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Audio communication system for a computer network

DC
  • US 5,434,797 A
  • Filed: 10/20/1994
  • Issued: 07/18/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A computer station of a computer network, said computer station comprising:

  • a computer station network interface;

    a microphone;

    a speaker; and

    an audio communication system, said audio communication system comprising;

    an audio responsive input unit which accepts analog audio waveform signals from the microphone and digitizes the audio waveform signals;

    an audio output unit which converts digital audio waveform signals to analog audio waveform signals for audible output by the speaker; and

    a computer station controller configured to execute application programs of said computer station, said computer station controller coupled to said audio responsive input unit, to said audio output unit, and to said computer station network interface, said computer station controller configured to accept the digitized audio signals from said audio responsive input unit and to provide the signals in audio data packets for transmission via said computer station network interface over the computer network, said computer station controller further configured to accept audio data packets from said network via said computer station network interface and to transfer said audio data packets to said audio output unit, said computer station controller also managing the operations of the audio communication system while other application programs are actively executing in the computer station controller.

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