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

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
     
     
         19 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising: 
 a packet processor connected to a packet communication network, said packet processor converting a voice signal from/to a packet data bilaterally to enable communication of the packet data to said packet communication network,    a telephone controller connected to a telephone network to enable communication of the voice signal on said telephone network;    a switch connected with a voice input and output unit and which connects said packet processor or said telephone controller with said voice input and output unit; and    a controller connected with said switch    wherein in a case where said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted from a transmission source connected to said packed communication network or said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source connected to said telephone network, said controller determines by received information whether said transmission source unit is connected to said packet network or said telephone network, to control said switch and connect said voice input and output unit to one of said packet processor and telephone controller exclusively, and    wherein, in a case where said packet processor is connected to said voice input and output unit, said telephone controller produces a signal indicating busy status of said input and output unit to be transmitted to said telephone network when said telephone controller receives a signal to be transmitted to said voice input and output unit from said transmission source connected to said telephone network.    
     
     
         20 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising: 
 a packet processor connected to a packet communication network, said packet processor converting a voice signal from/to a packet data bilaterally to enable communication of the packet data to said packet communication network;    a telephone controller connected to a telephone network to enable communication of the voice signal on said telephone network;    a switch connected with a voice input and output unit and which connects said packet processor or said telephone controller with said voice input and output unit; and    a controller connected with said switch,    wherein in a case where said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted from a transmission source connected to said packet communication network or said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source connected to said telephone network, said controller determines by received information whether said transmission source unit is connected to said packet network or said telephone network, to control said switch and connect said voice input and output unit to one of said packet processor and telephone controller exclusively, and    wherein, in a case where said telephone controller is connected to said voice input and output unit, said packet processor produces a packet data indicating busy status of said input and output unit to be transmitted to said packet communication network when said packet processor receives a packet data to be transmitted to said voice input and output unit from said transmission source connected to said packet communication network.