Hierarchical Data Collection Network Supporting Packetized Voice Communications Among Wireless Terminals And Telephones

Abstract

A packet-based, hierarchical communication system, arranged in a spanning tree configuration, is described in which wired and wireless communication networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed in an overall scheme to link portable or mobile computing devices. The network accommodates real time voice transmission both through dedicated, scheduled bandwidth and through a packet-based routing within the confines and constraints of a data network. Conversion and call processing circuitry is also disclosed which enables access devices and personal computers to adapt voice information between analog voice stream and digital voice packet formats as proves necessary. Routing pathways include wireless spanning tree networks, wide area networks, telephone switching networks, internet, etc., in a manner virtually transparent to the user. A voice session and associate call setup simulates that of conventional telephone switching network, providing well-understood functionality common to any mobile, remote or stationary terminal, phone, computer, etc.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . An information transmission device for communicatively coupling at least one packet network to at least one communication network having an associated information format, the device comprising:
 at least one packet interface for communicating information via the at least one packet network;   at least one network interface, each of the at least one network interface for communicating information via one of the at least one communication network in the associated information format;   at least one converter for selectively converting information received by one of the at least one packet interface for transmission via one of the at least one network interface in the associated information format, and for selectively converting for transmission via the one of the at least one packet interface information received from the one of the at least one network interface in the associated format; and   a host interface supporting the communication of status and control information between the information transmission device and a host device compatible with the host interface, the host interface permitting management of the information transmission device by the host device.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the at least one packet interface is compliant with an Internet protocol (IP). 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the Internet protocol is the transport control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP). 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the information communicated via the at least one packet interface comprises digitized voice information. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the information communicated via the packet interface comprises non-voice data. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26  wherein at least a portion of the non-voice data is unrelated to the communication of digitized voice information. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the at least one network interface provides the functionality of a conventional telephone switching network interface. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28  wherein the at least one network interface provides at least one of a battery supply, over-voltage protection, ringing current, tone generation, tone detection, two wire to four wire conversion, and test functionality. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28  wherein the at least one converter converts digitized voice information into an analog voice signal, and an analog voice signal into digitized voice information. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30  wherein the at least one converter buffers digitized voice information for a predefined period of time to minimize gaps in an analog voice signal. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31  wherein the predefined period of time is based upon a propagation delay of a communication network. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 30  wherein the at least one converter reduces the number of voice packets transmitted via the at least one packet network, by changing the packetization of digitized voice information when voice activity on the at least one network interface is below a predetermined level. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 28  wherein the at least one network interface is a digital interface. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the at least one converter compensates for a difference in bit rate between interfaces. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the at least one converter adapts information received via the at least one packet interface into modem signals for transmission via the at least one network interface, and adapts modem signals received via the at least one network interface into information for transmission via the at least one packet interface. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the host interface supports the communication of information related to telephony signals received via the at least one network interface. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37  wherein telephony signals received comprises at least one of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals, dial tone, a ring signal, on-hook, off-hook, and call progress tones. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the host interface supports the communication of information related to generation of telephony signals for transmission via the at least one network interface. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39  wherein the telephony signals for transmission comprise at least one of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals, dial tone, a busy signal, and a ringing signal. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the host interface supports communication of voice messages for transmission via the at least one network interface. 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the host interface supports communication of information related to a propagation delay of a communication network. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the packet network is a wireless network. 
     
     
         44 . One or more circuits for an information transmission device that communicatively couples a first of a plurality of communication networks to a second of the plurality of communication networks, the first and second communication networks having respective first and second information formats, the one or more circuits comprising:
 network interface circuitry operable to communicate information via the first communication network and to communicate information via the second communication network;   host interface circuitry operable to communicate control and status information with an intelligent host device separate from the information transmission device;   at least one processor operably coupled to the network interface circuitry and to the host interface circuitry, the at least one processor operable to, at least:
 send status information to the host device, the status information comprising signaling information received via the first communication network and/or the second communication network; 
 receive control information from the host device; and 
 configure the information transmission device, according to the control information, to cause the information transmission device to convert information received from the first communication network in the first information format for transmission over the second communication network in the second information format, and to convert information received from the second communication network in the second information format for transmission over the first communication network in the first information format. 
   
     
     
         45 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the first communication network is a packet network 
     
     
         46 . The one or more circuits of  claim 45  wherein the packet network is compliant with an Internet protocol (IP). 
     
     
         47 . The one or more circuits of  claim 46  wherein the Internet protocol is the transport control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP). 
     
     
         48 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the information communicated via the information transmission device comprises digitized voice information. 
     
     
         49 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the information communicated via the information transmission device comprises non-voice data. 
     
     
         50 . The one or more circuits of  claim 49  wherein at least a portion of the non-voice data is unrelated to the communication of digitized voice information. 
     
     
         51 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the network interface circuitry provides the functionality of an analog telephone loop connection. 
     
     
         52 . The one or more circuits of  claim 51  wherein the functionality provided by the network interface circuitry comprises ring current generation and two wire to four wire conversion of analog loop signals. 
     
     
         53 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein converting comprises converting digitized voice information to or from an analog voice signal. 
     
     
         54 . The one or more circuits of  claim 53  wherein converting the digitized voice information to the analog voice signal comprises buffering the digitized voice information for a predefined period of time to minimize gaps in the analog voice signal. 
     
     
         55 . The one or more circuits of  claim 54  wherein the predefined period of time is based upon a measured propagation delay of one of the first and the second communication networks. 
     
     
         56 . The one or more circuits of  claim 55  where the measurement is performed using a test packet. 
     
     
         57 . The one or more circuits of  claim 53  wherein the converting comprises packetizing the digitized voice information converted from the analog voice signal such that the amount of packetized digitized voice information to be transmitted is reduced when voice activity of the analog voice signal is below a predetermined level. 
     
     
         58 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the network interface circuitry provides a digital interface for communication with one of the first and the second communication networks 
     
     
         59 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the converting comprises adapting information received from the first communication network into modem signals for transmission via the second communication network, and adapting modem signals received via the second communication network into information for transmission via the first communication network. 
     
     
         60 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the signaling information represents telephony signals for call establishment. 
     
     
         61 . The one or more circuits of  claim 60  wherein telephony signals received comprises at least one of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals, dial tone, a ring signal, on-hook, off-hook, and call progress tones. 
     
     
         62 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the host interface circuitry supports communication of information for generation of telephony signals for transmission via the network interface circuitry. 
     
     
         63 . The one or more circuits of  claim 62  wherein the telephony signals for transmission comprise at least one of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals, dial tone, a busy signal, and an audible ringing signal. 
     
     
         64 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein the host interface circuitry supports communication of digitized voice messages by the host for transmission via the network interface circuitry. 
     
     
         65 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein one or both of the first information format and the second information format is a packet format. 
     
     
         66 . The one or more circuits of  claim 44  wherein one of the first information format and the second information format is a format for transmission over a wireless network.