Abstract:
A system and a method are disclosed which utilizes the standard communication devices at the users&#39; premises and a standard LAN communication in order to enable utilization of IP communication possibilities such as V/FoIP calls, SMS and MMS messaging and video communication over IP network. The system includes a single Local Server and multiple Endpoint Interface Units. The Local Server connects the LAN to the external IP communication and each Endpoint Interface Units connects the communication devices to the LAN. According to the preferred embodiment all communication between the Local Server and the Endpoint Interface Units is established using a layer  2  communication protocol which improves the data transport capabilities of any given network and lowers the overall costs of the system&#39;s implementation. In a second embodiment the data processing procedure is performed on an external server which establishes a VPN communication with each Local Server.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation in part, claiming priority from PCT application no. PCT/IL04/00782 filed on Aug. 30, 2004 having a priority date of Sep. 1, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of coin communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to multimedia systems which enable voice, video and messages communication over data communications network in a user premises using standard customer premises equipment (CPE) and communication infrastructure. 
         [0003]    The widening availability of higher bandwidth and low-latency performance capabilities of broad-band network connections over the last few years have expanded the communication possibilities available to users of a home computer in their premises. At the same time Local Area Networks (LANs) penetrate more and more user environments as means of sharing data between digital devices. All such LANs share a common scheme of operation known as Ethernet and standardized as a family of IEEE standards (802.x). Examples of such popular LANs are Wi-Fi., HomePNA, HomePlug, and Bluetooth. 
         [0004]    The appeals of communication via the Internet or similar IP networks, compared to communication via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), are lower cost and extended communication possibilities. In order to take advantage of these possibilities, users and service providers alike seek to shift more and more communication traffic from the PSTN to the Internet or similar IP networks. Main enablers of this traffic are the video and voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) which allow making video and telephone conversations via any IP network connection bypassing the PSTN altogether. Among these industry-standard protocols are media compression and decompression standards (such as G.723.x, G.729.x) and media and signaling management protocols (such as SIP, H.323/H.324, MGCP, etc.) 
         [0005]    There are several solutions for utilizing these services from the user premises, mainly involving direct usage of the PC, through a microphone and speakers, or by using dedicated IP-enabled telephone sets (IP phones). However, using the PC to conduct the main volume of telephone calls is far from convenient, and current overhead involved with implementing an IP phone makes it expensive and prevents it from becoming a common household appliance. A common characteristic of the existing solutions is the need to implement an IP network protocols stack and voice-over-IP protocol stack in the users&#39; local unit: in case of PC-based solution, the PC is running the IP and voice-over-IP protocol stack; in case of an IP-enabled telephone, the telephone contains a CPU running the IP stack and voice-over-IP stack. This mandates that local units of existing solutions must possess considerable computing power to support these protocol stacks. 
         [0006]    US Patent Application No. 20020176430 discloses methods and systems for managing data packets in various communication networks. The system includes a first memory for storing at least a free data pointer and a buffer descriptor. The free data pointer points to a data buffer allocated in a second memory. The buffer descriptor includes at least a data pointer pointing to a data buffer configured to store one or a portion of the communication packet. The first memory has a maximum threshold such that if the number of buffer descriptors stored in the first memory reaches the maximum threshold one or more buffer descriptors stored in the first memory are transferred to the second memory. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,465 discloses systems and methods by which voice/data communications may occur in multiple protocols. In particular, it describes systems and methods for multiple native protocol voice and data transmissions and receptions with a computing system having a multi-bus structure. In preferred embodiments, a time division multiplexing (TDM) bus and a packet bus are bridged and managed, thereby enabling such multiple protocol voice and data transmissions to be managed and controlled with a single, integrated system. A computer or other processor includes a local area network controller, which provides routing and hub(s) for one or more packet networks. The TDM bus is coupled to a various line/station cards, serving to interface the TDM bus with telephone, facsimiles and other telecommunication devices, and also with a various digital and/or analog WAN network services. 
