What is claimed is:
1. A method of receiving a plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone call on an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device connected to an IP-based Local Area Network (LAN), comprising:
receiving the incoming POTS telephone call; and
selectively forwarding the incoming POTS telephone call to the IP-based device over the IP-based LAN using IP-based communications.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selectively forwarding the incoming POTS telephone call to the IP-based device over a LAN using IP-based communications comprises at least one of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, H.323 compliant communications, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), Simple Gateway Control Protocol (SGCP), Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC), Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP), or packetized .wav files.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein selectively forwarding comprises:
waiting a first preselected number of rings to answer the incoming POTS telephone call; and
forwarding the incoming POTS telephone call to a preselected IP address corresponding to the IP-based device over the IP-based LAN as an IP-based telephone call if the incoming POTS telephone call remains unanswered after the first preselected number of rings.
4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:
if the IP-based device does not answer the IP-based telephone call after a second preselected number of rings, providing a prompt to record a message; and
recording the message if desired by a caller.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein selectively forwarding comprises providing a caller an audio menu with options to either forward the incoming POTS telephone call to a preselected IP address corresponding to the IP-based device or record a message.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein selectively forwarding comprises in response to caller identification information (Caller-ID) either forwarding the incoming POTS call to the preselected IP address or providing a caller with an audio prompt to record a message.
7. A method of placing a telephone call from an Internet Protocol (IP)-based device on a Local Area Network (LAN) to a plain old telephone system (POTS) line, comprising:
initiating an IP-based telephone call from an IP-based device in communication with a LAN;
receiving the IP-based telephone call at a computer on the LAN;
translating the IP-based telephone call into a POTS telephone call; and
routing the POTS telephone call over a POTS line.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein initiating an IP-based telephone call comprises initiating a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone call.
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein initiating an IP-based telephone call comprises inputting a destination telephone number.
10. The method according to claim 7, wherein receiving the IP-based telephone call at a computer on the LAN comprises receiving the IP-based telephone call at the computer connected to the LAN and to the POTS line.
11. The method according to claim 7, wherein routing the POTS telephone call comprises routing the POTS telephone call through a local exchange carrier (LEC).
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising routing the POTS telephone call through a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
13. A method of placing and receiving IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network, the method comprising:
providing an IP-based device configured for communicating IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network;
providing a computer operable for communication with the IP-based device over the IP-based network and in communication with a plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone line;
in response to receiving an incoming POTS telephone call at the computer, selectively forwarding the incoming POTS telephone call to the IP-based device over the IP-based network;
in response to initiating an IP-based telephone call from the IP-based device, receiving the IP-based telephone call at the computer, translating the IP-based telephone call into a outgoing POTS telephone call and routing the outgoing POTS telephone call through the POTS telephone line.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein communicating IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network comprises at least one of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, H.323 compliant communications, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), Simple Gateway Control Protocol (SGCP), Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC), Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP), or packetized .wav files.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein selectively forwarding comprises:
waiting a preselected number of rings to answer the incoming POTS telephone call; and
routing the incoming POTS telephone call to a preselected IP address corresponding to the IP-based device over the IP-based network as an IP-based telephone call if the incoming POTS telephone call remains unanswered after the preselected number of rings.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:
if the IP-based device does not answer the IP-based telephone call after a second preselected number of rings, providing a prompt to record a message; and
recording the message if desired by a caller.
17. The method according to claim 13, wherein selectively forwarding comprises providing a caller an audio menu with options to either forward the incoming POTS telephone call to a preselected IP address corresponding to the IP-based device or record a message.
18. The method according to claim 13, wherein selectively forwarding comprises in response to caller identification information (Caller-ID) either forwarding the incoming POTS call to the preselected IP address or providing a caller with an audio prompt to record a message.
19. The method according to claim 13, wherein initiating an IP-based telephone call comprises inputting a destination telephone number.
20. The method according to claim 13, wherein routing the outgoing POTS telephone call comprises routing the outgoing POTS telephone call through a local exchange carrier (LEC).
21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising routing the outgoing POTS telephone call through a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
22. A system for placing and receiving IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network, comprising:
an IP-based device configured for IP-based communication over an IP-based network;
a computer configured for communication with a plain old telephone system (POTS) line and configured for IP-based communication with the IP-based device over the IP-based network; and
the IP-based device further configured to receive and send IP-based telephone calls using the computer and the POTS line.
