EP0289733A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Switching method for integrated voice/data communications
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1988-03-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-04
Abstract
Abstract In a communication system, integrated switching of voice and data is provided between terminals or lines (800) which are connected through switch adapters (301...332) to a switching matrix (50). In a first adapter, voice samples bound for the same destination or second adapter are grouped into a frame. Connections are then established between the two adapters and the frame is transmitted therethrough. This is repeated cyclically for all pairs of adapters between which transfer of voice is required. Duplex transmission can also be accomplished by transmitting two frames simultaneously in opposite directions through a dual connection in the switching matrix. Asynchronous data (i.e. data not requiring synchronous transmission) is switched by storing these data in respective separate memories (26; P₀...P m ) of each source adapter, wherein each separate memory corresponds to a particular destination adapter.
Inventors
- 👤 Christos John Georgiou
- 👤 Gerald Lebizay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of switching signals through a switching arrangement in a communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) having an array of crosspoints (61, 64) to interconnect input-output lines (501...564) of the matrix, the system also including a number of nodes (301...332) each coupled to one of the input-output lines, each node receiving signals being sent from terminals (800) coupled thereto, said signals sent to said each node being bound for a plurality of input-output lines of said matrix, said method, for switching first signals of said signals sent to a given one of said nodes through the matrix to a selected input-output line, comprising the following steps: a) establishing a connection from one of said input-output lines coupled to said given one node, through the matrix to said selected input-output line; b) grouping said first signals, from said given one node and bound for said selected input-output line, into a frame; c) transmitting said frame of step (b) through the connection established in step (a).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of switching signals through a switching arrangement in a communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) having an array of crosspoints (61, 64) to interconnect input-output lines (501...564) of the matrix, the system also including a number of nodes (301...332) each coupled to one of the input-output lines, each node receiving signals being sent from terminals (800) coupled thereto, said signals sent to said each node being bound for a plurality of input-output lines of said matrix, said method, for switching first signals of said signals sent to a given one of said nodes through the matrix to a selected input-output line, comprising the following steps: a) establishing a connection from one of said input-output lines coupled to said given one node, through the matrix to said selected input-output line; b) grouping said first signals, from said given one node and bound for said selected input-output line, into a frame; c) transmitting said frame of step (b) through the connection established in step (a).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the connections established in step (a) are dual connections, and wherein second signals of said signals, from a node coupled to said selected input-output line and bound for said given one node, are grouped into a frame which is then transmitted at approximately the same time as said frame of step (b) is transmitted in step (c).
Claim 4
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of switching signals through a switching arrangement in a communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) having an array of crosspoints (61, 64) to interconnect input-output lines (501...564) of the matrix, the system also including a number of nodes (301...332) each coupled to one of the input-output lines, each node receiving signals being sent from terminals (800) coupled thereto, said signals sent to said each node, being bound for a plurality of input-output lines of said matrix, said method, for switching signals between a first and second node of said nodes, comprising the following steps: a) establishing connections from an input-output line coupled to the first node through the matrix to an input-output line coupled to the second node; b) grouping signals from said first node and bound for said second node into a first frame and grouping signals from said second node and bound for said first node into a second frame; c) transmitting the first frame and second frame through the connections established in step (a), with the first frame being transmitted from the first node to the second node at approximately the same time as the second frame is being transmitted from the second node to the first node.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of switching signals through a switching arrangement in a communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) having an array of crosspoints (61, 64) to interconnect input-output lines (501...564) of the matrix, the system also including a number of nodes (301...332) each coupled to one of the input-output lines, each node receiving signals being sent from terminals (800) coupled thereto, said signals sent to said each node, being bound for a plurality of input-output lines of said matrix, said method, for switching signals between a first and second node of said nodes, comprising the following steps: a) establishing connections from an input-output line coupled to the first node through the matrix to an input-output line coupled to the second node; b) grouping signals from said first node and bound for said second node into a first frame and grouping signals from said second node and bound for said first node into a second frame; c) transmitting the first frame and second frame through the connections established in step (a), with the first frame being transmitted from the first node to the second node at approximately the same time as the second frame is being transmitted from the second node to the first node.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
159 words
Method of switching signals in a communication network between network adapters (301...332) connecting network lines or terminals (800) to a switching arrangement (50), each said network adapter comprising at least one source buffer (21) for a plurality of signal sections, said switching arrangement being provided for establishing selective temporary connections between said network adapters; characterized by the following steps: - collecting in each said network adapter signal sections received from the network and requiring synchronous switching, in a source buffer as synchronous data units; - establishing, through said switching arrangement, selectively temporary connections between pairs of network adapters; - reading, during existence of a connection between two network adapters of which one is the source and the other the destination, from a source buffer in the source network adapter synchronous data units destined for the respective destination adapter, thus forming a frame of synchronous data units which is transferred through said existing temporary connection to the destination network adapter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