         [0008]    None of the above systems and methods enables connecting POTS communication devices, such as analog telephones and fax machines, to IP network services. Moreover, none of the existing systems and methods enable performing this using the existing household network infrastructure. There is therefore a need for a means for utilizing the existing communication network in the user&#39;s premises to enable conducting voice, text and video communications through the IP network. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    A system enabling multimedia and messaging communication over a Local Area Network (LAN) and an external Wide Area Network (WAN) is disclosed. A local server controls and manages the communication, which provides distribution of digitally represented voice, video, text and fax signals over said LAN utilizing layer  2  communication protocol. On the LAN are also Endpoint Interfaces Unit for each endpoint communication device. Each Endpoint Interfaces Unit, which has a unique MAC address, performs conversion between analog and digital signals and vice versa. The LAN communication network may be a wired network or a wireless network. The Local Server may interact with more then one LAN network simultaneously. Each Endpoint Interface Unit consists of a controller with a memory, a Codec, a LAN interface section and a media terminal device interface section. The Local Server consists of a Controller with a memory, a LAN interface section and a WAN interface section. The communication between the units on the LAN is done in Ethernet Layer  2  packets. 
         [0010]    The Endpoint Interface Units and the Local Server are enabled to implement a Voice-over-IP protocol stack; signal processing may be performed by the Endpoint Interface Units as well as by the Local Server. The control signals exchanged between the system&#39;s units on the LAN is embedded within the digitally represented multimedia signals contained in the data payload of layer  2  packets. 
         [0011]    The system of claim  1  wherein the Endpoint Interface Units are connected to endpoint communication devices for converting incoming communication signals to native signaling of said endpoint communication device. The Endpoint Interface Units periodically sample their endpoint communication devices the LAN interfaces. 
         [0012]    The Endpoint Interface Unit receives incoming textual and/or MMS messages and displays them on the respective endpoint communication device and transmits outgoing textual and/or MMS messages, obtained from a endpoint communication device through the Endpoint Interface unit&#39;s Media Terminal Interface. 
         [0013]    The Local Server transmits textual and/or MMS messages to a messaging server over the WAN and receives textual and/or MMS messages from a messaging server over the WAN. The Endpoint Interface Unit which performs MAC operations may be a software running on the internal controller, and the LAN interface section of an Endpoint Interface Unit consists of the following main functions: a Phy device, a buffer memory (FIFO) and a digital interface to the unit&#39;s controller. A FIFO buffer is used to synchronize the rates of the Phy device and the multimedia stream, in both directions. 
         [0014]    The Local Server periodically aggregates digitally represented multimedia samples originating from several Endpoint Interface Units into packets forwarded over the WAN, and periodically de-aggregates incoming packets from the WAN into several layer  2  packets destined to different Endpoint Interface Units and forwards each said layer  2  packet to its destination Endpoint Interface over the LAN. 
         [0015]    A method for distributing multimedia and messaging communication over a Local Area Network (LAN) and an external Wide Area Network (WAN) is also disclosed. The communication, which is controlled and managed by a local gateway server, distributes digitally represented voice, video, text and fax signals over said LAN utilizing layer  2  packets transport between Endpoint Interface Units of each endpoint communication device having unique MAC address and the local server. The Endpoint Interface Units are enabling conversion between analog and digital signals. 
         [0016]    Said method comprises the steps of periodically receiving digitized video packets over the LAN network through the LAN interface by said Endpoint Interface Unit, converting the data to analog form using Codec, periodically transmitting the analog signals through the end device interface, periodically constructing layer  2  packets carrying said digital data and transmitting said layer  2  packets to the Local Server. 
