74 results about "Plain old telephone service" patented technology

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and / or as POTS trunking. Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and / or analysis across multiple facilities served.

The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber.

An apparatus or corresponding method of managing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines in a Passive Optical Network (PON) to prevent an alarm system from generating an alarm during a software upgrade or maintenance of an Optical Network Terminal (ONT), Optical Line Terminal (OLT), or PON while maintaining the effectiveness of the alarm system. The ONT may store data related to a POTS line in nonvolatile memory. The ONT may activate the POTS line based on the data from the nonvolatile memory in an event of interruption in communications with an OLT prior to reestablishing communications with the OLT. The interruption in communications may be caused by an ONT reboot to complete an installation of a software upgrade. The ONT may energize the POTS line with a voltage in response to activating the POTS line to prevent the alarm system from generating the alarm.

System and method for collaborative defining of, voting on, and funding of events. An administrator sets up a system (1) which allows users to first define voting options (2,3) and then to vote on and donate for an option (4,5). As soon as the necessary funds for carrying out an option are available, the voting process is terminated and users are informed of the results (6, 7). Users interact with the system through different communication channels, like POTS (plain old telephone service), IM (instant messaging), WWW (world-wide web), and mobile devices.

A system and method of serving text-based data messages to a caller identification (caller ID) system in a telecommunications network environment may overwrite source-specific information in a selected data packet header field with text-based message data. A protocol translator may enable text data to be served to a caller ID system used in conjunction with a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone as well as with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) device. Text messages addressed and routed to a caller ID enabled device may be displayed on the caller ID display.

An analog telephone adapter (ATA) having a subscriber identity component in the format of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that couples a telephone to a cellular network via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), thereby allowing a cellular service provider to provide an alternative communication service for the home or business. Instead of using the plain old telephone service, a subscriber can plug their analog telephone into the SIM-enabled ATA (SIM-ATA) and receive telephone service from a cellular service provider, eliminating or reducing the need for a traditional Local Exchange Carrier. The SIM-ATA converts signals from analog to digital, and vice-versa. Once the analog telephone signal has been converted to digital, an IP-based protocol (e.g., VoIP) can be used to transmit the telephone call over a digital network. The cellular service provider can then track usage and bill the subscriber accordingly.

A method and apparatus for selectively terminating sealing current in an asymmetric digital subscriber line modem is provided. The technique comprises providing a mechanism (e.g., a resistor or suitable current sink) to a DSL modem (e.g. an ADSL modem or any XDSL modem used where POTS is underlying service). The mechanism is operable to be dynamically switched on and off and to operate under low current conditions. The system allows for provision of DSL (e.g., ADSL or XDSL where POTS is the underlying current) in the absence of plain old telephone service (POTS) and for improved performance.

A front end, such as can be used in a Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network, may connected to a plurality of transmission lines. Each of the plurality of transmission lines may connected to one or more devices, such as a plain old telephone service device or an asynchronous digital subscriber line device. Devices connected to different transmission lines may then communicate with each other over the Home Phoneline Networking Alliance network.

A method is provided for subscriber-related call log information for a plurality of distributed services from a remotely accessible consolidating server. The distributed services include at least a plain old telephone service, a wireless service, and a long distance telephone service. The call log information for the plurality of services is received in the consolidating server from a network. The call log information may be stored in the server as a consolidated list sorted by at least one of name of a remote party, remote party telephone number, time of call, remote party mailing address, remote party e-mail address, and / or a remote number identifier. The consolidated list is communicated to a remote location responsive to a subscriber request. Such a remote location can be a general purpose computing device equipped with a web browser, an Internet-enabled phone, or a similar device. A transfer-hub may store the call log information. The transfer-hub may be Blued-enabled to communication with other devices for a Personal Local Area Network of a subscriber.

A system and method of serving text-based data messages to a caller identification (caller ID) system in a telecommunications network environment may overwrite source-specific information in a selected data packet header field with text-based message data. A protocol translator may enable text data to be served to a caller ID system used in conjunction with a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone as well as with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) device. Text messages addressed and routed to a caller ID enabled device may be displayed on the caller ID display.

Techniques are disclosed for coupling a printer to a communications network (such as the a Plain Old Telephone Service network), downloading printing information (such as a digital image) to the printer over the communications network, and using the printer to print output based on the printing information. A user may use the printer to connect to a printing server that serves the printing information. Prior to transmission of the printing information to the printer, the printing server may process the printing information to tailor the printing information based on the capabilities of the printer. The printing server may communicate with the printer using one or more printing protocols. The printer may be equipped with a controller for communicating according to the printing protocol. Downloads of printing information to the printer may be interrupted and subsequently resumed from the point of interruption.

