Method and device for coupling a POTS terminal to a non-PSTN communications network

1. A method using a communications device to interface a plain old telephone system (POTS) terminal, which includes a dial-up modem to transmit data, to a communications network, including:

initiating a communications host session between the communications device and a communications host, prior to locally generating a connect sequence;

locally generating a connect sequence between a POTS terminal and a communications device, whereby the communications device appears to the POTS terminal to be a modem accessed via a telephone network;

locally decoding and encoding communications with the POTS terminal, including recovering digital data from a modem carrier signal received from the POTS terminal; and

conducting a packet-based session between the communications device and an application host through the communications host using the recovered digital data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein locally generating a connect sequence includes, the communications device:

providing the POTS terminal a dial tone;

receiving a dialing sequence from the POTS terminal; and

presenting the POTS terminal a modem carrier signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparent telephone network appears to be a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application host engaged in the packet-based session corresponds to a dialing sequence received from the POTS terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including connecting multiple communication devices through a packet concentrator linked to a communications host, wherein the packet concentrator and communications host are adapted to reduce a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of communications device-to-communications host links through the packet concentrator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications device conducts the application host session until discontinuation by a device other than the communications device.

7. Further including applying the method of claim 1 to an incumbent POTS terminal and substituting communications through the communications device via the communications network for a connection between the incumbent POTS terminal and an incumbent telephone network.

8. A method using a communications device to interface a plain old telephone system (POTS) terminal, which includes a dial-up modem to transmit data, to a communications network, including:

initiating a packet-based communications host session between a communications device and a communications host;

detecting dialing by a POTS terminal coupled to the communications device;

initiating an application host session between the POTS terminal and an application host, through the communications host;

decoding and encoding communications with the POTS terminal, including recovering digital data from a modem carrier signal received from the POTS terminal, wherein the communications device appears to the POTS terminal to be a modem connected to the POTS terminal via a telephone connection; and

conducting the application host session using the recovered digital data;

further including connecting multiple communication devices through a packet concentrator linked to the communications host, wherein the packet concentrator and communications host are configured to reduce a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of communications device-to-communications host links through the packet concentrator.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communications device presents a dial tone to the POTS terminal.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the apparent telephone connection appears to be via a PSTN telephone network.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the packet-based communications host session is initiated prior to detecting dialing.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a single socket is used for the communications host session between the communications device and the communications host.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the application host session is initiated after detecting dialing, without need for decoding data from the POTS terminal other than the dialing sequence.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the application host corresponds to the dialing sequence received from the POTS terminal.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the application host session is conducted through the communications device until discontinued by a device other than the communications device.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communications device conducts the application host session until discontinuation by other than the communications device.

17. Further including applying the method of claim 8 to an incumbent POTS terminal and substituting communications through the communications device via the communications network for a connection between the incumbent POTS terminal and an incumbent telephone network.

18. A method of supporting a communications device coupled to a POTS terminal, which includes a dial-up modem to transmit data, including:

establishing a packet-based communications host session between a communications host and the communications device;

establishing an application host session with an application host;

receiving packets from the communications device containing data decoded from modem-based communications between the communications device and the POTS terminal; and

conducting the application host session between the communications device and the application host;

wherein the packet-based communications host session between a communications host and the communications device is conducted through a packet concentrator, wherein the packet concentrator and communications host are configured to reduce a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of communications device-to-communications host links through the packet concentrator.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein establishing an application host session includes receiving phone number data from the communications device corresponding to a dialing sequence and connecting with the application host corresponding to the phone number data.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the application host session is conducted through the communications host until discontinuation by a device other than the communications host.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the communications host session is maintained across multiple application host sessions.

22. A method of conducting plain old telephone service (“POTS”) terminal sessions using a network other than a public switched telephone network (“PSTN network”), without modifying the POTS terminal, including:

connecting the POTS terminal to a local communications device;

detecting a dial tone provided by the local communications device;

dialing a host phone number; and

communicating through the local communications device, as if the local communications device were a modem accessed via a PSTN network, with a host application identified to the communications device by the host phone number;

wherein the local communications device acts as a packet concentrator, reducing a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of POTS terminal-to-application host links through the packet concentrator.

23. Further including applying the method of claim 22 to an incumbent POTS terminal and substituting connection to the local communications device for a connection between the incumbent POTS terminal and an incumbent telephone network.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the local communications device uses a wireless, packet-based communication channel to provide the POTS terminal access to the host application.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the wireless, packet-based communication channel is CDMA-compliant.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the wireless, packet-based communication channel is GSM-compliant.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the wireless, packet-based communication channel is GPRS-compliant.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the wireless, packet-based communication channel is compliant with IEEE 802.11, 802.16 or 820.20 standards.

29. A communications device to interface a plain old telephone system (POTS) terminal, which includes a dial-up modem to transmit data, to a communications network, including:

a connector adapted to couple with the POTS terminal;

an onboard modem, in communication with the connector;

logic and hardware resources coupled to the onboard modem, adapted to:

generate a connect sequence with the POTS terminal using the onboard modem, whereby the communications device appears to the POTS terminal to be a modem accessed via a telephone network;

locally decode and encode communications with the POTS terminal, including recovering digital data from a modem carrier signal received from the POTS terminal;

conduct a packet-based session with an application host using the recovered digital data; and

act as a packet concentrator to reduce a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of POTS terminal-to-application host links through the packet concentrator.

30. The device of claim 29 , wherein locally generating a connect sequence includes the communications device:

providing the POTS terminal a dial tone;

receiving a dialing sequence from the POTS terminal; and

presenting the POTS terminal a modem signal.

31. A communications device to interface a plain old telephone system (POTS) terminal, which includes a dial-up modem to transmit data, to a communications network, including:

a port adapted packet-based communications between the communications device and a communications host;

a connector adapted to couple with the POTS terminal;

an onboard modem, in communication with the connector;

logic and hardware resources coupled to the onboard modem and the packet-based communications port, adapted to:

initiate a packet-based communications host session between the communications device and the communications host;

detect dialing by the POTS terminal;

initiate the application host session between the POTS terminal and the application host, through the communications host;

decoding and encoding communications with the POTS terminal, including recovering digital data from a modem carrier signal received from the POTS terminal, wherein the communications device appears to the POTS terminal to be a modem connected to the POTS terminal via a telephone connection;

conducting the application host session using the recovered digital data; and

act as a packet concentrator to reduce a number of sockets required to maintain a plurality of POTS terminal-to-application host links through the packet concentrator.