         [0017]    Said method also comprises the steps of periodically sampling the unit&#39;s WAN interface, constructing layer  2  packets form said sampled data, periodically forwarding said layer  2  packets to the unit&#39;s LAN interface for transmission over LAN network, periodically receiving layer  2  packets from the unit&#39;s LAN interface, separating the data from the layer  2  headers and constructing the data in new packets in a WAN compliant format, and periodically forwarding said formatted packets to their destinations over the WAN through the unit&#39;s WAN interface. 
         [0018]    The method also includes the following steps: periodically sampling the local server LAN interface and collecting the digital data from the received layer  2  packets; aggregating the data from different layer  2  packets by die Local Server into larger packets in the appropriate WAN protocols, wherein said packets originate from different Endpoint Interface Units on the LAN; forwarding said packets through its WAN interface, over the WAN to the remote server; Periodically sampling the local server WAN interface of packets coming from the remote server; extracting the data payload from said sampled packets; re-constructing said extracted data into layer  2  packets addressed to the destination Endpoint Interface Units; periodically forwarding said layer  2  packets by the local server to their destination Endpoint Interface Units over the LAN through its LAN interface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of the first embodiment according to the present invention implemented via a wired local network; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of the first embodiment implemented via a wireless local network; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the logical structure of the Local Server according to the first embodiment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the logical structure of the first type of Endpoint Interface Units; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the logical structure of the second type of Endpoint Interface Units; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates the data structure of a packet in a layer  2  communication; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the LAN interface section in the Endpoint Interface Unit and of the synchronization FIFO between the controller data rates and the Phy device data rates; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  Is a schematic illustration of the second embodiment according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    The present invention is a new and innovative system and method for a bi-directional ! distribution of digitally represented multimedia (such as voice, fax, video and textual messaging) over any Ethernet-based local area network (LAN) at the user&#39;s premises. 
         [0028]    Voice communication is established using traditional wired or wireless telephone sets or cellular telephone handsets. Video bi-directional communication may be established using a digital camera and a common household television set or other types of display terminal devices such as a PDA handset. The system may operate via all types of Ethernet LANs, wire-line or wireless. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  illustrates the functionality of the first embodiment according to the present invention. The system illustrated in  FIG. 1  enables users to conduct a bi-directional communication using any of the endpoint communication devices  18 ,  19  connected to the LAN  14  through Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 . Voice communication  23 , textual messages  25 , instant messages or e-mails  24  can all be transported simultaneously over the LAN  14 . The system also provides PBX services and allows users to conduct calls and transfer messages between Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  over LAN  14 . Any internal or external incoming call may be routed to a specific Endpoint Interface Unit  10 ,  11 . 
         [0030]    The LAN  14  may be any type of wired or wireless network (see  FIG. 2 ). According to one implementation of the present invention the wired network is the twisted pair wiring system of the POTS already existing at user&#39;s premises, without any installation changes. Analog calls or digital data communication can be transferred over the same twisted pair wiring. The system does not interfere with the analog telephone operation and services, including advanced services such as call waiting and caller ID. The system also generates normal ring signal voltage in the case of an incoming digital phone call, and emulates the operation of the call waiting function for incoming digital phone calls. The system can work with any analog telephone set, corded or cordless and all system functions (voice transport, power transmission and control) are carried out while telephone line is kept in on hook state. 
         [0031]    According to the first embodiment, the system consists of any number of End Point Units  10 ,  11 , each connected to a terminal device, such as any type of regular household telephone set  19  (whether corded or cordless, analog or digital), fax machine  18  or TV screen  13  on one end, and to the LAN medium  14  on the other end. Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  may be packaged as stand-alone devices or integrated into the endpoint communication devices  13 ,  18 ,  19 , 100 ,  115 ,  116 . Said Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  communicate with the other units of the system over the LAN  14  (similarly to PBX extensions). In the system there is also a Local Server  12 , connected to the LAN  14  medium on one end and to a Wide Area Network (WAN)  16  on the other end. The main function of the said Local Server  12  is establishing and maintaining the connection between the LAN  14  and the WAN  16  as well as handling the computing-intensive tasks of media streaming, such as echo cancellation and implementation of standard multimedia compression/decompression algorithms (e.g. G.723.x, G.729, etc.). The Local Server  12  carries out also media and signaling management tasks according to industry-standard protocols (SIP, MGCP, H.323, etc.). 
