Apparatus and Method for Simultaneous Multiple Telephone Type Services on a Single Telephone Line

Abstract

Apparatuses for simultaneous multiple telephone type services on a single telephone line are disclosed. One apparatus is connectable to a subscriber line and comprises address logic, a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface, a transceiver, and a host interface. The address logic is configured to determine an address assigned to the apparatus. The assigned address is unique on the subscriber line. The POTS interface is connectable to the subscriber line and configured to communicate on the subscriber line within a POTS frequency band. The transceiver is connectable to the subscriber line and configured to communicate on the subscriber line using the assigned address and a frequency band higher than a POTS frequency band. The host interface is connectable to a device which receives one of a plurality of services over the subscriber line. The received service uses the assigned address and the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band.

1 . An apparatus connectable to a subscriber line, the apparatus comprising: 
 address logic configured to determine an address assigned to the apparatus, the assigned address being unique on the subscriber line;    a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface connectable to the subscriber line and configured to communicate on the subscriber line within a POTS frequency band;    a transceiver connectable to the subscriber line and configured to communicate on the subscriber line using the assigned address and using a frequency band higher than a POTS frequency band; and    a host interface connectable to a device, the device receiving one of a plurality of services over the subscriber line, the received service using the assigned address and the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of services includes at least one of an audio service, a video phone service, a digital phone service including a protocol for communication over the Internet, a digital facsimile service, and an audio and visual data streaming service.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of services is provided over the subscriber line simultaneously with a POTS service.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the address comprises a device identifier.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the address comprises a time slot.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the address comprises a frequency band.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first telephone device connectable to the subscriber line and communicating within the POTS frequency band; and    a second telephone device connectable to the apparatus and communicating within the frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first telephone device connectable to the subscriber line and communicating analog voice signals within the POTS frequency band; and    a second telephone device connectable to the apparatus and communicating digitized voice signals within the frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an analog telephone device connectable to the apparatus and communicating analog voice signals within the POTS frequency band; and    conversion circuitry connectable to the analog telephone device and configured to convert the analog voice signals to digitized voice signals,    wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate the digitized voice signals on the subscriber line using the assigned address and using a frequency band higher than a POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus connectable to a subscriber line, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for determining an address assigned to the apparatus, the assigned address being unique on the subscriber line;    means for communicating on the subscriber line within a plain old telephone service (POTS) frequency band;    means for communicating on the subscriber line using the assigned address and using a frequency band higher than a POTS frequency band; and    means for connecting to a device, the device receiving one of a plurality of services over the subscriber line, the received service associated with the assigned address and the frequency band higher than the POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of services includes at least one of an audio service, a video phone service, a digital phone service including a protocol for communication over the Internet, a digital facsimile service, and an audio and visual data streaming service.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of services is provided over the subscriber line simultaneously with a POTS service.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the address comprises a device identifier.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the address comprises a time slot.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the address comprises a frequency band.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a first telephone device connectable to the subscriber line and communicating within the POTS frequency band; and    a second telephone device connectable to the apparatus and communicating within the frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a first telephone device connectable to the subscriber line and communicating analog voice signals within the POTS frequency band; and    a second telephone device connectable to the apparatus and communicating digitized voice signals within the frequency band that is higher than the POTS frequency band.