Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
For use in a communications network for communicating data and voice in independent information packets, including voice packets and data packets, through a digital communications medium, an apparatus for coupling digital signals to said communications medium comprising: a multiplexing bus, said multiplexing bus including a clock line for synchronizing said information packets; a multiplexing bus controller coupled to said multiplexing bus and operative to generate at least a clock signal on said clock line to control switching of said information packets, said information packets comprising independently addressable digital data conforming to a standardized time frame of a standardized synchronous communications format; and means coupled to said multiplexing bus for packetizing signals into digitized information packets, each said digitized information packet having a packet format which is self-contained as to destination and content and which conforms to boundaries of said standardized synchronous time frame; and first digital communications means coupled to said multiplexing bus for transmitting said information packets to a digital communication medium and for receiving said information packets from said digital communications medium, said first digital communication means being operative to communicate said information packets according to said standardized communication format.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
For use in a communications network for communicating data and voice in independent information packets, including voice packets and data packets, through a digital communications medium, an apparatus for coupling digital signals to said communications medium comprising: a multiplexing bus, said multiplexing bus including a clock line for synchronizing said information packets; a multiplexing bus controller coupled to said multiplexing bus and operative to generate at least a clock signal on said clock line to control switching of said information packets, said information packets comprising independently addressable digital data conforming to a standardized time frame of a standardized synchronous communications format; and means coupled to said multiplexing bus for packetizing signals into digitized information packets, each said digitized information packet having a packet format which is self-contained as to destination and content and which conforms to boundaries of said standardized synchronous time frame; and first digital communications means coupled to said multiplexing bus for transmitting said information packets to a digital communication medium and for receiving said information packets from said digital communications medium, said first digital communication means being operative to communicate said information packets according to said standardized communication format.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further including means coupled to said multiplexing bus for compressing voice signals and for decompressing voice signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further including at least one packet framing transceiver for receiving and transmitting digitized information packets according to said standardized communications format, and means coupling said packet transceiver to said communications medium, said packet transceiver further including means for coupling address timing and information signals to said multiplexing bus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said packet transceiver comprises: means for inserting framing and signaling information into a standardized time frame in said standardized communications format; and means for extracting framing and signaling information from a standardized time frame in said standardized communication format.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said packet framing transceiver further includes means coupled to said multiplexing bus for receiving and serially forwarding said information packet, and means coupled to said multiplexing bus for transferring TDM signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said packet control unit includes: a packet receiver coupled to said multiplexing bus; a packet transmitter coupled to said multiplexing bus; and a multiplexing bus controller coupled to said multiplexing bus for controlling operation of said multiplexing bus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said standardized communication format is a DS-1 trunk communication format having a 193 bit frame and wherein each said information packet has a format comprising an 168 bit data packet field and 24 bit address and error correction field, said packet format being confined to one information packet per standardized frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said information packet employs a four bit voice code in normal operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said voice packets are dropped in the event of over capacity operation of said communication medium.