         [0032]    Implementing the computing-intensive protocols on the Local Server  12  simplifies the structure and the functionality of Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 . Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  connect to standard terminal devices, such as analog telephone sets or televisions, reflecting their native signaling. They may, for instance, generate PSTN-like ring signals and call progress tones for any of the telephone sets individually. 
         [0033]    Endpoint Interface Unit  11  allows audio and video communication. It is connected to the LAN  14  on one end and to a display terminal  13  (such as a TV screen or a screen of a cellular or wireless handset) and local camera  100  (such as a web camera or a camera of a cellular or wireless handset) on the other end. Said Endpoint Interface Unit  11  may include integrated audio peripherals (microphone and speakers), or connect to external audio equipment. Alternatively, the audio for the video conference may be provided by any of the Endpoint Interface Units  10  in the system which are connected to a telephone terminal device or integrated into a wireless or cellular phone handset. 
         [0034]    All of the system&#39;s units on the LAN  14  operate at Ethernet layer  2  protocol. Each unit has a Media Access Control (MAC) address which identifies it uniquely on the LAN  14 . All units refer only to the MAC addresses when analyzing or constructing packets. Using the layer  2  protocol has several advantages, such as very low overhead: except for the layer  2  header fields, the full size of the Ethernet packet contains useful payload of digitally represented multimedia signals and textual messages.  FIG. 6  illustrates the data structure of a packet on the layer  2 . Since the Local Server  12  also acts as the LAN router, it manages the quality of service (QoS) aspects of streaming voice/video packets which improves the overall quality of streaming. The necessary control signaling exchanged between the system&#39;s units on the LAN is embedded within the digitally represented multimedia signals and textual messages contained in the data payload of the layer  2  packets. 
         [0035]    Another advantage of the layer  2  communications is the ability of any two Endpoint Interface units to communicate directly with each other without utilizing the Local Server  12 . 
         [0036]    Following is a description of the system&#39;s operation. According to the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the system is comprised of three types of units: Endpoint Interface  10 ,  11  and Local Server  12 . The logical structure of the first type of Endpoint Interface Units, the audio/textual units  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Every unit  10  consists of a controller  35  with a memory, a Codec  36 , a LAN interface section  37  and a media terminal device interface section  38 . One option for a media terminal device interface, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is a telephone set interface  38 . It provides the interface to a standard analog telephone set, fax machine or any PSTN-compatible device. The LAN  14  illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be wired or wireless. As illustrated in  FIG. 4  the Endpoint Interface unit  10  may be connected to or integrated with a Telephone set  18 , FAX  19 , cellular  115  or wireless handset  116 . 
         [0037]    Endpoint Interface Unit  10  receives through LAN interface  37  digitized voice packets, forwarded over LAN  14  by Local Server  12 . It performs any necessary operations on the data contained in said packets, converts it to analog form using Codec  36  and transmits it in analog form to the attached endpoint communication device  11 ,  18 ,  19  through the media terminal interface  38 . Incoming voice messages and audio messages may be received by Endpoint Interface unit  10 ,  11  through the LAN interface  37 , then converted into analog voice signals using Codec  36  and transmitted through the media terminal interface  38  to the telephone set or to any other endpoint communication device  11 ,  18 ,  19  of that sort. 
         [0038]    At Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 , the analog signals the media terminal interface  38  is i periodically sampled and digitized using Codec  36  Endpoint Interface unit controller  35  periodically constructs layer  2  packets carrying said digitized data and periodically forwards them to Local Server  12  through LAN interface  37  and over LAN  14 . Said controller  35  also periodically receives layer  2  packets from the LAN interface  37  of Units  10 ,  11  and extracts the data in them. Said data is periodically converted into analog form using Codec  36  and transmitted through the unit&#39;s media interface  38 . 
