Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
A method for bypassing a telephone switching system, the method operating in a system including, a first modem, a first subscriber loop coupled to the first modem, a second modem coupled to the first subscriber loop and a packet-switched network, a third modem coupled to a second subscriber loop and the packet-switched network, a fourth modem coupled to the second subscriber loop, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a connection between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop; exchanging information between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop to establish a first agreed-upon communication rate; if the first agreed-upon communication rate is below 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate below 4,000 effective symbols per second; if the first agreed-upon communication rate is above 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate above 4,000 effective symbols per second; establishing a connection from the second modem across the packet-switched network to the third modem; establishing a connection from the third modem to the fourth modem through the second subscriber loop; exchanging information between the third modem and the fourth modem through the second subscriber loop to establish a second agreed-upon communication rate; if the second agreed-upon communication rate is below 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the third and fourth modem across the second subscriber loop at a rate below 4,000 effective symbols per second; and if the second agreed-upon communication rate is above 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the third and fourth modem across the second subscriber loop at a rate above 4,000 effective symbols per second.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
300 words
A method for bypassing a telephone switching system, the method operating in a system including, a first modem, a first subscriber loop coupled to the first modem, a second modem coupled to the first subscriber loop and a packet-switched network, a third modem coupled to a second subscriber loop and the packet-switched network, a fourth modem coupled to the second subscriber loop, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a connection between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop; exchanging information between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop to establish a first agreed-upon communication rate; if the first agreed-upon communication rate is below 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate below 4,000 effective symbols per second; if the first agreed-upon communication rate is above 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate above 4,000 effective symbols per second; establishing a connection from the second modem across the packet-switched network to the third modem; establishing a connection from the third modem to the fourth modem through the second subscriber loop; exchanging information between the third modem and the fourth modem through the second subscriber loop to establish a second agreed-upon communication rate; if the second agreed-upon communication rate is below 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the third and fourth modem across the second subscriber loop at a rate below 4,000 effective symbols per second; and if the second agreed-upon communication rate is above 4,000 effective symbols per second, communicating between the third and fourth modem across the second subscriber loop at a rate above 4,000 effective symbols per second.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein communications between the first modem and the second modem and communications between the third and fourth modems include facsimile signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of probing the first subscriber loop to determine if the first subscriber loop is capable of passing information at greater than 4,000 effective symbols per second.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of exchanging information between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop to identify a continuation of a previous communication session between the first modem and the second modem.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of exchanging information between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop to identify a continuation of a previous communication session between the first modem and the second modem, wherein the step of exchanging information includes: exchanging identifying information for old parameters of an old communication session at the end of the old communication session; starting a new communication session by exchanging the identifying information for the old parameters; if the old parameters match, starting a new session with the old parameters; if the old parameters mismatch, retraining the connection between the first modem and the second modem to create new parameters for the new communication session.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of probing the first subscriber loop to determine modulation parameters for communications across the first subscriber loop.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of training a connection between the first modem and the second modem for echo cancellation and equalization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate below 4,000 effective symbols per second and the step of communicating between the first modem and the second modem across the first subscriber loop at a rate above 4,000 effective symbols per second, include the steps of: modulating a signal; demodulating a signal; converting an analog signal to a digital signal; and converting a digital signal to an analog signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of exchanging information between the first modem and the second modem through the first subscriber loop to establish a first agreed-upon communication rate performs a modified V.8 exchange between the first modem and the second modem to determine whether to communicate between the first modem and the second modem at a symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
362 words
An apparatus for bypassing a telephone switching system, comprising: a first modem coupled to a packet-switched network, the first modem including, a subscriber loop interface coupled to a first subscriber loop, a network interface coupled to a packet-switched network, a communication circuit coupled to the subscriber loop interface and the network interface, the communication circuit including circuitry to communicate at both an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second, and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second through to the first subscriber loop interface, a negotiation mechanism coupled to the subscriber loop interface, including a mechanism to negotiate with a first remote modem coupled to the first subscriber loop to determine whether to communicate with the first remote modem at a symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second, and a transfer rate switching mechanism coupled to the communication circuit and the negotiation mechanism including a mechanism to switch the communication circuit between an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second; a second modem coupled to a second subscriber loop and the packet-switched network, the second modem including, a subscriber loop interface coupled to the second subscriber loop, a network interface coupled to the packet-switched network, a communication circuit coupled to the subscriber loop interface and the network interface, the communication circuit including circuitry to communicate at both an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second, and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second through to the subscriber loop interface, a negotiation mechanism coupled to the subscriber loop interface including a mechanism to negotiate with a second remote modem coupled to the second subscriber loop to determine whether to communicate with the second remote modem at a symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second, a transfer rate switching mechanism coupled to the communication circuit and the negotiation mechanism including a mechanism to switch the communication circuit between an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second; and a routing mechanism for establishing a connection through the packet-switched network between the first modem and the second modem.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
362 words
An apparatus for bypassing a telephone switching system, comprising: a first modem coupled to a packet-switched network, the first modem including, a subscriber loop interface coupled to a first subscriber loop, a network interface coupled to a packet-switched network, a communication circuit coupled to the subscriber loop interface and the network interface, the communication circuit including circuitry to communicate at both an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second, and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second through to the first subscriber loop interface, a negotiation mechanism coupled to the subscriber loop interface, including a mechanism to negotiate with a first remote modem coupled to the first subscriber loop to determine whether to communicate with the first remote modem at a symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second, and a transfer rate switching mechanism coupled to the communication circuit and the negotiation mechanism including a mechanism to switch the communication circuit between an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second; a second modem coupled to a second subscriber loop and the packet-switched network, the second modem including, a subscriber loop interface coupled to the second subscriber loop, a network interface coupled to the packet-switched network, a communication circuit coupled to the subscriber loop interface and the network interface, the communication circuit including circuitry to communicate at both an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second, and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second through to the subscriber loop interface, a negotiation mechanism coupled to the subscriber loop interface including a mechanism to negotiate with a second remote modem coupled to the second subscriber loop to determine whether to communicate with the second remote modem at a symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second, a transfer rate switching mechanism coupled to the communication circuit and the negotiation mechanism including a mechanism to switch the communication circuit between an effective symbol rate below 4,000 symbols per second and an effective symbol rate above 4,000 symbols per second; and a routing mechanism for establishing a connection through the packet-switched network between the first modem and the second modem.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first modem, the second modem, the third modem and the fourth modem are capable of carrying facsimile signals.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for bypassing a telephone switching system to transmit data from a first station to a second station using a packet-switched network, the first station including a first modem, a subscriber loop coupling the first modem with a second modem, the second modern coupled to the telephone switching system and the packet-switched network and the packet-switched network coupled to the second station, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a connection between the first modem and the second modem; receiving a control signal to cause the second modem to decouple from the telephone switching system and to couple to the packet-switched network, wherein decoupling occurs during a period of substantially zero current between the second modem and the telephone switching system; establishing a connection between the first station and the second station through the packet-switched network responsive to the receiving step; and transferring data between the first station and the second station.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for bypassing a telephone switching system to transmit data from a first station to a second station using a packet-switched network, the first station including a first modem, a subscriber loop coupling the first modem with a second modem, the second modern coupled to the telephone switching system and the packet-switched network and the packet-switched network coupled to the second station, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a connection between the first modem and the second modem; receiving a control signal to cause the second modem to decouple from the telephone switching system and to couple to the packet-switched network, wherein decoupling occurs during a period of substantially zero current between the second modem and the telephone switching system; establishing a connection between the first station and the second station through the packet-switched network responsive to the receiving step; and transferring data between the first station and the second station.