Method of switching signals in a communication network between network adapters (301...332) connecting network lines or terminals (800) to a switching arrangement (50), each said network adapter comprising at least one source buffer (21) for a plurality of signal sections, said switching arrangement being provided for establishing selective temporary connections between said network adapters; characterized by the following steps: - collecting in each said network adapter signal sections received from the network and requiring synchronous switching, in a source buffer as synchronous data units; - establishing, through said switching arrangement, selectively temporary connections between pairs of network adapters; - reading, during existence of a connection between two network adapters of which one is the source and the other the destination, from a source buffer in the source network adapter synchronous data units destined for the respective destination adapter, thus forming a frame of synchronous data units which is transferred through said existing temporary connection to the destination network adapter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
Method in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that - duplex connections are established between pairs of network adapters temporarily so that each of the two network adapters functions at the same time as a source and a destination with respect to the other network adapter, and that simultaneously a frame of synchronous data units is formed in each of the two network adapters and transferred to the other network adapter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
Method in accordance with Claim 4 or Claim 5, characterized in that several independent temporary connections between different pairs of network adapters are established, so that frames of synchronous data units can be exchanged independently between several pairs of network adapters at the same time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that - in each said network adapter, received signal sections which do not require synchronous switching are stored in several separate source buffers (26; P₀...P m ) as asynchronous data units, each such separate source buffer receiving only asynchronous data units for the same destination; and that - a temporary connection is established between two network adapters of which one is the source and the other the destination, and the source buffer containing asynchronous data units for the respective connected destination is read out to transfer said asynchronous data units through the switching arrangement to the destination network adapter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
126 words
Method in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that - a request mask (42, 44) is stored for each network adapter, said request mask designating all other network adapters to which a connection is required from the respective network adapter as a source; - a control mask (46, 48) is maintained for the whole switching arrangement indicating each network adapter which is currently engaged in a temporary connection so that no other connection can be established with it; - prior to establishing a new temporary connection from a network adapter as source, its request mask is compared to the control mask of the switching arrangement to select, for the new temporary connection, a network adapter as destination which is currently not yet engaged in a connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
Method in accordance with Claim 7 and Claim 8 characterized in that - separate request masks are provided for synchronous data unit switching (42) and for asynchronous data unit switching (44), and that furthermore separate control masks are provided for synchronous data unit connections (46) and for asynchronous data unit connections (48).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method in accordance with Claim 4, characterized in that - said synchronous data units are digital samples of analog signals such as voice signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method in accordance with Claim 7 or Claim 10, characterized in that - said asynchnronous data units are data packets or portions of data packets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
168 words
A communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) for switching signals between a plurality of input-output lines (501...564) coupled to said matrix, said system comprising: (a) means (70) for establishing connections through said switching matrix to interconnect selected pairs of said input-output lines; (b) a plurality of nodes (301...332) coupled to said input-output lines, each node having a number of terminals (800) coupled thereto, each node coupled to at least one of said input-output lines; (c) grouping means (21, 22, 25) for each node, for grouping signals from the terminals coupled to each said node into a frame, each frame including only those signals that originate from a plurality of terminals of the same node and that are bound for the same corresponding selected one of said input-output lines which one line is interconnected to another of the input-output lines by the connections established in step (a); and (d) means (50, 70) for transmitting the frames formed in step (c) through the connections established in step (a).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
168 words
A communication switching system including a switching matrix (50) for switching signals between a plurality of input-output lines (501...564) coupled to said matrix, said system comprising: (a) means (70) for establishing connections through said switching matrix to interconnect selected pairs of said input-output lines; (b) a plurality of nodes (301...332) coupled to said input-output lines, each node having a number of terminals (800) coupled thereto, each node coupled to at least one of said input-output lines; (c) grouping means (21, 22, 25) for each node, for grouping signals from the terminals coupled to each said node into a frame, each frame including only those signals that originate from a plurality of terminals of the same node and that are bound for the same corresponding selected one of said input-output lines which one line is interconnected to another of the input-output lines by the connections established in step (a); and (d) means (50, 70) for transmitting the frames formed in step (c) through the connections established in step (a).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A communication switching system in accordance with Claim 12, wherein the communication system is a digital communication system and wherein the signals are digital voice samples.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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