Integrating telephone lines with packet connections

摘要

The present invention provides an effective technique for routing calls to one or more telephony terminals through a traditional telephony line as well as via a packet network. A terminal adapter is provided at a customer premise and supports multiple telephony terminals, which may be associated with the same or different directory numbers. For incoming calls, the telephony switch will determine whether to route the call over the traditional telephony line or through the packet network to the terminal adapter, which will facilitate the connection with one or more of the telephony terminals. The incoming calls can be routed to a specific telephony terminal based on incoming call indicia. The terminal adapter can initiate outgoing calls from the supported telephony terminals over the traditional telephony line or via the packet network to the telephony switch. Whether incoming or outgoing calls are routed through the telephony line or the packet network depends on system configuration and existing conditions.

主权项

1. A method for routing calls to a terminal adapter supporting a plurality of telephony terminals via a telephony line or through a packet network, the method comprising:
receiving, at a telephony switch, an incoming call intended for one of the telephony terminals; establishing, via the telephony switch, the incoming call with the terminal adapter via the telephony line when a first condition is present; establishing, via the telephony switch, the incoming call intended for one of the telephony terminals through the packet network when a second condition is present, wherein the terminal adapter will establish a connection with one of the telephony terminals to complete the incoming call; providing instructions to the telephony switch to route the incoming call based on the first and second conditions, the instructions provided via a service node associated with the telephony switch and a gateway, which couples the telephony switch to the packet network; and providing instructions to the gateway to assist in establishing incoming calls through the packet network when the second condition exists, the instructions provided via a service node.