         [0039]    Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  may also receive incoming short messages service (SMS) messages, Multimedia SMS (MMS) messages and/or instant messages, coming from a messaging server  103  on the WAN  16  to the Local Server  12  and from it over LAN  14  to LAN interface  37  of Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 , and display it on a built-in display  120  or on a endpoint communication device  11 ,  18 ,  19  attached to media terminal interface  38 . Endpoint Interface Unit  10 ,  11  may also receive text messages firm the endpoint communication device  11 ,  18 ,  19  through media terminal interface  38  (such as textual messaged typed on the attached telephone&#39;s keypad), construct them into layer  2  packets and forward them through the LAN interface  37  and over LAN  14  to Local Server  12 . Local Server  12  constructs said text messages into packets in a format suitable for WAN  16  and forwards them to an appropriate messaging server  103  on WAN  16  for further processing. 
         [0040]    The second type of an Endpoint Interface Unit  11 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , consists of a controller  35  with a memory, a Codec  36 , a Video accelerator, a LAN interface section  37 , a Video source interface section  105  and a TV endpoint communication device interface section  106 . The TV interface section  106  may connect to a standard TV receiver  13  or to any other visual endpoint communication device such as a projector or a computer monitor. Said Endpoint Interface Unit  11  periodically receives digitized video packets over the LAN  14  through the LAN interface  37 , performs any necessary operations on the data using the video accelerator  108 , converts the data to analog form using Codec  36  and periodically transmits the analog signals through the TV terminal interface  106  to the attached television set  13 . It also periodically receives a video signal through the video source interface  105  (such as from a local camera  100 ), digitizes it, if necessary, using Codec  107 , performs any necessary operations on the data using the Video accelerator  108 , periodically constructs layer  2  packets carrying the said digital data and transmits said layer  2  packets to the Local Server  12 . As mentioned above, all communication between Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  and the Local Server  12  are performed through the LAN interface section  37  over the LAN  14 . This type of Endpoint Interface Unit  11  may also receive incoming textual messages, contained in layer  2  packets, through the LAN Interface section  37  perform any processing required using the video accelerator  108  and Codec  36  and transmit it through the TV terminal interface  106  to the display on the terminal screen (such as a TV set). 
         [0041]    Local Server  12  establishes and maintains the connection between the LAN  14  and the WAN  16  and handles the intensive computing tasks of media streaming, such as echo canceling and standard multimedia compression/decompression algorithms. Local Server  12  also carries out media and signaling management tasks according to industry-standard protocols (SIP, MGCP, H.323, etc.) 
         [0042]    Said Local Server  12  also receives instant messages, SMS messages, MMS messages, and audio messages through WAN  16  and distributes them to Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11  over LAN  14  and vice-versa. Said Local Server  12  may support simultaneous connections to multiple Endpoint Interfaces  10 ,  11 . Said Local Server  12  may also simultaneously support more then one LAN interface. 
         [0043]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3  the Local Server consists of the following main building blocks: a Controller  30  with a memory, a LAN interface section  32  and a WAN interface section  31 . 
         [0044]    Controller  30  manages the operation of the entire unit and performs the MAC operations in software. Said controller  30  periodically samples the Unit&#39;s WAN interface  31  and constructs layer  2  packets from the sampled data, then periodically forwards the said layer  2  packets to the unit&#39;s LAN interface  32  for transmission over LAN  14 . Said controller  30  also periodically receives layer  2  packets from the Unit&#39;s LAN interface  32 , separates the data from the layer  2  headers and constructs the data in new packets, in a WAN compliant format, and then periodically forwards said formatted packets to their destinations over the WAN through the unit&#39;s WAN interface  31 . 
