclosure and connected to said telephone wire pair, said first device being connectable to a first analog telephone device and comprising a relay connected to the first analog telephone device, said relay being operative to couple the analog telephone signal to the first analog telephone device only when the digital data signal is not present on said telephone wire pair,
wherein the digitized and packetized telephone data is based on Voice over Internet Protocol, and said enclosure is attached to a wall of a building, and
wherein said first device is housed within a telephone outlet.
9. The network according to claim 8 , further comprising a second device that is operative to convert between the digitized and packetized telephone data and a second analog telephone signal, said second device being connectable to a second analog telephone device and being operative to couple the second analog telephone signal to the second analog telephone device.
10. The network according to claim 8 , wherein said enclosure is mounted in the wall of the building.
11. The network according to claim 8 , further operative to couple a data terminal equipment unit to the Internet, The device further comprising a data connector connectable to the data terminal equipment unit, and operative to couple the digital data signal to the data terminal equipment unit.
12. The network according to claim 8 wherein said gateway is operative to couple to a distinct service provider over the Internet, to couple to digital data from the distinct service provider.
13. The network according to claim 8 , wherein said gateway is connected to the Internet by a DSL medium.
14. The network according to claim 8 , wherein said gateway is operative to connect to a distinct service provider to couple to data and voice services from the distinct service provider.