Patent ID: 7218713

Claim:
A communication system, comprising: phone line side circuitry that may be coupled to a telephone network; ringer detection circuitry included within the phone line side circuitry; DC loop voltage monitoring circuitry included within the phone line side circuitry; and caller ID circuitry included within the phone line side circuitry; wherein said ringer detection circuitry, DC loop voltage monitoring circuitry and caller ID circuitry are configured to be coupled to said telephone network through a common integrated circuit input node and a common interface coupled between said common integrated circuit input node and said telephone network, said common interface providing direct current to said common integrated circuit input node; and wherein said ringer detection circuitry, DC loop voltage monitoring circuitry and caller ID circuitry are configured to receive caller ID data, DC loop voltage data and ringer data from said telephone network through said common integrated circuit input node.