         [0045]    Following is a description of the LAN interfaces. Ethernet network interfaces are usually comprised of a physical layer interface component (Phy) implementing the physical layer of communication and the medium interface, and the MAC logic component managing the access to the network medium such as carrier sensing and collisions detection and prevention according to the Ethernet algorithms. 
         [0046]    Phy interface components are usually analog devices specific to one type of network medium. MAC controllers are usually implemented by digital hardware. The interface between Phy and MAC is a standard digital link, such as MII or GPSI. In the present invention, all MAC operations in the system&#39;s units  10 ,  11  and  12  are implemented at the software level, As illustrated in  FIG. 7  The LAN interface section  32   37  of a unit consists of the following main functions: a Phy device  109 , a buffer memory (FIFO)  110  and a digital interface  111  to the unit&#39;s controller  81 . Said controller manages the operation of the entire unit and performs MAC operations in software. The said FIFO synchronizes between the different data rates of said controller  81  and the Phy device. 
         [0047]    Following is a description of the second embodiment.  FIG. 8  illustrates the configuration of the second embodiment. According to the second embodiment the system utilizes the same Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 ,  102  as in the first embodiment and has a Local Server  80  connected over the WAN  16  to a remote server  81  The connection between said Local Server  80  and remote server  81  may be a virtual private network (VPN). The Remote Server  81  may communicate with several Local Servers  80  simultaneously, 
         [0048]    Similarly to the first embodiment, all communication between the system&#39;s units over the LAN  14  is done in layer  2 . The Local Server  80  establishes and maintains the connection between LAN  14  and WAN  16  Said Local Server  80  periodically samples its LAN interface and collects the digital data from the layer  2  packets it receives. The Local Server  80  then aggregates the data from different layer  2  packets, which may originate from different Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 ,  102  on the LAN  14 , into larger packets in the appropriate WAN protocols and forwards them, through its WAN interface, over the WAN  16  to the remote server  81  Said Local Server  80  also periodically samples its WAN interface for packets coming from the remote server  81 , extracts the data payload from them and re-constructs it into layer  2  packets addressed to the destination Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 ,  102 . Local Server  80  periodically forwards said layer  2  packets to their destination Endpoint Interface Units  10 ,  11 ,  102  over the LAN  14  through its LAN interface. 
         [0049]    In the second embodiment, remote server  81  handles the computing-intensive tasks of media streaming, such as echo canceling and standard multimedia compression and decompression algorithms (such as G.723.x, G.729, etc.), and also manages the sessions according to industry-standard protocols (SIP, H.323, MGCP, etc.). 
         [0050]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3  the Local Server  80  consists of the following main building blocks: a Controller  30 , a LAN interface section  32  and a WAN interface section  31 . The controller  30  manages the operation of the entire unit and performs MAC operations in the software level. Said controller  30  periodically samples the units&#39; WAN interface  31  for incoming packets, extracts the data from them and constructs new layer  2  packets carrying the same data, then periodically forwards said layer  2  packets to the units&#39; LAN interface  32  for transmission over the LAN  14 . Said controller  30  also periodically receives layer  2  packets from the units&#39; LAN interface  32 , extracts the data carried in the layer  2  packets, constructs new packets carrying said data, in the appropriate format for the WAN  16 , then periodically forwards the newly formatted packets to their destinations through the unit&#39;s WAN interface  31  and over the WAN  16 . The Local Server  80  may support simultaneous connections to multiple Endpoint Interfaces  10 ,  11 ,  102 . 
         [0051]    The logical structure of the remote server  81  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Standard voice/video compression and encoding schemes are not necessarily used in the traffic between Local Server  80  and remote server  81 . These computing-intensive operations may be performed by remote server  81 . Remote server  81  performs the functions of an industry-standard IP telephony gateway. Remote server  81  resides on the network of the service provider, accessible to any Local Server  80  through a VPN connection and to the rest of the WAN  16  nodes.