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 . A computer-readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a system for communicatively coupling a first telephony device and a second telephony device via a packet network, the code sections executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform the operations comprising:
 detecting an off-hook condition of the first telephony device;   receiving, from the first telephony device, information identifying the second telephony device;   determining whether a packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is available;   prompting a user of the first telephony device for a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is not available; and   establishing voice communication between the first telephony device and the second telephony device via a packet network, if the packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is available.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the first telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the operations further comprise:
 prompting the user of the first telephony device for information identifying the second telephony device. 
 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein prompting comprises:
 transmitting an audio signal to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26  wherein the audio signal comprises at least one tone. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26  wherein the audio signal comprises prerecorded speech. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises a conventional telephone number. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein determining comprises:
 comparing the information identifying the second telephony device to at least one entry in a table, the at least one entry comprising information identifying a telephony device and a corresponding packet network address. 
 
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein establishing comprises:
 sending a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device; 
 determining whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time; 
 notifying the user of the first telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 transmitting digitized voice packets to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33  wherein transmitting comprises:
 converting voice signals from the first telephony device to produce digitized voice information; and 
 packetizing the digitized voice information to produce digitized voice packets. 
 
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 34  wherein the packetizing comprises:
 determining whether voice activity of the user of the first telephony device is below a predetermined level; 
 changing the contents of packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if voice activity of the user of the first telephony device is determined to be below the predetermined level; and 
 refraining from changing the contents of packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if the voice activity is determined not to be below the predetermined level. 
 
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22  wherein establishing comprises:
 sending a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device; 
 determining whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time; 
 notifying the user of the first telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 accepting digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36  wherein accepting comprises:
 depacketizing digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, to produce digitized voice information; and 
 converting the digitized voice information to voice signals for delivery to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37  wherein converting comprises:
 buffering digitized voice packets for an adjustable period of time in order to minimize gaps in the voice signals. 
 
     
     
         39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 38  wherein the adjustable period of time is based upon a propagation delay of the packet network. 
     
     
         40 . A method of operating a system for communicatively coupling a first telephony device and a second telephony device via a packet network, the method comprising:
 detecting an off-hook condition of the first telephony device;   receiving, from the first telephony device, information identifying the second telephony device;   determining whether a packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is available;   prompting a user of the first telephony device for a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is not available; and   establishing voice communication between the first telephony device and the second telephony device via a packet network, if the packet network address corresponding to the information identifying the second telephony device is available.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the first telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the method further comprises:
 prompting the user of the first telephony device for information identifying the second telephony device. 
 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein prompting comprises:
 transmitting an audio signal to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the audio signal comprises at least one tone. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the audio signal comprises prerecorded speech. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises a conventional telephone number. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40  wherein determining comprises:
 comparing the information identifying the second telephony device to at least one entry in a table, the at least one entry comprising information identifying a telephony device and a corresponding packet network address. 
 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 40  wherein establishing comprises:
 sending a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device; 
 determining whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time; 
 notifying the user of the first telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 transmitting digitized voice packets to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51  wherein transmitting comprises:
 converting voice signals from the first telephony device to produce digitized voice information; and 
 packetizing the digitized voice information to produce digitized voice packets. 
 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the packetizing comprises:
 determining whether voice activity of the user of the first telephony device is below a predetermined level; 
 changing the contents of packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if voice activity of the user of the first telephony device is determined to be below the predetermined level; and 
 refraining from changing the contents of packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if the voice activity is determined not to be below the predetermined level. 
 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 40  wherein establishing comprises:
 sending a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device; 
 determining whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time; 
 notifying the user of the first telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 accepting digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54  wherein accepting comprises:
 depacketizing digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, to produce digitized voice information; and 
 converting the digitized voice information to voice signals for delivery to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55  wherein converting comprises:
 buffering digitized voice packets for an adjustable period of time in order to minimize gaps in the voice signals. 
 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  wherein the adjustable period of time is based upon a propagation delay of the packet network. 
     
     
         58 . A method for communicatively coupling a first telephony device and a second telephony device via a packet network, the method comprising:
 receiving information identifying the second telephony device from the first telephony device;   determining whether a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is available;   sending a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is available; and   establishing voice communication between the first telephony device and the second telephony device via the packet network, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the method further comprises:
 notifying a user of the first telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the method further comprises:
 prompting a user of the first telephony device to enter a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is not available.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein prompting comprises:
 transmitting an audio signal to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61  wherein the audio signal comprises at least one tone. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61  wherein the audio signal comprises prerecorded speech. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the first telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises a conventional telephone number. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 58  wherein determining comprises:
 comparing the information identifying the second telephony device to at least one entry in a table, the at least one entry comprising information identifying a telephony device and a corresponding packet network address. 
 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the establishing comprises:
 accepting voice packets comprising voice information from the second telephony device; 
 buffering the voice packets for a period of time based upon a propagation delay of the packet network; and 
 converting the voice packets to analog voice signals. 
 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the establishing comprises:
 converting analog voice signals from the first telephony device to voice packets for transmission to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device; 
 determining voice activity of a user of the first telephony device; and 
 reducing the volume of voice packets for transmission to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, based upon the determined voice activity. 
 
     
     
         72 . A computer-readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a system for communicatively coupling a first telephony device and a second telephony device via a packet network, the code sections executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform the operations comprising:
 receiving, from the first telephony device, information identifying the second telephony device;   determining whether a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is available;   sending, to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, a call setup request, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is available;   receiving, from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, status information for the second telephony device; and   notifying a user of the first telephony device of a busy condition, if status information indicating a busy condition is received.   
     
