Telephone system having multiple distinct sources and accessories therefor

Abstract

In conjunction with a data communication network carrying multiple telephony signals and allowing for connection of telephone sets, a system and method in which two external feeders connect to the data network at two distinct points via two distinct devices. The data network can be based on dedicated wiring or can use existing in-premises medium such as telephone, powerlines or CATV wiring. In the latter case, the wiring can still carry the original service for which it was installed. The external telephone connections can be based on the traditional PSTN, CATV network, cellular telephone network or any other telephone service provider network, using specific adapter for any medium used. In the case of connection to a POTS telephone signal, VoIP gateway (or any other converter) is required.

1 . A system in a building for connecting a first telephone set to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based telephone network other than a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), for use with a PSTN suitable for providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), the PSTN being operated by a first telephone service provider and comprising a local loop connecting a telephone wire pair in the building to the PSTN, and an IP-Based telephone service network external to the building for carrying Voice over IP (VoIP) packets and operated by a second telephone service provider different from the first telephone service provider, said system comprising: 
 a wireless home network utilizing radio-frequency propagation for connecting locations within the building to each other, the wireless home network being connected for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band, the digital data signal containing one or more digitized telephone signals;    a gateway coupled to said wireless home network, said gateway being couplable to the PSTN and to the IP-Based telephone service network and being operative to pass the one or more digitized telephone signals between the IP-Based telephone service network and said wireless home network; and    a first adapter housed in a single enclosure connected to said wireless home network and connectable to the first telephone set, said first adapter being operative for converting between analog and digital telephone signals and to couple a first digitized telephone signal carried over said wireless home network to the first telephone set.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second adapter coupled to said wireless home network and connectable to a second telephone set, said second adapter being operative for converting between analog and digital telephone signals and to couple a digitized telephone signal carried over said wireless home network to the second telephone set.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital data signal to be carried over said wireless home network substantially conforms to Bluetooth or IEEE802.11.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the local loop is connected for carrying a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) signal.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the DSL signal is an ADSL signal.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is concurrently a cable television (CATV) network for delivering video and comprises coaxial cabling.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications via satellite.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications over power lines.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications with radio frequency signals.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is based on one of the following protocols: cellular; LMDS; MMDS; IEEE802.11; and Bluetooth.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications over fibers.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications based on Fiber To The Home (FTTH) technology.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the IP-based telephone network or the telephone service provided by the second telephone service provider is based on one or more of: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); IETF RFC 3261; Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); ITU-T H.323; IETF RFC 2705; and any variant thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said system is further connectable to multiple telephone sets, and said system further provides an IP-PBX functionality for routing telephone calls between the multiple telephone sets and external telephone service connections.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said gateway is further operative to convert between a digitized telephone signal carried over the IP-Based telephone service network and a POTS signal.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said single enclosure is mountable into an outlet cavity or an outlet opening.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following: 
 a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;    wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;    a shape allowing direct mounting in an opening or cavity; and    a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.    
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first adapter is pluggable into an existing outlet.  
     
     
         19 . A device for coupling a digitized telephone signal carried over a wireless home network to a telephone set in a building, telephone wire pair in the building being coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via a local loop, the PSTN being suitable for providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) and being operated by a first telephone service provider, the wireless home network being connected for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band, the digital data signal containing one or more digitized telephone signals coupled to an IP-Based telephone service network external to the building, the IP-Based telephone service network being connected for carrying Voice over IP (VoIP) packets and being operated by a second telephone service provider different from the first telephone service provider, said device comprising: 
 an antenna for coupling to the wireless home network;    a radio frequency (RF) transceiver operable for bidirectional digital data communication with one or more additional transceivers of the same type as said transceiver over the wireless home network;    a telephone connector for connecting to the telephone set;    a multiport unit coupled to pass a digitized telephone signal between said telephone connector and said RF transceiver;    a converter for converting between analog and digital telephony signals coupled between said telephone connector and said multiport unit; and    a single enclosure housing said antenna, said RF transceiver, said telephone connector, said multi-port unit and said converter,    wherein said device is operative to connect the telephone set to a telephone service provided by the second telephone service provider.    
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the wireless home network is connected to further carry a second digitized telephone signal, and said device is further operative to couple the second digitized telephone signal carried over the wireless home network to a second telephone set.  
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20 , further being connectable to multiple telephone sets, said device further providing an IP-PBX functionality for routing telephone calls between the multiple telephone sets and external telephone service connections.  
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the digital data signal carried over the wireless home network substantially conforms to Bluetooth or IEEE802.11 specifications, and said RF transceiver is respectively a Bluetooth or IEEE802.11 transceiver.  
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the IP-based telephone network or the telephone service provided by the second telephone service provider is based on one or more of: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); IETF RFC 3261; Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); ITU-T H.323; IETF RFC 2705; and any variant thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein said single enclosure is mountable into an outlet cavity or outlet opening.  
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following: 
 a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;    wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;    a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and    a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.    
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein said device is pluggable into an existing outlet.  
     
