Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for effecting low cost audible communication between a local machine at a local site and a remote modem, over a wide area network. A remote modem, e.g. in a modem pool is configured to include a converter added to a telephone interconnection of a modem in the modem pool. As the remote modem receives communication(s) from the local machine the signal generated by the modem onto a local phone line for communication with the remote computer, is split and the converter receives the signal (heading to or from a WAN) from the telephone side of the modem. The converter provides an audio output that is input to sound processing hardware on an interface PC that runs an audio streaming program which packetizes and puts the audio signal back onto the WAN for transmission to the local computer. The local computer, suitably equipped with sound processing hardware and a similar audio streaming program receives the audio from the remote modem communication and can 'play' it as continuous time-based audio. In this manner, one can listen to the exchange of signals between the remote modem and the local computer, over the WAN and at the local computer.

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First Claim