The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1998
Shun-Shing Chan, Fresh Meadows, NY (US);
Nathan Junsup Lee, New City, NY (US);
Kiyoshi Maruyama, Chappaqua, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The packet network phone unit is an interface between a telephone instrument and a packet network for enabling voice data to be communicated over the packet network. The unit also functions as a gateway between a packet network and a public switched telephone network, thereby interconnecting the networks and providing a public switched telephone network gateway to a packet network. When power is not supplied to the unit, a fallback switch automatically links the telephone instrument directly to the public switched network, bypassing the circuitry in the unit. The unit includes links to a plurality of external serial communications lines as well as an interface for connecting to a personal computer. The unit also includes an LCD driver and a display for displaying information such as a caller identification. The packet network phone unit also may function an answering machine/messaging system.