Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating bandwidth to independent data and audio devices

US6047006A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1997
Grant dateApr 4, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M11/068
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for utilizing a multi-channel digital communications line provides dynamic bandwidth allocation of user data channels for supporting a data device and an audio device, such as a digital telephone. In the preferred embodiment, the communications line is an ISDN line in which both B-channels are dedicated to data transfers for the data device when the audio device is idle. However, the signaling channel is continuously monitored to detect events in which incoming and outgoing voice calls are indicated. One of the B-channels is surrendered in order to allow connectivity of the voice call. Reallocation of the surrendered B-channel to the support of a data transfer occurs upon detection of a D-channel signal that indicates that the audio device has released the channel.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.