Methods and devices for achieving parallel operation between IP and analog phones
An IP bridge phone for operatively coupling one or more analog phones to a digital communications network to support parallel communications is disclosed. The IP bridge phone includes a phone handset interface adapted to connect to a phone handset, an analog phone interface, and a network interface. A mixing module is adapted to receive a first voice signal from the handset interface, a second voice signal from the analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network; generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces. The plurality of combined signals provide parallel communications between the phone handset, the analog phone, and the remote calling party.
1. An IP bridge phone in a data communications network, the IP bridge phone comprising:
a plurality of interfaces comprising:
an audio user interface;
an analog phone interface adapted to connect to at least one analog phone;
a network interface adapted to connect to the data communications network;
a mixing module adapted to:
receive a first voice signal from the audio user interface, a second voice signal from the at least one analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network;
generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces;
wherein the audio user interface and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication; and
wherein the IP bridge phone is adapted to:
if a session request to establish an incoming call is received from the network interface:
cause the IP bridge phone to ring, and
transmit a ring signal to the at least one analog phone
if an off-hook signal is received by the audio user interface or the analog phone interface:
cause the IP bridge phone to discontinue the ring;
terminate the ring signal to the at least one analog phone; and
transmit a session acceptance message to establish a voice-over-IP session; and
wherein the plurality of combined signals comprises, if off-hook signals are received by the audio user interface and the analog phone interface:
a first combined signal, transmitted to the audio user interface, comprising the second voice signal and third voice signal;
a second combined signal, transmitted to the analog phone interface, comprising the first voice signal and the third voice signal; and
a third voice signal, transmitted to the network interface, comprising the first voice signal and the second voice signal.
2. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the IP bridge phone is further adapted to:
transmit a ring signal to the at least one analog phone if an incoming connection request is received from the data communications network, and
terminate the ring signal to the at least one analog phone if an off-hook signal is received by either the audio user interface or the at least one analog phone.
3. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the audio user interface is a phone handset interface comprising:
a first analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the first voice signal, and
a first digit-to-analog converter for outputting one of the plurality of combined signals to transmit to a phone handset.
4. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the third voice signal comprises packetized voice data.
5. The IP bridge phone of claim 4 , wherein the bridge phone is enabled with a Real-Time Protocol (RIP) for communicating the packetized voice data.
6. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the network interface comprises an Ethernet port.
7. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the network interface further comprises a wireless adaptor for communicating with the data communications network via a wireless access point.
8. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the first combined signal A[n], the second combined signal B[n], and the third combined signal C[n] are given by:
(
A
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n
]
B
[
n
]
C
[
n
]
)
=
(
S
1
C
12
1
C
21
S
2
1
1
1
0
)
(
a
[
n
]
b
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n
]
c
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n
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)
,
where the first voice signal a[n], the second voice signal b[n], and the third voice signal c[n] are functions of a discrete unit if time given by n, S 1 and S 2 are side-tone levels, and C 12 C 21 are cross-coupling coefficients.
9. The IP bridge phone of claim 1 , wherein the established voice-over-IP session is terminated by the IP bridge phone when on-hook signals are received by the audio user interface and from each of the at least one analog phone.
10. The IP bridge phone of claim 4 , wherein the session request is a SIP: INVITE message, the session acceptance message is a SIP: OK message, and the established voice-over-IP session is terminated is terminated with a SIP: BYE message.
11. An IP bridge phone in a data communications network, the IP bridge phone comprising:
a plurality of interfaces comprising:
an audio user interface;
an analog phone interface adapted to connect to at least one analog phone, wherein the analog phone interface comprises a RJ-11 telephone jack and a Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (SLIC) adapted to perform ring generation, off hook detection, on-hook detection for the at least one analog phone;
a network interface adapted to connect to the data communications network;
a mixing module adapted to:
receive a first voice signal from the audio user interface, a second voice signal from the at least one analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network;
generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces;
wherein the audio user interface and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication; and
wherein the analog phone interface further comprises:
a second analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the second voice signal; and
a second digit-to-analog converter to output one of the plurality of combined signals to transmit to the at least one analog phone.
12. An IP bridge phone in a data communications network, the IP bridge phone comprising:
a plurality of interfaces comprising:
an audio user interface;
an analog phone interface adapted to connect to at least one analog phone; a network interface adapted to connect to the data communications network;
a mixing module adapted to:
receive a first voice signal from the audio user interface, a second voice signal from the at least one analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network;
generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces;
wherein the audio user interface and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication
wherein the IP bridge phone is enabled with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to establish a communications session between the IP bridge phone and a source of the third voice signal,
wherein the network interface comprises:
a speech decompression module for decompressing packetized voice data received by the IP bridge phone, and
a speech compression module for compressing one of the plurality of combined signals transmitted to the network interface by the IP bridge phone.
13. An IP bridge phone in a data communications network, the IP bridge phone comprising:
a plurality of interfaces comprising:
an audio user interface;
an analog phone interface adapted to connect to at least one analog phone;
a network interface adapted to connect to the data communications network;
a mixing module adapted to:
receive a first voice signal from the audio user interface, a second voice signal from the at least one analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network;
generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces;
wherein the audio user interface and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication;
wherein the IP bridge phone is adapted to:
transmit a session request to a called party from the network interface in response to an off-hook received by the audio user interface or from the at least one analog phone; and
establish a voice-over-IP session, if a session acceptance message is received from the called party;
wherein the combined signals transmitted during the established voice-over-IP session comprise, if an off hook has been received at the audio user interface and an off-hook has been received from the at least one analog phone:
a first combined signal transmitted by the IP bridge phone to the audio user interface and a second combined signal transmitted by the IP bridge phone to the analog phone interface; and
wherein the plurality of combined signals comprise, if the audio user interface and one of the at least one analog phone are off hook:
the first combined signal comprising the second voice signal and third voice signal;
the second combined signal comprising the first voice signal and the third voice signal; and
a third voice signal comprising the first voice signal and the second voice signal.
