Patent ID: 8416929

Claim:
A phone system comprising a local network of analog telephones including a plurality of extension sets and a telephonic gateway for connecting the local network of analog telephones to two or more telephonic devices associated with the gateway, wherein the gateway comprises: a first port for mimicking a powered foreign exchange station (FXS) port and adapted for connecting to a network of one or more analog telephones; transceivers adapted for connection to two or more telephonic devices having at least two service lines associated therewith for carrying incoming and outgoing phone signals, the phone signals including phone calls; a power source for applying a nominal tip/ring voltage to the FXS port; a controller for managing events between the one or more telephonic devices, the analog telephones and the gateway comprising varying the applied voltage at the FXS port from nominal tip/ring voltages; monitoring current at the FXS port and if there is no monitored current then it is established that the FXS port is connected to the network of analog telephones; prior to connecting the telephonic devices to the gateway, managing security features associated with the gateway and the telephonic devices; interpreting the phone signals between the transceivers and each of the telephonic devices connected therewith for establishing a service line identity for each of the at least two service lines and a signal format for each of the telephonic device, receiving a state signal from one of the one or more analog telephones for selecting the service line identity bearing a phone call of interest, connecting the phone call for the selected line identity in a form compatible with the selected service line identify and the analog telephones; and after the connection to the gateway has been established, enabling data transfer features between the gateway and the telephonic devices.