Packet communication system

Abstract

The packet communication system enables communication between a communication unit connected in a conventional telephone network and a communication unit in a packet mode network. A device for exclusively selecting the connection network is provided so that, at the time of transmission of a signal from one communication unit to another, the connection path is selected according to the kind of the network to which the other communication unit belongs. At the time of signal reception, the communication unit is connected to only one of the conventional telephone network and the packet mode network. The packet communication system includes a packet processor for converting an information signal, such as speech, inputted from an input unit (for example, a transmitter microphone of a handset) into the form of a packet

Description

[0001] This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 396,824, filed Mar. 26, 2003; which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 238,160, filed Jan. 28, 1999 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,815); which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 827,054, filed Mar. 26, 1997 (now abandoned); which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 486,183, filed May 9, 1995 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,957).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a packet communication system used for packet mode communication of a signal, such as, an audio signal or a video signal through a communication network, and more particularly to a packet communication system suitable for packet mode communication of a signal, such as, a speech signal between communication networks using signal types different from each other. [0003] With the recent progress of the architecture of a LAN (local area network), the network system connecting small size computers, such as, person...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] Thus, in the case of communication between the communication unit connected in the packet mode network and the communication unit, such as, the telephone connected in the conventional telephone network, a connection path is formed between them by the function of connection to the conventional telephone network. On the other hand, in the case of communication between the communication units in the packet mode network, a communication path is formed between them by the function of connection to the packet mode network. Therefore, the communication gateway is utilized only for the communication between the communication unit (for example, the telephone) connected to the conventional telephone network only and the communication unit connected to the packet mode network only, and concentration of loads on the communication gateway is avoided. Thus, even when the number of the communication units connected in the conventional telephone network may be large, information, such as, audio information and / or video information can be reliably communicated between the communication units in the conventional telephone network and those in the packet mode network.

[0022] Further, when the packet communication unit is newly provided for the user possessing his telephone already connected to the conventional telephone network, the sole requirement is to connect the subscriber telephone line to the packet communication system of the present invention, so that the telephone can be eliminated, and communication of information, such as, audio information and / or video information can be economically attained. When, in this case, information signals are simultaneously inputted from the communication unit connected in the packet mode network and that in the conventional telephone network, only one of the input signals is connected to the user's communication unit, and a busy tone is issued for the other input signal, so that the user does not feel any difficulty in dealing with such a situation.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, the desired integration of the voice communication in the form including the conventional telephone network will bring forth such a problem that the communication gateway tends to be overloaded due to concentration of loads, resulting in impossibility of connection or communication.

As a result, the cost inevitably increases, and such a problem arises that the user cannot deal with simultaneous occurrence of a communication request from both the telephone and the packet communication unit The same applies also to the case where the telephone is newly provided for the user who possesses the packet communication unit only.

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