Patent ID: 8125998

Claim:
A system for coupling a digital communications device to a primary data communications network having a first communications format for carrying packetized data and to a secondary data communications network having a second communications format being a 2-wire communication protocol, the digital communications device configured to have an assigned device identification and configured for using an assigned network address as an entry point for the primary data communications network for use in routing the packetized data over the primary data communications network, the system comprising: an adapter including: a first device port configured for connecting to the digital communications device as a communication endpoint for the packetized data using the assigned network address; a second network port configured for connecting to the primary data communications network and facilitating direct communication of the packetized data between the primary data communications network and the digital communications device through the first device port; a third network port configured for connecting to the secondary data communications network and facilitating communication of first or second converted data between the secondary data communications network and the adapter, the first or second converted data having the 2-wire communications protocol; a conversion module between the first device port and the third network port configured for converting from the packetized data to the first converted data for data communication from the first device port to the third network port and from the second converted data to the packetized data for data communication from the third network port to the first device port; and a switching module coupled to the ports and configured for selectively switching a selected communication path of the packetized data between either the first device port and the second network port or between the first device port and the third network port; and a conversion device coupled between the primary communications network and the secondary communications network, the conversion device configured for: converting the first converted data, sent from the third network port of the adapter, to packetized data of the first communications format and directing the packetized data to the primary communications network; and converting the packetized data received from the primary communications network to the second converted data of the second communications format and directing the second converted data towards the third network port of the adapter.