Patent ID: 7672294

Claim:
An IP bridge phone in a data communications network, the IP bridge phone comprising: a plurality of interfaces comprising: an audio user interface; an analog phone interface adapted to connect to at least one analog phone; a network interface adapted to connect to the data communications network; a mixing module adapted to: receive a first voice signal from the audio user interface, a second voice signal from the at least one analog phone, and a third voice signal from the data communications network; generate a plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second voice signal, and the third voice signal; and transmit each of the plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces; wherein the audio user interface and at least one analog phone are in parallel communication; and wherein the IP bridge phone is adapted to: if a session request to establish an incoming call is received from the network interface: cause the IP bridge phone to ring, and transmit a ring signal to the at least one analog phone if an off-hook signal is received by the audio user interface or the analog phone interface: cause the IP bridge phone to discontinue the ring; terminate the ring signal to the at least one analog phone; and transmit a session acceptance message to establish a voice-over-IP session; and wherein the plurality of combined signals comprises, if off-hook signals are received by the audio user interface and the analog phone interface: a first combined signal, transmitted to the audio user interface, comprising the second voice signal and third voice signal; a second combined signal, transmitted to the analog phone interface, comprising the first voice signal and the third voice signal; and a third voice signal, transmitted to the network interface, comprising the first voice signal and the second voice signal.