Patent ID: 7242688
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A telephone network interface for facilitating communications through use of a telephone with an embedded device through a gateway and for facilitating communications between a remote service provider and the gateway, the telephone network interface comprising: a telephone interface for electronic communication with a telephone; a gateway interface for electronic communications with a gateway; an external telephone network interface for connecting the telephone network interface to an external telephone network; and connection control, the connection control operating to cause the telephone to be selectively in electronic communication with the external telephone network for telephone calls such that a user at the telephone is capable of dialing out and is capable of receiving an incoming telephone call, and the connection control operating to selectively cause the telephone to be in electronic communication with the gateway for communicating with an embedded device such that device requests from the telephone are communicated to the gateway, wherein the gateway is in electronic communication with the embedded device, and the connection control operating to selectively cause the gateway to be in electronic communication with the external telephone network to enable electronic communications between a control service provider and the gateway, and wherein the gateway comprises device information about the embedded device.