Patent ID: 7697467

Claim:
A portable terminal device for supporting voice and data communication via a wireless packet network, the device comprising: a microphone for transducing sound into a first analog voice stream; at least one converter for converting the first analog voice stream to produce outgoing digital voice packets, wherein the outgoing digital voice packets comprise destination information used for routing the outgoing digital voice packets through the wireless packet network; at least one processor for assembling digital data into outgoing data packets; a transmitter for transmitting via the wireless packet network the outgoing digital voice packets and the outgoing data packets; a receiver for receiving from the wireless packet network digital voice packets and data packets; the at least one converter for converting the received digital voice packets to a second analog voice stream; the at least one processor for reproducing digital data from the received data packets; a transducer for transducing the second analog voice stream into sound; wherein the outgoing digital voice packets, the outgoing data packets, the received digital voice packets, and the received data packets are units of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another over the wireless racket network; wherein the portable terminal device evaluates a message wirelessly received from at least one access device and sends to the at least one access device an indication of a data rate based on the evaluation; and wherein the at least one access device selects a data rate used for transmitting the outgoing digital voice packets and the outgoing digital data packets to the portable terminal device, based upon the indication of a data rate.