14. The IP bridge phone of claim 13 , wherein the IP bridge further includes a user input device adapted to acquire a telephone number of the called party.
15. The IP bridge phone of claim 14 , wherein the IP bridge phone is adapted to receive a telephone number of the called party from the at least one analog phone via the analog phone interface.
16. The IP bridge phone of claim 13 , wherein the established voice-over-IP session is maintained by the IP bridge phone while the audio user interface or one of the at least one analog phone is off-hook.
17. The IP bridge phone of claim 13 , wherein the established voice-over-IP session is terminated by the IP bridge phone when on-hook signals are received by the audio user interface and each of the at least one analog phone.
18. A method of operating an IP bridge phone in a data communications network in parallel with an analog phone, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving voice signals via a plurality of interfaces, comprising:
receiving a first voice signal from a phone handset via a phone handset interface; wherein the step of receiving the first voice signal comprises converting the first voice signal from analog to digital;
receiving a second voice signal from at least one analog phone via an analog phone interface, wherein the step of receiving the second voice signal comprises converting the second voice signal from analog to digital;
receiving a third voice signal from the data communications network via a network interface;
generating a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmitting each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces, wherein the step of transmitting comprises converting a first combined signal of the plurality of combined signals from digital to analog;
wherein the phone handset and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the analog phone interface comprises a telephone jack.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the telephone jack is an RJ-11 jack.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the analog phone interface further comprises a Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (SLIC).
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the third voice signal comprises packetized voice data.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the bridge phone is enabled with a Real-Time Protocol (RIP) for receiving the packetized voice data and transmitting a third combined signal of the plurality of combined signals.
24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to receiving voice signals via a plurality interfaces, the steps of:
receiving an off-hook and telephone number from either the phone handset or the at least one analog phone, and
automatically transmitting a session request to a called party from the network interface using the telephone number.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the IP bridge phone is adapted to establish a voice-over-IP session, if a session acceptance message is received from the called party.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the combined signals transmitted during the established voice-over-IP session comprise, if an off-hook has been received from the phone handset and an off-hook has been received from the at least one analog phone:
a first combined signal transmitted to the phone handset and a second combined signal transmitted by the IP bridge phone to the analog phone interface.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of combined signals comprise, if the phone handset and one of the at least one analog phone are off-hook:
the first combined signal comprising the second voice signal and third voice signal;
the second combined signal comprising the first voice signal and the third voice signal; and
a third voice signal comprising the first voice signal and the second voice signal.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the established voice-over-IP session is maintained by the IP bridge phone while the phone handset or one of the at least one analog phone is off-hook.
29. A method of operating an Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) bridge phone in a data communications network in parallel with an analog phone, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving voice signals via a plurality of interfaces, comprising:
receiving a first voice signal from a phone handset via a phone handset interface;
receiving a second voice signal from at least one analog phone via an analog phone interface;
establishing a communications session between the SIP bridge phone and a source of a third voice signal
receiving the third voice signal from the data communications network via a network interface, wherein the step of receiving the third voice signal comprises decompressing the third voice signal;
generating a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmitting each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises the step of compressing a third combined signal of the plurality of combined signals transmitted to the data communications network via the network interface; and
wherein the phone handset and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication.
30. A method of operating an IP bridge phone in a data communications network in parallel with an analog phone, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving voice signals via a plurality of interfaces, comprising:
receiving a first voice signal from a phone handset via a phone handset interface;
receiving a second voice signal from at least one analog phone via an analog phone interface;
receiving a third voice signal from the data communications network via a network interface;
generating a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and
transmitting each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces; when a session request to establish an incoming call is received via the network interface:
causing the IP bridge phone to ring, and
transmitting a ring signal to the at least one analog phone;
when an off-hook signal is received from the phone handset interface or the analog phone interface, automatically transmitting a session acceptance message to establish a voice-over-IP session; and
when off-hook signals are received from both the phone handset and the at least one analog phone:
transmitting a first combined signal comprising the second voice signal and third voice signal to the phone handset via the phone handset interface;
transmitting a second combined signal comprising the first voice signal and the third voice signal transmitted to the at least one analog phone via the analog phone interface; and
transmitting a third voice signal comprising the first voice signal and the second voice signal via the network interface.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first combined signal A[n], the second combined signal B[n], and the third combined signal C[n] are given by:
(
A
[
n
]
B
[
n
]
C
[
n
]
)
=
(
S
1
C
12
1
C
21
S
2
1
1
1
0
)
(
a
[
n
]
b
[
n
]
c
[
n
]
)
,
where the first voice signal a[n], the second voice signal b[n], and the third voice signal c[n] are functions of a discrete unit if time given by n, S 1 and S 2 are side-tone levels, and C 12 and C 21 are cross-coupling coefficients.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the session request is a SIP: INVITE message and the session acceptance message is a SIP: OK message.