23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the IP-based communication comprises Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
24. The system according to claim 22, wherein the computer is further configured to wait a preselected number of rings for a user to answer an incoming POTS call and selectively forwarding the incoming POTS call to the IP-based device having a preselected IP address over the IP-based network if the incoming POTS call remains unanswered after the preselected number of rings.
25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the computer is further configured to provide a prompt to record a message if the IP-based device does not answer the IP-based telephone call after a second preselected number of rings and recording the message if desired by a caller.
26. The system according to claim 22, further comprising a telephone in communication with the computer and POTS line for the user to answer the incoming POTS call.
27. The system according to claim 22, wherein the IP-based device comprises a laptop computer.
28. The system according to claim 22, wherein the IP-based device comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA).
29. The system according to claim 22, wherein the IP-based network comprises a Local Area Network (LAN).
30. The system according to claim 22, wherein the IP-based network comprises a wireless network.
31. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of placing and receiving IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network, the method comprising:
providing an IP-based device configured for communicating IP-based telephone calls over an IP-based network;
providing a computer operable for communication with the IP-based device over the IP-based network and in communication with a telephone connected to a plain old telephone system (POTS) telephone line;
in response to receiving an incoming POTS telephone call at the computer, selectively forwarding the incoming POTS telephone call to the IP-based device over the IP-based network;
in response to initiating an IP-based telephone call from the IP-based device, receiving the IP-based telephone call at the computer, translating the IP-based telephone call into a outgoing POTS telephone call and routing the outgoing POTS telephone call over the POTS telephone line.
32. The computer-readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the computer-readable medium is selected from the group consisting of compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD-ROM), Zip Disk, Memory Stick, SD Card, floppy disk, read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), nonvolatile electrically block-erasable programmable read only memory (Flash).
33. The computer-readable medium according to claim 31, wherein the computer-readable medium comprises mass storage on a server configured for downloading software over a network.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load.
2. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
at least one rectifier is carried by said attachment and is electrically coupled to said transformer, whereby said rectifier operates to convert alternating transformed current received from said transformer to direct current.
3. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
one of said vehicle and attachment includes a power converter coupled for converting direct electrical current to and alternating current of predefined frequency and amplitude, with said power converter being located one of between said generator and said first electrical interface or between said transformer and said at least one electrical load.
4. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
said transformer is embodied and connected in such a way that a secondary side of said transformer has a neutral point, with the result that electrical energy can be fed into a power system referred to ground.
5. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
further including at least one electrical filter for filtering out interference signals being electrically coupled between said transformer and said at least one electrical load.
6. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
further including at least a second transformer connected in parallel with the first mentioned transformer, said attachment including at least a second load connected to said second transformer, with said attachment including at least two separate sections, and said first and second transformers respectively being arranged on said two separate sections.
7. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
said attachment is of an expandable modular construction including at least two modules, and at least two transformers being provided on said attachment with one transformer being assigned to each module.
8. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load;
said alternating current supplied by said electrical generator is three phase;
a power converter arrangement being mounted on said vehicle and electrically coupled to said generator, said power converter arrangement being operated to supply three-phase alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface, and said transformer being a three-phase isolating transformer.
9. In a combination of an agricultural utility vehicle detachably coupled to an attachment including at least one electrical load with which an agricultural working function can be carried out, a device for supplying electricity to the vehicle and attachment, comprising:
first and second electrical interfaces respectively carried by said vehicle and said attachment and being detachably coupled to each other, an electrical generator carried by said vehicle for generating alternating electrical current, with said generator being coupled for delivering said alternating electrical current to said first electrical interface;
at least one electric transformer being electrically connected to said second electrical interface, and being electrically connected to said electrical load, whereby said transformer operates to transform the current received from said generator before it is made available to said electrical load; and
said at least one transformer is configured for supplying at least two circuits with voltage at different levels.
10. The combination, as defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one transformer includes first and second rectifiers respectively located for supplying said at least two circuits with direct current.
11. The combination, as defined in claim 10, wherein a second transformer identical to said at least one transformer is connected to said second electrical interface in parallel with said at one transformer.