Patent ID: 8144729

Claim:
A method for providing voice and data communications over a wide area network, comprising: providing a processor, providing a multi-protocol framing/deframing circuit coupled to the processor over a first bus and receiving data over the first bus of two or more communication protocols, wherein the multi-protocol framing/deframing circuit comprises at least a first protocol processing circuit and a second protocol processing circuit and a buffer coupled to receive data from, and transmit data to, the first bus, wherein the buffer selectively couples data between the first bus and the first and second protocol processing circuits; providing a multiplexing circuit coupled to the multi-protocol framing/deframing circuit and receiving commands from the processor, wherein the multiplexing circuit selectively transmits data to and receives data from the multi-protocol framing/deframing circuit and selectively transmits data to and receives data from a second bus in a time division multiplexed mode utilizing a plurality of frames, the second bus comprising a time division multiplexed bus, each of the frames comprising a plurality of slots, wherein the multiplexing circuit, under control of the processor, selectively couples data to and from particular slots of the frames; providing a plurality of interface circuits coupled to the second bus and receiving commands from the processor, wherein the interface circuits are coupled to the wide area network and to one or more telephone devices, wherein the interface circuits selectively transmit data to and receive data from the second bus under control of the processor; and providing a packet bus coupled to the processor, wherein data communications over the packet bus art coupled to the wide area network under control of the processor through the multi-protocol framing/defaming circuit, the multiplexing circuit, and the second bus, wherein voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form and that are based on one of the one or more telephone devices simultaneously occur over the second bus.