Patent ID: 7626981

Claim:
A communication system for communicating via a communication network, the communication system providing voice and data communications and comprising: at least a first packet bus in communication with one or more packet-based devices and adapted for transferring packetized data within the system; at least one time division multiplex (TDM) bus in communication with one or more telephony devices, wherein the TDM bus selectively is in communication with the first packet bus and the communication network; a processor; wherein the processor selectively controls voice and packet-based communications via the TDM bus and the first packet bus; wherein the communication system includes one or more station cards for controlling communications with one or more of the telephony devices, wherein at least one of the station cards comprises: an input for receiving an input voltage of a first voltage level from a power supply external to the at least one station card; a voltage generation circuit on the at least one station card, wherein the voltage generation circuit generates from the input voltage one or more control voltages/signals of at least a second voltage level different from the first voltage level for generating signals for controlling communications with the one or more telephony devices; and one or more interface circuits receiving the one or more control voltages/signals, wherein the one or more interface circuits generate signals for communicating with the one or more telephony devices.