US4958341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Integrated packetized voice and data switching system
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1988-03-31
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Granted: 1990-09-18
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Expires: 2008-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A high capacity metropolitan area network (MAN) is described. Data traffic from users is connected to data concentrators at the edge of the network, and is tranmitted over fiber optic data links to a hub where the data is switched. The hub includes a plurality of data switching modules, each having a control means, and each connected to a distributed control space division switch. Advantageously, the data switching modules, whose inputs are connected to the concentrators, perform all checking and routing functions, while the 1024x1024 maximum size space division switch, whose outputs are connected to the concentrators, provides a large fan-out distribution network for reaching many concentrators from each data switching module. Distributed control of the space division switch permits several million connection and disconnection actions to be performed each second, while the pipelined and parallel operation within the control means permits each of the 256 switching modules to process at least 50,000 transactions per second. The data switching modules chain groups of incoming packets destined for a common outlet of the space division switch so that only one connection in that switch is required for transmitting each group of chained packets from a data switching module to a concentrator. MAN provides security features including a port identification supplied by the data concentrators, and a check that each packet is from an authorized source user, transmitting on a port associated with that user, to an authorized desination user that is in the same group (virtual network) as the source user. This arrangement can also be used to switch voice packets, using a voice interface such as a digital switch and a digital voice signal to voice packet converter. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a packet switch is used for switching voice packet outputs of the data switching modules and a circuit switch, such as the space division switch, is used for switching data packet outputs.
Inventors
- 👤 Jayant G. Hemmady
- 👤 William P. Lidinsky
- 👤 Scott B. Steele
- 👤 Werner Ulrich
- 👤 Roanld C. Weddige
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/10; H04L49/104; H04L49/105; H04L49/107; H04L49/106; H04L49/15; H04L49/1553; H04L49/1576; H04L49/1584; H04L49/20; H04L49/205; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/256; H04L49/30; H04L49/3009; H04L49/3081; H04L49/309; H04L49/35; H04L49/355; H04L49/50; H04L49/505; H04L49/506; H04L49/55; H04L49/557; H04L49/60; H04L49/606; H04L63/00; H04L63/02; H04L63/0272; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/5646; H04L2012/5651; H04L2012/5678; H04L2012/5679; H04L2012/5687; H04L49/1515; H04L49/40; H04L49/555
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A system for switching voice signals comprising: means for converting said voice signals into voice packets; and means, connected to said means for converting, for packet switching said voice packets, comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory access means for controlling storing and reading of said voice packets, comprising a plurality of memory access controllers for storing consecutive words of a voice packet in consecutive members of a plurality of memory modules; and means for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory access controllers, for chaining packets to be transmitted to a common group of destinations, and for distributing said chained voice packets from said plurality of memory access controllers to said plurality of output packet handlers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
A system for switching voice signals comprising: means for converting said voice signals into voice packets; and means, connected to said means for converting, for packet switching said voice packets, comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory access means for controlling storing and reading of said voice packets, comprising a plurality of memory access controllers for storing consecutive words of a voice packet in consecutive members of a plurality of memory modules; and means for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory access controllers, for chaining packets to be transmitted to a common group of destinations, and for distributing said chained voice packets from said plurality of memory access controllers to said plurality of output packet handlers.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for switching voice signals comprising: a plurality of means for converting said voice signals into voice packets; and a plurality of means, connected to said means for converting, for packet switching said voice packets, comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory access means for controlling storing and reading of said voice packets, comprising a plurality of memory access controllers for storing consecutive words of a voice packet in consecutive members of a plurality of memory modules; means for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory access controllers and for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of memory access controllers to said plurality of output packet handlers; and circuit switch means for switching said voice packets between output packet handlers of said plurality of means for packet switching and ones of a plurality of communication paths; wherein said means for packet switching said voice packets comprise means for chaining voice packets in groups, each group for connection over one of said communication paths.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for switching voice signals comprising: a plurality of means for converting said voice signals into voice packets; and a plurality of means, connected to said means for converting, for packet switching said voice packets, comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory access means for controlling storing and reading of said voice packets, comprising a plurality of memory access controllers for storing consecutive words of a voice packet in consecutive members of a plurality of memory modules; means for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory access controllers and for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of memory access controllers to said plurality of output packet handlers; and circuit switch means for switching said voice packets between output packet handlers of said plurality of means for packet switching and ones of a plurality of communication paths; wherein said means for packet switching said voice packets comprise means for chaining voice packets in groups, each group for connection over one of said communication paths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 2 wherein ones of said plurality of communication paths are connectable to a packet to digital voice signal converter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said means for converting said voice signals into voice packets is comprised in a digital switching system connectable to customer stations; said digital switching systems further comprising means for generating signaling information to said means for converting for signaling terminal identification data for switching packets of a voice connection to a customer station, and for generating signaling information to said means for converting for signaling the identity of a requested customer station to a switch serving that requested customer station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