A combination x digital subscriber line (xDSL) and analog modem including a computer bus interface, codecs, an analog front end (AFE) for xDSL communications coupled to a plain old telephone service (POTS) line and a direct access arrangement (DAA) for analog communications also coupled to the POTS line. The modem is designed on a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) card. Generally, ±12, 5 and 3.3 volts are available for PCI components. Traditionally, the AFEs for non-PCI modems were designed to operate on ±12 volts for differential POTS line driving. For differential POTS line driving, the AFE typically requires a regulated voltage. However, ±12 volts supplied to PCI cards are typically not as well regulated as the 5 and 3.3 volts, and therefore the ±12 volts is generally unsuitable for PCI modem AFE design. Furthermore, in computers that operate in different power management modes, ±12 volts may not be available to the PCI card while 5 and / or 3.3 volts may be available to the PCI card in certain power management modes. In one embodiment, the AFE operates on 5 volts. Power for the modem is made available from other parts of the computer supply in these power management modes.

A call between a calling party and a called party, one or both of whom may be subscribers to Internet Telephony (IT) services, commences upon the receipt of a call dialed by the calling party to the Plain Old Telephony Service (POTS) number associated with the calling party. A first hub (24, 26) receives the call and routes it to the called party if that party is not an IT services subscriber that is currently on line. If the called party is an IT services subscriber that is on-line, the call is received at an Internet Services Provider (32) serving the called party. The ISP (32) converts the call to an IT format if the call is not already in that format and thereafter delivers the call to the called party.

A signal coupler is provided which decreases the number of discreet elements required to provide low pass filtering for the plain old telephone service (POTS). The low pass filtering is shifted to areas of the signal coupler circuit which do not operate with the high battery voltage present on telephone lines The low voltage filtering reduces the need for components which are capable of operating in the high voltage environment and therefore reduces the space on the circuit board which is occupied by each of the signal couplers. In this way, the number of individual subscriber lines that a given circuit board can accommodate can be increased.

Fiber to the user (“FTTU’), fiber to the curb (“FTTC”), fiber to the node (“FTTN”), and fiber to the premise (“FTTP”) platforms (referred to herein as “FTTx”), require plain old telephony service (“POTS”) emulation using voice over IP (“VoIP”) signaling and bearer channels. Such a POTS emulation service requires emulation of existing fault isolation mechanisms in POTS and also must be extended to the topologies in the VoIP environment. The present invention is adapted to provide POTS emulation using existing fault isolation mechanisms in POTS and also provides POTS emulation for topologies in VoIP environments in the scope of FTTx.

A computerized telephony bridge unit has a Data Network Telephony (DNT) Port and a Connection Oriented / Switched Telephony (COST) trunk port, each associated with circuitry for receiving a placing calls in the data format required by connected networks. The bridge unit further comprises conversion circuitry for converting data dynamically between network protocols compatible with each connected network. Control routines executable on the computerized bridge unit are adapted to receive a first call from one of the COST and DNT networks, to place a call associated with the received call on the network other than the network on which the call is received, and to dynamically convert data between a call connected at one port and a call connected at the other port. The data network can be the Internet, and the COST network can be any publicly or privately switched dedicated-connection-oriented telephone network. Association between calls between two otherwise incompatible networks can be by a locally-stored lookup table, by negotiation with a caller, or by retrieval of data from incoming calls. Methods for practicing the invention are taught in the disclosure.

A plain old telephone service (POTS) communications service incentive is offered for maintaining the voice path connection after disconnection of POTS, at a residence or business location. The communications service incentive includes providing an always-on dialtone service from a wireline service provider to a customer premises. After receiving an order to disconnect phone service at the premises, it is determined by a central office computer processor of a wireline service provider whether the premises, which is subject to the order to disconnect phone service, meets a set of requirements for the always-on dialtone service.

The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber.

Methodologies and structure are provided for use in a communications line that transmit data without plain old telephone service (POTS), or splits the POTS service from the data service, to inhibit oxidation of electrical connections within the physical communications line between the central office of a service provider and a subscriber premises and / or subscriber equipment. A direct current load is drawn by a sealing current terminator circuit that is electrically coupled across the communications line at a convenient location proximate or within the subscriber's location so as to assist in providing oxidation reducing direct current flow along a portion of the communications loop coupling the service provider with the subscriber.

An analog telephone adapter (ATA) having a subscriber identity component in the format of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that couples a telephone to a cellular network via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), thereby allowing a cellular service provider to provide an alternative communication service for the home or business. Instead of using the plain old telephone service, a subscriber can plug their analog telephone into the SIM-enabled ATA (SIM-ATA) and receive telephone service from a cellular service provider, eliminating or reducing the need for a traditional Local Exchange Carrier. The SIM-ATA converts signals from analog to digital, and vice-versa. Once the analog telephone signal has been converted to digital, an IP-based protocol (e.g., VoIP) can be used to transmit the telephone call over a digital network. The cellular service provider can then track usage and bill the subscriber accordingly.

Systems and methods for integrating analog voice service and derived POTS voice service in a DSL environment are provided. One embodiment is a system comprising: a first communication path for carrying plain old telephone service (POTS) voice signals between a telephone-type device and a subscriber line of a telephone network; a second communication path for carrying derived POTS voice signals between the telephone-type device and the subscriber line; and a switching mechanism configured to switch the telephone-type device between the first communication path and the second communication path.

