Patent ID: 6377570
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A switch box for connecting a first telephone set and a second telephone set over a selected one of a primary network and a secondary network, the switch box comprising:primary network connecting means for connecting the first telephone set to the primary network; secondary network connecting means for connecting the first telephone set to the secondary network, for receiving address information from the secondary network to locate the second telephone set on the secondary network and for establishing a connection over the secondary network between the first telephone set and the second telephone set; relay means for (i) connecting, when the relay means is in a first state, the first telephone set to the primary network connecting means and for (ii) connecting, when the relay means is in a second state, the first telephone set to the secondary network connecting means; and switching means for receiving a switch-over command to switch from the primary network to the secondary network and for controlling, in response to the switch-over command, (i) the relay means to disconnect the first telephone set from the primary network connecting means and to connect the first telephone set to the secondary network connecting means and (ii) the secondary network connecting means to establish the connection over the secondary network between the first telephone set and the second telephone set.