Patent ID: 7068670

Claim:
A hybrid network configuration, comprising: a plurality of application platforms for sending and receiving at least one of voice and data in accordance with a first predetermined protocol; a voice/data network for routing said voice and data between said plurality of application platforms in accordance with a second predetermined protocol; and at least one network portal for providing said plurality of application platforms access to said voice/data network by encapsulating said voice and data in datagrams, and appending source/destination headers for routing said datagrams between said at least one network portal and said plurality of application platforms and said voice/data network irrespective of content of said voice and data encapsulated in said datagrams; wherein said first protocol is implemented within each of said plurality of application platforms by a physical layer for exchanging said voice and data between said plurality of application platforms and said at least one network portal using said datagrams, an application specific interface for formatting said voice and data for use by said application platforms, and a first information encapsulation layer for encapsulating said voice and data into said datagrams, appending said source/destination headers to said datagrams and transmitting said datagrams over said physical layer and for stripping said source/destination headers from said datagrams received from said physical layer and transmitting said voice and data to said application specific interface.