A method of providing real-time Internet access to a caller using only a standard telephone and plain old telephone service. The method includes receiving at a local switch a destination number representing a request for Internet access from the caller; routing the call to an Internet server for providing the Internet access; converting the destination number to a URL at the Internet server; routing the URL from the Internet server to the Internet; receiving a response from the Internet at the Internet server, the response including digital information; and converting the digital information in the response to a voice message, the voice message including information from the Web site and prompts for the caller; and routing the voice message to the caller.

A system, method, and computer readable medium for a metallic test method in a digital subscriber line system in which a subscriber's voice service has been switched from plain old telephony service to an inband digital subscriber line data stream characterized in that a direct current loop current used for plain old telephony service is replicated for testing, comprising, providing a sealing line current to a transmission line via a digital subscriber line device serving the subscriber and supervising the provided sealing line current between the digital subscriber line device and a subscriber's premises for determining a connectivity therebetween.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a circuit of a digital subscriber line. The circuit comprises a line driver, an echo cancellation (EC) module, a transformer module, a first high-pass filter, an impedor and a bypass high-pass filter, wherein the transformer module is a high-pass filter; a receiving channel high-pass filter of the transformer module can receive an uplink signal of AnnexA and a part of signal of an integrated services digital network (ISDN); a transmitting channel high-pass filter of the transformer module can transmit a downlink signal of the AnnexA; the first high-pass filter can transmit the downlink signal of the AnnexA; the bypass high-pass filter filters an ISDN signal in cooperation with the ISDN; and the bypass high-pass filter receives the uplink signal of the AnnexA in cooperation with a plain old telephone service (POTS). The embodiment of the invention also discloses equipment of the digital subscriber line. Due to the adoption of the embodiment, an AnnexA mode and an AnnexB mode can be supported at the same time, and the original POTS service and ISDN service on a copper wire are compatible.

A communication system has a network access device (NAD) that is designed to deliver Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) along with high-speed data to Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). The NAD is backpowered by the CPE across a subscriber line. When backpower is provided from the CPE, circuitry (referred to as a “POTS signaling element”) within the network access device converts POTS control signaling to digital data for transmission to the CPE. The band vacated by the POTS control signaling is used for the power signal on the subscriber line. In the absence of backpower, components of the network access device are bypassed, thereby providing POTS in the event of a power failure. The NAD receives advance warning of the backpowering so that it can disable the bypassing in order to prevent the power signal from leaking through the NAD to the network.

Disclosed are systems and methods which provide a centralized architecture for call processing. Embodiments utilize voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) to carry calls from a location at which calling services are provided to a centralized call processing platform providing call processing functionality, such as calling party identification, call validation, call routing, and connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Call processing gateways may be utilized to provide plain old telephone service (POTS) analog line interfaces for use with a plurality of telephone sets disposed for use at a location and at least one wide area network (WAN) interface for providing high speed data communication to a centralized call processing platform. PSTN interfacing by a call processing platform may be provided as a VoIP connection to the PSTN and / or as POTS trunking Call processing platforms may provide for data sharing, aggregation, and / or analysis across multiple facilities served.

An apparatus or corresponding method of managing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines in a Passive Optical Network (PON) to prevent an alarm system from generating an alarm during a software upgrade or maintenance of an Optical Network Terminal (ONT), Optical Line Terminal (OLT), or PON while maintaining the effectiveness of the alarm system. The ONT may store data related to a POTS line in nonvolatile memory. The ONT may activate the POTS line based on the data from the nonvolatile memory in an event of interruption in communications with an OLT prior to reestablishing communications with the OLT. The interruption in communications may be caused by an ONT reboot to complete an installation of a software upgrade. The ONT may energize the POTS line with a voltage in response to activating the POTS line to prevent the alarm system from generating the alarm.

Methodologies and structure are provided for use in a communications line that transmit data without plain old telephone service (POTS), or splits the POTS service from the data service, to inhibit oxidation of electrical connections within the physical communications line between the central office of a service provider and a subscriber premises and / or subscriber equipment. A direct current load is drawn by a sealing current terminator circuit that is electrically coupled across the communications line at a convenient location proximate or within the subscriber's location so as to assist in providing oxidation reducing direct current flow along a portion of the communications loop coupling the service provider with the subscriber.

A method and apparatus for selectively terminating sealing current in an asymmetric digital subscriber line modem is provided. The technique comprises providing a mechanism (e.g., a resistor or suitable current sink) to a DSL modem (e.g. an ADSL modem or any XDSL modem used where POTS is underlying service). The mechanism is operable to be dynamically switched on and off and to operate under low current conditions. The system allows for provision of DSL (e.g., ADSL or XDSL where POTS is the underlying current) in the absence of plain old telephone service (POTS) and for improved performance.