Network adaptor for telephone and data traffic

Abstract

An adaptor supports supplying both telephone signals and data signals over a local area network medium such as a twisted pair wire for Ethernet. The adaptor can be incorporated into a telephone or a computer. The adaptor comprises a first packet port, second packet port and a telephone port. Core logic is coupled to the first and second packet ports and to the telephone port and retransmits network packets which are received on the first and second packet ports and on the telephone port to at least one other of the first and second packet ports and the telephone port. The data processing resources are coupled to the telephone port and to the core logic which translate network packets destined to the telephone port into telephone signals and to translate telephone signals destined to the core logic into network packets. This way, telephone data transmitted as network packets through a network are appropriately routed to the telephone and translated into standard telephone signals. Network packets which are destined to a network attached device other than the telephone are routed through the core logic into standard network protocols.