Importance

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Abstract

A communication apparatus and method includes a modem operable for connection to a telephone line. Further, under control of a graphical user interface program executable on a personal computer, various processing may be provided. For example, the apparatus and/or method may convert received voice signals from the local user into outgoing digital voice information and convert incoming digital voice information into voice signals, and further may compress the outgoing digital voice information into compressed outgoing digital voice information and decompress compressed incoming digital voice information into the incoming digital voice information. Yet further, processing circuitry may be operable to packetize the compressed outgoing digital voice information and provide outgoing voice packets based thereon (e.g., each of the outgoing voice packets including at least one header), and further may packetize outgoing data packets including outgoing digital data information (e.g., each of the outgoing data packets including at least one header). The processing circuitry may yet further be operable to combine the outgoing voice packets and the outgoing data packets to provide a stream of outgoing packets to the telephone line via the modem, and also receive a stream of incoming packets via the modem from the telephone line. The stream of incoming packets may include incoming data packets and incoming voice packets. Each of the incoming voice packets includes at least one header and each of the incoming data packets includes at least one header. The headers of the incoming voice packets and the incoming data packets include information used to route the incoming packets within the communication apparatus. Further, the processing circuitry may be operable to separate the stream of incoming packets to provide the incoming data packets and the incoming voice packets.

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First Claim