Importance

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Abstract

A micro-controller having multiple operating modes, including an idle mode, an analog voice mode, a digital data mode, and a simultaneous voice and data (SVD) mode, is provided to a DCE designed to support multi-modal voice and/or data calls over a single analog-loop telephone line. The micro-controller further contains control logic for establishing multiple logical connections and voice as well as data transmission protocols over these logical connections with another DCE, when switching from the analog voice mode to the SVD mode, and for multiplexing voice and data transmissions over these logical connections. The control logic transmits voice over a logical voice connection in nominally fixed intervals. A non-voice transmission, i.e. data or information to be exchanged, can be suspended in favor of transmitting a voice transmission. During the suspension, a special character (e.g., escape) is transmitted in conjunction with a length preceding the voice transmission. After the voice transmission is complete, the data transmission is continued. By suspending (rather than ending and then restarting) the non-voice transmission, a large amount of 'framing bits' are effectively eliminated and the bandwidth efficiency of the multiplexed transmission is increased. Effectively, voice information can be transmitted embedded within a data (e.g., non real time) transmission.

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First Claim