Telephonic communications – Concentrator or trunk selector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-08-07
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Concentrator or trunk selector
C379S229000, C370S467000, C370S420000, C370S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272217
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to routing call processing communications in a telecommunications system.
Telecommunications terminals connect subscriber lines, such as POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, E
1
(E
1
ectronic Interface Level
1
) lines, and optics lines, to telecommunications exchanges and other telecommunications equipment. An access terminal contains channel unit card slots that accept channel unit cards. The channel unit cards, or line cards, convert analog or digital signals from subscriber lines into formatted digital data signals. Different types of channel unit cards service different types of subscriber lines.
An access terminal constructs a single time division multiplexed (TDM) signal from several channel unit cards' formatted digital data signals for transmission to remote telecommunications equipment. The terminal also demultiplexes TDM signals received from remote telecommunications equipment to deliver formatted digital data back to the channel unit cards. Channel unit cards convert the formatted digital data into a form suitable for transmission over subscriber lines.
Two telecommunications terminals can be connected “back to back” to form a digital carrier loop network. A digital carrier loop network typically includes a remote terminal placed near a business or residence and a central terminal placed in a central exchange connected to a telecommunications switch. The remote terminal and central terminal communicate over a single line carrying TDM signals. This configuration connects subscribers to the telecommunications switch.
Typically, the telecommunications switch and local exchange carrier network operate according to a protocol that is country-specific or vendor-specific. Such country-specific or vendor-specific protocols impose various signaling and other requirements that can affect multiple system components.
SUMMARY
In general, in one aspect, a telecommunications system includes an access terminal coupled to subscriber lines, a local exchange carrier (LEC) network, and a channel unit card coupling the access terminal to the LEC network. The channel unit card includes a processor configured to convert call processing signals received from the LEC network and formatted according to a protocol used by the LEC network to a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network. The message-oriented signal then can be delivered to other components in the access terminal. The channel unit card processor is further configured to convert message-oriented signals, which represent call processing communications associated with the subscriber lines and which have a format independent of a protocol recognized by the LEC network, to one or more signals formatted according to the protocol recognized by the LEC network. The signals converted to the format recognized by the LEC network then can be routed to the LEC network.
In another aspect, a method of routing call processing communications includes receiving, in a channel unit card coupling an access terminal of a digital loop carrier to an LEC network, one or more call processing signals from the LEC network. The call processing signals, which are formatted according to a protocol used by the LEC network, are converted, in the channel unit card, to a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network. The message-oriented signal is routed to other components in the access terminal.
In yet another aspect, a method of routing call processing communications includes receiving, in a channel unit card coupling an access terminal of a digital loop carrier to an LEC network, a message-oriented signal representing a call processing communication associated with a subscriber line. The message-oriented signal, which has a format independent of a signaling protocol recognized by the LEC network, is converted in the channel unit card to one or more signals formatted according to the protocol recognized by the LEC network. The converted signals are routed to the LEC network.
In various implementations, one or more of the following features may be present. Call processing signals received from the LEC network can include LEC network line activities of various types. Similarly, call processing communications associated with subscriber lines can include subscriber line activities of various types.
The message-oriented signals can have a format which includes an activity field whose contents identify a subscriber line or LEC network line activity. The format also can include one or more bytes of information identifying a message-oriented signal as conveying call processing information.
The LEC network formats call processing signals according to one of several protocols which can be, for example, either message-oriented or bit-oriented.
Various implementations may provide one or more of the following advantages. The number of changes which must be made to a telecommunications system when a new or different local exchange carrier network protocol is used can be reduced. Instead of system-wide changes to multiple system components, software changes to individual channel unit cards that serve as the interface between an access terminal and a local exchange carrier network can be made. Thus, a single access terminal can accommodate a wide range of local exchange carrier network protocols without the need to modify numerous components in the access terminal each time the local exchange carrier protocol is changed.
Additionally, in situations where the LEC network is capable of understanding and processing signals according to multiple protocols, a single access terminal can accommodate multiple channel unit cards that are coupled to the LEC network, even though different channel unit cards use different protocols when communicating with the LEC network.
The use of an access terminal which easily can be reconfigured each time a new local exchange carrier network protocol is used is particularly advantageous in the international market due to the variation in local exchange carrier network protocols used by different vendors in different geographic locations.
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Cornes Martin P. J.
Herndon Keith W.
Koath Christopher James
Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Smith Creighton
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