Patent Application
20050063362
Voice-Over-IP is the name given to a system wherein voice, such as from voice telephone calls, is transported over a network, which could be for example the Internet, using standard Internet Protocol (IP) packets. Such systems provide the capability of carrying both data and the voice information using a single infrastructure. Development efforts directed to such systems, as well as protocols for use with them, have intensified over the past few years. In these systems, data-oriented switches can be used to switch data, including packetized voice.
Several advantages are inherent in such systems. In particular, the multiplexing of data and voice signals can result in a better utilization of bandwidth than is typically possible in voice only systems. The system provider thereby benefits by the more efficient utilization of his resources with an associated higher profit, while the customer stands to enjoy the benefits of the lower cost associated with this more efficient utilization of resources.
Current systems can utilize an audio-capable computer and/or a telephone connected to a public switched telephone network (PTSN) on either or both ends of the voice-over-IP system. In other words, the endpoints of a two party system could include (1) an audio-capable computer at the calling end of the system and an audio-capable computer at the called end of the system, (2) a telephone connected to a public switched telephone network at the calling end of the system and a telephone connected to a public switched telephone network at the called end of the system, (3) a telephone connected to a public switched telephone network at the calling end of the system and an audio-capable computer at the called end of the system, or (4) an audio-capable computer at the calling end of the system and a telephone connected to a public switched telephone network at the called end of the system.
Voice-Over-IP devices communicate with each other using signaling and voice-transporting protocols. Various standardization entities have specified standards for both signaling and voice-transporting protocols in order to insure the interoperability between products from different vendors.
In representative embodiments an instrument system is described which includes an electronic instrument and a network interface module. The network interface module and the electronic instrument interchange electronic instrument data via a first connector, the network interface module and a voice module interchange voice data via a second connector, and the network interface module and a network interchange combined data (i.e., instrument data and voice data) via a third connector. The voice data has been converted to Internet protocol (IP) packets to allow it to be combined with the instrument data. The network interface module provides the means for combining instrument data and voice data into the outgoing data stream, and for separating the incoming data stream into its instrument data and voice data components. Additionally, the network interface module may also provide functionality to convert analog voice signals to digital voice data and/or to convert digital voice data into analog voice signals.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
The accompanying drawings provide visual representations which will be used to more fully describe the invention and can be used by those skilled in the art to better understand it and its inherent advantages. In these drawings, like reference numerals identify corresponding elements.
Shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration is a Voice-Over-IP instrument system. Previously, close contact between remotely located diagnostic personnel and instrument systems has required separate data and voice paths. Systems disclosed herein provide this close contact between remotely located diagnostic personnel and electronic test instrument locations using a single network connection.
In the following detailed description and in the several figures of the drawings, like elements are identified with like reference numerals.
The electronic instrument 105, in various implementations, may comprise a display 106 for displaying data values and various control knobs 107 for controlling various setup and operational functions of the electronic instrument 105.
The voice module 120 comprises a transducer 140 which in the representative embodiment of
A call button 147 could be provided wherein an operator or engineer at the instrument location could press that button 147 which could be located on the instrument chassis, thereby automatically connecting to a support location for support help for the instrument 105. The system 100 is easily integrated with remote on-line support for the instrument 105 which enables remote diagnostics of the instrument 105.
In typical applications, the network 130 is a Local Area Network (LAN) 130 or a Wide Area Network (WAN) 130 such as the Internet 130.
In a representative situation, the voice module 120 is a telephone 120 with a speaker 140 (i.e., a speaker phone 120) built into the instrument chassis. The operator speaks into the speaker 140 which is a transducer 140 that transforms his voice into an electronic signal that may be amplified by the voice module 120. This electronic signal is referred to herein as voice data. Additionally, the voice data may be converted into digital form and compressed into IP packets by voice module 120. The voice data is transferred to the network interface module 110 at the second connector 125. If the voice data is not already in the form of IP packets, network interface module 110 converts the voice data into IP packets, as mentioned above. The network interface module 110 then combines the instrument data from the electronic instrument 105 with voice data in IP format from the voice module 120 to form a combined data stream which is typically in a packetized format. The combined data is then transferred to the network 130 via third connector 135.
First connector 115 could be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The first connector 115 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a high-frequency connector, a fiber optics interface, or the like. Second connector 125 could also be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The second connector 125 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a standard telephone plug and/or receptacle, or the like. Third connector 135 could be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The third connector 135 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a high-frequency connector, an Ethernet connector, a fiber optics interface, or the like. The third connector 135 could also provide a wireless connection to another network-enabled device connected to the network 130.