A network for switching first packets comprising data and second packets comprising voice signals, comprising: first data switching means for switching said first and said second packets, received in said first data switching means, to first and second outputs respectively; circuit switching means connected to said first outputs for further switching said first packets; and second data switching means connected to said second outputs for further switching said second packets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A network for switching first packets comprising data and second packets comprising voice signals, comprising: first data switching means for switching said first and said second packets, received in said first data switching means, to first and second outputs respectively; circuit switching means connected to said first outputs for further switching said first packets; and second data switching means connected to said second outputs for further switching said second packets.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for switching data and voice signals comprising: digital switching means connectable to customer lines for generating digital speech signals; means for generating speech channel identification information; means connected to said digital switching means for converting speech signals into voice packets and responsive to said speech channel identification information for generating headers to said voice packets; means for concentrating data traffic from and distributing traffic to said means for generating voice packets; means, connected via data links to said means for concentrating, for packet switching said voice packets comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory means for storing said voice packets comprising a plurality of memory modules for storing consecutive words of a voice packet; means for chaining packets into groups destined for a common means for distributing and for communicating said chaining data to said output packet handlers; means, controlled by said input packet handlers for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory modules and, controlled by said output packet handlers, for assembling said chained groups of voice packets from said plurality of memory modules to said plurality of output packet handlers.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for switching data and voice signals comprising: digital switching means connectable to customer lines for generating digital speech signals; means for generating speech channel identification information; means connected to said digital switching means for converting speech signals into voice packets and responsive to said speech channel identification information for generating headers to said voice packets; means for concentrating data traffic from and distributing traffic to said means for generating voice packets; means, connected via data links to said means for concentrating, for packet switching said voice packets comprising: a plurality of input packet handlers and a plurality of output packet handlers; memory means for storing said voice packets comprising a plurality of memory modules for storing consecutive words of a voice packet; means for chaining packets into groups destined for a common means for distributing and for communicating said chaining data to said output packet handlers; means, controlled by said input packet handlers for distributing said voice packets from said plurality of input packet handlers to said plurality of memory modules and, controlled by said output packet handlers, for assembling said chained groups of voice packets from said plurality of memory modules to said plurality of output packet handlers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 6 further comprising: circuit switching means connected to said means for packet switching for groups of packets from said means for packet switching to ones of data links connected to said means for concentrating data.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of switching voice and data packets comprising the steps of: packet switching said voice packets received on inputs of a first packet switch means to first outputs of said first packet switch means and said data packets to second outputs of said first packet switch means; connecting said first outputs to a circuit switch means and said second outputs to a second packet switch means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of switching voice and data packets comprising the steps of: packet switching said voice packets received on inputs of a first packet switch means to first outputs of said first packet switch means and said data packets to second outputs of said first packet switch means; connecting said first outputs to a circuit switch means and said second outputs to a second packet switch means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of switching voice signals comprising the steps of: converting said voice signals to voice packets; transmitting said voice packets to an input packet handler of a data switching means; transmitting data from said input packet handler to a plurality of memory access controllers of said data switching means for controlling storage of voice packets in a plurality of memory modules; chaining packets into groups having a common intermediate destination; and transmitting each of said groups from said plurality of memory access controllers to an output data handler of said data switching means for further transmission to one of said intermediate destinations.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of switching voice signals comprising the steps of: converting said voice signals to voice packets; transmitting said voice packets to an input packet handler of a data switching means; transmitting data from said input packet handler to a plurality of memory access controllers of said data switching means for controlling storage of voice packets in a plurality of memory modules; chaining packets into groups having a common intermediate destination; and transmitting each of said groups from said plurality of memory access controllers to an output data handler of said data switching means for further transmission to one of said intermediate destinations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4491945A
Cited
US4698803A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-17 | 1994-03-19 | 1994-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-17 | 1998-03-19 | 1998-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-17 | 2002-03-19 | 2002-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |