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 communication 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 communication 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 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network, thereafter said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network, and said telephone controller produces a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         2 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 1 :
 Wherein said signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network is rejected.   
     
     
         3 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 2 :
 wherein said busy tone signal is transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         4 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 3 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said packet processor.   
     
     
         5 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network, thereafter said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network, and said signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network is rejected.   
     
     
         6 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 5 :
 wherein said telephone controller produces a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         7 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 6 :
 wherein said busy tone signal is transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         8 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 7 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said packet processor.   
     
     
         9 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted via said packet communication network, thereafter said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted via said telephone network, and said telephone controller produces a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         10 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 9 :
 wherein said signal transmitted via said telephone network is rejected.   
     
     
         11 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 10 :
 wherein said busy tone signal is transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         12 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 11 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said packet processor.   
     
     
         13 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said packet processor receives the packet data transmitted via said packet communication network, thereafter said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted via said telephone network, and said signal transmitted via said telephone network is rejected.   
     
     
         14 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 13 :
 wherein said telephone controller produces a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         15 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 14 :
 wherein said busy tone signal is transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         16 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 15 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said packet processor.   
     
     
         17 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium adapted to perform the following processes:
 receiving the packet data transmitted via a packet communication network,   receiving a signal transmitted via a telephone network thereafter,   producing a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         18 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 rejecting said signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network.   
     
     
         19 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 18 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 transmitting said busy tone signal to said telephone network.   
     
     
         20 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium adapted to perform the following processes:
 receiving the packet data transmitted via a packet communication network,   receiving a signal transmitted via a telephone network thereafter, and   rejecting said signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network.   
     
     
         21 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 20 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 producing a busy tone signal to be transmitted to said telephone network.   
     
     
         22 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 21 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 transmitting said busy tone signal to said telephone network.   
     
     
         23 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network, thereafter said packet processor receives a packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network, and said packet processor produces a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         24 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 23 :
 wherein said packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network is rejected.   
     
     
         25 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 24 :
 wherein said packet data indicating busy status is transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         26 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 25 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connect said voice input and output unit to said telephone controller.   
     
     
         27 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said telephone network, thereafter said packet processor receives a packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network, and said packet data transmitted from a transmission source coupled to said packet communication network is rejected.   
     
     
         28 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 27 :
 wherein said packet processor produces a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         29 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 28 :
 wherein said packet data indicating busy status is transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         30 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 29 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said telephone controller.   
     
     
         31 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted via said telephone network, thereafter said packet processor receives a packet data transmitted via said packet communication network, and said packet processor produces a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         32 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 31 :
 wherein said packet data transmitted via said packet communication network is rejected.   
     
     
         33 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 32 :
 wherein said packet data indicating busy status is transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         34 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 33 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said telephone controller.   
     
     
         35 . A voice communication apparatus, comprising:
 a packet processor coupled 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 coupled 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 said telephone controller receives a signal transmitted via said telephone network, thereafter said packet processor receives a packet data transmitted via said packet communication network, and said packet data transmitted via said packet communication network is rejected.   
     
     
         36 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 35 :
 wherein said packet processor produces a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         37 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 36 :
 wherein said packet data indicating busy status is transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         38 . A voice communication apparatus according to  claim 37 :
 wherein said controller controls said switch and connects said voice input and output unit to said telephone controller.   
     
     
         39 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium adapted to perform the following processes:
 receiving a signal transmitted via said telephone network,   said packet receiving a packet data transmitted via said packet communication network thereafter, and   producing a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         40 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 39 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 rejecting said packet data transmitted via said packet communication network.   
     
     
         41 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 40 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 transmitting said packet data indicating busy status to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         42 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium adapted to perform following processes:
 receiving a signal transmitted via said telephone network, and receiving a packet data transmitted via said packet communication network thereafter, rejecting said packet data transmitted via said packet communication network.   
     
     
         43 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 42 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 producing a packet data indicating busy status to be transmitted to said packet communication network.   
     
     
         44 . A program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium according to  claim 43 , further adapted to perform the following process:
 transmitting said packet data indicating busy status to said packet communication network.