The combined data transferred to the network 130 via third connector 135 by the network interface module 110 is transported by the network 130 to a remote system 200 which in the representative embodiment of
The instrument data is transferred from the additional network interface module 210 via additional data connector 215 to a remote data analysis instrument 250 which is shown in
The voice data may be decoded and converted to an analog signal by the additional network interface module 210. The voice data is transferred from the additional network interface module 210 via additional voice connector 225 to additional voice module 220 located at the remote system 200. If the voice data has not yet been decoded and converted into an analog signal, additional voice module 220 will provide this function. The additional voice module 220 located at the remote system 200 comprises a transducer 240, wherein the transducer 240 transforms the electronic voice data received from additional network interface module 210 into sounds replicating the human voice. The additional voice module 220 further comprises an on/off switch 245. While not required, the additional voice module 220 is shown in
The additional data connector 215 could be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The additional data connector 215 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a high-frequency connector, a fiber optics interface, or the like. Additional voice connector 225 could also be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The additional voice connector 225 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a standard telephone plug and/or receptacle, or the like. Additional network connector 235 could be any electronic connector appropriate to the particular application. The additional network connector 235 could be, for example, a wire, a feed-thru, a plug and receptacle, a high-frequency connector, an Ethernet connector, a fiber optics interface, or the like. The additional network connector 235 could also provide a wireless connection to another network-enabled device connected to the network 130.
In a manner similar to the above and in a representative situation, the additional voice module 220 is a telephone 220 with a speaker 240 (i.e., a speaker phone 220) built into the chassis of the remote data analysis instrument 250. Personnel at, for example, a diagnostic center can speak into the speaker 240, which is a transducer 240 that transforms that individual's voice into an electronic signal that may be amplified by the additional voice module 220. Additionally, the voice data may be converted into digital form and compressed into IP packets by the additional voice module 220. The voice data is transferred to the additional network interface module 210 at the additional voice connector 225. If the voice data is not already in the form of IP packets, additional network interface module 210 converts the voice data into IP packets as mentioned above. The additional network interface module 210 then combines the instrument data from the remote data analysis instrument 250 with voice data in IP format from the additional voice module 220 to form a combined data stream which is typically in a packetized format. The combined data is then transferred to the network 130 via additional network connector 235.
The combined data transferred to the network 130 by the additional network interface module 210 via additional network connector 235 is transported by the network 130 to the instrument system 100. The combined data is transferred from the network 130 to the network interface module 110 via the third connector 135. The network interface module 110 of the instrument system 100 separates the combined data received from the network 130 into voice data and instrument data.
The instrument data is transferred via first connector 115 to the electronic instrument 105. The voice data may be decoded and converted to an analog signal by the network interface module 110. The voice data is transferred via second connector 125 to voice module 120 located at the instrument system 100. If the voice data has not yet been decoded and converted into an analog signal, voice module 120 will provide this function. As previously stated, the voice module 120 located at the instrument system 100 comprises at lease one transducer 140, wherein the transducer 140 transforms the electronic voice data received from network interface module 110 into sounds replicating the human voice. In the representative embodiment of
As is the case in many products involving data-processing, certain elements of the above described embodiments may be implemented as a combination of hardware and software components. Moreover, certain elements of the functionality required for using these embodiments may be embodied in computer-readable media to be used in programming an information-processing apparatus (e.g., a personal computer comprising the elements shown in
The term “computer readable media” is broadly defined herein to include any kind of computer memory such as, but not limited to, floppy disks, conventional hard disks, DVD's, CD-ROM's, Flash ROM's, nonvolatile ROM, Flash RAM, other nonvolatile RAM, and RAM.
The display of the computer monitor 260 shown in
The computer central processing unit 255 can be capable of running any commercially available operating system such as DOS, any of a variety of Windows operating systems including, for example, Windows 2000 or XP, Unix (including Linux), real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, or any other suitable operating system. The operating system can include support of a spreadsheet, database, or other specialized data collection software.
The total real cost of instrument ownership should include the costs of instrument downtime due to instrument malfunction, instrumentation updating, and other reasons, as well as cost of service contracts and calls. Such costs can be reduced by the effective use of remote support of the electronic instruments. Remote support often includes the physical presence of an operator and/or engineer. The engineer may be employed by the company owning the instrument, by the manufacturer of the instrument, or by a third party. Often these individuals need to speak with an individual in a remotely located instrument customer support facility.
In various instrument environments, as for example, the production floor of a manufacturing facility, telephones or even telephone outlets may not be conveniently located with respect to the instrument. In such situations, cell phones would be a possible choice. However, it is possible that due to the nature of the manufacturer's facility, cell phones may not be allowed or due to the location of the cell phone provider's antennas such use is not possible. Further, long distance calls can become expensive for the long durations that may be required to solve a given instrument problem. Representative embodiments of the integrated voice-over-IP instrument system disclosed herein provide a convenient, cost effective means for voice and data communication between an individual located at an electronic instrument and a remotely located monitoring/troubleshooting facility. All that is needed at the instrument location is a connection to a network, as for example an Ethernet network. Tie-ins to such local area networks which are in turn connected to a Wide-Area Network (such as the internet) are becoming more and more common.
A call button 147 via additional network connector 235 (see
Voice-over-IP requires only a small increase in bandwidth over the standard data transmissions required for diagnostics of a problem.
While the present invention has been described in detail in relation to preferred embodiments thereof, the described embodiments have been presented by way of example and not by way of limitation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form and details of the described embodiments resulting in equivalent embodiments that remain within the scope of the appended claims.
