Patent ID: 6958999
Filing Date: 2005-10-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for sending digitized voice over a data network, comprising: a plurality of terminals for transmitting digitized signals, wherein the digitized signals may be compressed and uncompressed; a plurality of switches for receiving the digitized signals and for acting as a protocol converter/adapter for the incoming signals from the plurality of terminals; first lines for connecting the plurality of terminals to at least one of the plurality of switches; wherein each of the plurality of switches further comprises a compression module for compressing the incoming voice signals to digitized voice packets when the incoming voice signals are uncompressed and for packaging the compressed digitized data packets in a format compatible with web protocols; wherein each of the plurality of switches further comprises a bridging module for packaging the incoming digitized data packets into a format compatible with web protocols when the incoming packets are compressed; wherein each of the plurality of switches further comprises a combining/switching module within the switch for combining the formatted digitized voice packets into long frames; a data network for receiving the long frames from the plurality of switches; a second line for connecting the plurality of switches to the data network; and a central switch for receiving the longer frames from the data network and for disassembling, switching and reassembling the longer frames and for returning the reassembled frames to the data network.