     
         73 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the operations further comprise:
 prompting the user of the first telephony device for a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is not available. 
 
     
     
         74 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 73  wherein prompting comprises:
 transmitting at least one of a tone and prerecorded speech to the first telephony device. 
 
     
     
         75 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the first telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         76 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         77 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises at least one digit. 
     
     
         78 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein determining comprises:
 comparing the information identifying the second telephony device to at least one entry in a table, the at least one entry comprising information identifying a telephony device and a corresponding packet network address. 
 
     
     
         79 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         80 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         81 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing voice communication between the first telephony device and the second telephony device via the packet network, if status information indicating acceptance of the call setup request is received; and 
 wherein establishing comprises:
 sending, to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, voice packets comprising digitized voice information; and 
 receiving, from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, voice packets comprising digitized voice information. 
 
 
     
     
         82 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 81  wherein sending and receiving comprise:
 communicating digitized voice information using modem signals. 
 
     
     
         83 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 81  wherein establishing further comprises:
 buffering the received voice packets for a period of time based upon a propagation delay of the packet network; and 
 converting the digitized voice information in the received voice packets to analog voice signals. 
 
     
     
         84 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 81  wherein the establishing further comprises:
 determining voice activity of the user of the first telephony device; and 
 adjusting the number of voice packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, based upon the determined voice activity. 
 
     
     
         85 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 72  wherein the notifying comprises:
 transmitting, to the first telephony device, at least one of a tone and prerecorded speech. 
 
     
     
         86 . A computer-readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating at least one circuit for use in a telephony device, the code sections executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform the operations comprising:
 sending information to a communication system, wherein the sent information comprises information identifying a second telephony device;   receiving information from the communication system, wherein the received information corresponds to the sent information; and   if the received information comprises first particular received information, causing prompting of a user of the telephony device for a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device.   
     
     
         87 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the first particular received information is indicative of the communication system not presently having a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device. 
     
     
         88 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 87 , wherein the first particular received information is indicative of the communication system not finding a table entry associating a packet network address with the second telephony device. 
     
     
         89 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing voice communication with the second telephony device via the communication system, if the received information comprises a second particular received information.   
     
     
         90 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 89 , wherein establishing voice communication with the second telephony device via the communication system comprises causing the communication system to, at least:
 send a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device;   determine whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time;   notify the telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and   transmit digitized voice packets to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         91 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 90 , wherein causing the communication system to transmit digitized voice packets comprises causing the communication system to, at least:
 receive voice signals from the telephony device;   convert the received voice signals to produce digitized voice information; and   packetize the digitized voice information to produce digitized voice packets.   
     
     
         92 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 89 , wherein establishing voice communication with the second telephony device via the communication system comprises causing the communication system to, at least:
 send a call setup request to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device;   determine whether an acceptance of the call setup request is received within a predetermined amount of time;   notify the telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is not received within the predetermined amount of time; and   accept digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if an acceptance of the call setup request is received within the predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         93 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 92 , wherein causing the communication system to accept digitized voice packets comprises causing the communication system to, at least:
 depacketize digitized voice packets from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, to produce digitized voice information; and   convert the digitized voice information to voice signals for delivery to the telephony device.   
     
     
         94 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         95 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         96 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 causing prompting the user of the telephony device for information identifying the second telephony device.   
     
     
         97 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein causing prompting the user comprises:
 receiving an audio signal from the communication network; and   causing presentation of audio information corresponding to the audio signal to the user.   
     
     
         98 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises a conventional telephone number. 
     
     
         99 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         100 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 86 , wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         101 . A computer-readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating at least one circuit for use in a telephony device, the code sections executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform the operations comprising:
 sending information to a communication system, wherein the sent information comprises:
 information identifying a second telephony device; and 
 information to cause the communication system to, at least, send a call setup request to a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if the packet network address is available to the communication system. 
   
     
     
         102 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the sent information comprises information to cause the communication system to, at least, receive status information for the second telephony device from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device. 
     
     
         103 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 102 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing voice communication with the second telephony device via the communication system, if status information indicating acceptance of the call setup request is received by at least the communication system.   
     
     
         104 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 102 , wherein the sent information comprises information to cause the communication system to establish voice communication between the telephony device and the second telephony device via the packet network, if status information indicating acceptance of the call setup request is received, and wherein the establishing comprises:
 sending, to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, voice packets comprising digitized voice information; and   receiving, from the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, voice packets comprising digitized voice information.   
     
     
         105 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 104 , wherein the sending and the receiving comprise communicating digitized voice information using modem signals. 
     
     
         106 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 104 , wherein the establishing comprises:
 buffering the received voice packets for a period of time based upon propagation delay of the packet network; and   converting the digitized voice information in the received voice packets to analog voice signals.   
     
     
         107 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 104 , wherein the establishing comprises:
 determining voice activity of a user of the telephony device; and   adjusting the number of voice packets sent to the packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, based upon the determined voice activity.   
     
     
         108 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 causing prompting a user of the telephony device for a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device, if it is determined that a packet network address corresponding to the second telephony device is not available.   
     
     
         109 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         110 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the second telephony device is a conventional telephone. 
     
     
         111 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the information identifying the second telephony device comprises a conventional telephone number. 
     
     
         112 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the sent information comprises information to cause the communication system to determine if the packet network address is available to the communication system by, at least in part, comparing the information identifying the second telephony device to at least one entry in a table, the at least one entry comprising information identifying a telephony device and a corresponding packet network address. 
     
     
         113 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the packet network address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address. 
     
     
         114 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the packet network is the Internet. 
     
     
         115 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 101 , wherein the sent information comprises information to further cause the communication system to notify the telephony device of a busy condition, if the received status information indicates a busy condition.