     
         27 . A gateway in a building for connecting a telephone set in the building to an Internet Protocol (IP)-Based telephone network other than a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via a wireless home network, the gateway being for use with a PSTN suitable for providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), the PSTN being operated by a first telephone service provider and comprising a local loop connected to a telephone wire pair in the building, and the gateway further being for use with an IP-Based telephone service network external to the building, the IP-Based telephone service network being connected for carrying one or more digitized Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone signals and being operated by a second telephone service provider different from the first telephone service provider, the wireless home network being coupled for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band, and the digital data signal containing one or more digitized Voice over IP telephone signals, said gateway comprising: 
 an antenna for coupling to the wireless home network in the building; and    a port coupled to said antenna for connecting to the IP-Based telephone service network external to the building to be coupled to one or more digitized telephone signals, wherein said gateway is operative to pass one or more digitized telephone signals between the IP-Based telephone service network and the wireless home network.    
     
     
         28 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the digital data signal carried over the wireless home network substantially conforms to Bluetooth or IEEE802.11 specifications.  
     
     
         29 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the local loop is connected for carrying a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) signal.  
     
     
         30 . The gateway according to  claim 29 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is concurrently a cable television (CATV) network for delivering video and comprises coaxial cabling.  
     
     
         31 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications via satellite.  
     
     
         32 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the  1 P-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications over powerlines.  
     
     
         33 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications with radio frequency signals.  
     
     
         34 . The gateway according to  claim 33 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is based on one of the following protocols: cellular; LMDS; MMDS; IEEE802.11; and Bluetooth.  
     
     
         35 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications over fibers.  
     
     
         36 . The gateway according to  claim 35 , wherein the IP-Based telephone service network is connected to conduct communications based on Fiber To The Home (FTTH) technology.  
     
     
         37 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein the IP-based telephone network or the telephone service provided by the second telephone service provider is based on one or more of: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); IETF RFC 3261; Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); ITU-T H.323; IETF RFC 2705; or any variant thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , further being connectable to multiple telephone sets, said gateway being operable to further provide an IP-PBX functionality for routing telephone calls between the multiple telephone sets and external telephone service connections.  
     
     
         39 . The gateway according to  claim 27 , wherein said gateway is wall mountable.  
     
     
         40 . A system for connecting a telephone set in a building to multiple Internet Protocol (IP)-based telephone networks external to the building, said system comprising: 
 a first IP-Based telephone service network external to the building and connected for carrying at least a first digitized telephone signal containing Voice over IP (VoIP) packets and operated by a first telephone service provider;    a second IP-Based telephone service network distinct from the first IP-Based telephone service network and external to the building and connected for carrying at least a second digitized telephone signal containing Voice over IP (VoIP) packets and operated by a second telephone service provider different from said first telephone service provider;    a wireless home network communicating with radio-frequency signals for connecting between locations within the building, said wireless home network being operative for carrying a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band, the digital data signal containing one or more digitized telephone signals;    a first adapter housed in a single enclosure and coupled to said wireless home network and connectable to a first telephone set, said first adapter being operative for converting between analog and digitized telephone signals, and being operative to couple first and second digitized telephone signals carried over said wireless home network to the first telephone set.    
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 40 , further comprising a gateway housed in a second single enclosure and coupled to said wireless home network, said gateway being coupled to said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks and being operative to pass the first and second digitized telephone signals between each of said  1 P-Based telephone service networks and said wireless home network.  
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 41 , wherein said gateway is further operative to convert between a digitized telephone signal carried over the first IP-Based telephone service network and a POTS signal.  
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 40 , further comprising a second adapter coupled to said wireless home network and connectable to a second telephone set, said second adapter being operative for converting between analog and digital telephone signals and for coupling the second digitized telephone signal carried over said wireless home network to the second telephone set.  
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the digital data signal to be carried over said wireless home network substantially conforms to Bluetooth or IEEE802.11 specifications.  
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to said wireless home network in the building over a local loop that is connected for carrying a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) signal.  
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 45 , wherein the DSL signal is an ADSL signal.  
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is concurrently a cable television (CATV) network for delivering video and comprises coaxial cabling.  
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to conduct communications via satellite.  
     
     
         49 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to conduct communications over power lines.  
     
     
         50 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to conduct communications with radio frequency signals.  
     
     
         51 . The system according to  claim 50 , wherein said at least one of said IP-Based telephone service networks is based on one of the following protocols: cellular; LMDS; MMDS; IEEE802.11; and Bluetooth.  
     
     
         52 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of said first and second IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to conduct communications over fibers.  
     
     
         53 . The system according to  claim 52 , wherein said at least one of said IP-Based telephone service networks is connected to conduct communications based on Fiber To The Home (FTTH) technology.  
     
     
         54 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the first and second digitized telephone signals is based on at least one of: Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); IETF RFC 3261; Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP); ITU-T H.323; IETF RFC 2705; and any variant thereof.  
     
     
         55 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein said system is further connectable to multiple telephone sets, and said system further provides an IP-PBX functionality for routing telephone calls between the multiple telephone sets and external telephone service connections.  
     
     
         56 . The system according to  claim 40  wherein said single enclosure is mountable into an outlet cavity or an outlet opening.  
     
     
         57 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein said single enclosure is constructed to have at least one of the following: 
 a form substantially similar to that of a standard outlet;    wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard wall outlet;    a shape allowing direct mounting in an outlet opening or cavity; and    a form to at least in part substitute for a standard outlet.    
     
     
         58 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein said first adapter is pluggable into an existing outlet.