Method and apparatus for packet communications signaling

Claim 1

A method for encoding signaling transition information for transmission on a packet transmission network, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a packet if a signaling transition has occurred; (b) generating a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with; (c) generating a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (d) generating signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated; (e) generating a burst time for the packet, wherein (1) if the packet is a first packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted; and (2) if the packet is not a first packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition.

Claim 2

A method for encoding signaling transition information for transmission on a packet transmission network, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a packet if a signaling transition has occurred; (b) generating a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with; (c) generating a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (d) generating signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated; (e) generating a burst time for the packet, wherein (1) if the packet is a first packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted; and (2) if the packet is not a first packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition.

Claim 11

A method for decoding signaling transition information received from a packet transmission network, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a transition state packet from the packet transmission network, wherein the transition state packet includes: (1) a burst count, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes of at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the transition state packet is associated with; (2) a sequence number that identifies a sequence of the transition state packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (3) signaling state information for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated; (4) a burst time, wherein (A) if the transition state packet is a first transition state packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from time that transmission of the transition state packet was desired to a time that the transition state packet was transmitted; and (B) if the transition state packet is not the first transition state packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition; (b) decoding the sequence number of the transition state packet; (c) if the sequence number indicates that the transition state packet is the first transition state packet of the burst, then (1) delaying for a time based upon the burst time of the transition state packet; (2) generating a signal state until a next signaling transition time, wherein a level of the signal state is based upon the signaling state information of the transition state packet; and (d) if the sequence number indicates that the transition state packet is not the first transition state packet of the burst, then generating a signal state until a next signaling transition time, wherein a level of the signal state is based upon the signaling state information of the transition state packet.

Claim 12

A method for decoding signaling transition information received from a packet transmission network, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a transition state packet from the packet transmission network, wherein the transition state packet includes: (1) a burst count, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes of at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the transition state packet is associated with; (2) a sequence number that identifies a sequence of the transition state packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (3) signaling state information for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated; (4) a burst time, wherein (A) if the transition state packet is a first transition state packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from time that transmission of the transition state packet was desired to a time that the transition state packet was transmitted; and (B) if the transition state packet is not the first transition state packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition; (b) decoding the sequence number of the transition state packet; (c) if the sequence number indicates that the transition state packet is the first transition state packet of the burst, then (1) delaying for a time based upon the burst time of the transition state packet; (2) generating a signal state until a next signaling transition time, wherein a level of the signal state is based upon the signaling state information of the transition state packet; and (d) if the sequence number indicates that the transition state packet is not the first transition state packet of the burst, then generating a signal state until a next signaling transition time, wherein a level of the signal state is based upon the signaling state information of the transition state packet.

Claim 14

A method for reconstructing a waveform, comprising the steps of: (a) sampling the waveform; (b) generating a packet for a transition of the waveform; (c) generating a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of each waveform transition that occurs within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst is comprised of a least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with; (d) generating a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (e) generating state information for the packet for indicating a state of a waveform to be replicated; (f) generating a burst time for the packet, wherein (1) if the packet is a first packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted; (2) if the packet is not a first packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition; (g) transmitting the packet on a packet transmission network; (h) receiving the packet from the packet transmission network; (i) reconstructing the waveform, comprising the steps of: (1) decoding the sequence number of the packet; (2) if the sequence number indicates that the packet is the first packet of the burst, then (A) delaying for a time based upon the burst time of the packet; (B) generating a waveform until a next waveform transition time, wherein the waveform is based upon the state information of the packet; (3) if the sequence number indicates that the packet is not the first packet of the burst, then generating a waveform until a next waveform transition time, wherein the waveform state is based upon the state information of the packet.

Claim 15

A method for reconstructing a waveform, comprising the steps of: (a) sampling the waveform; (b) generating a packet for a transition of the waveform; (c) generating a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of each waveform transition that occurs within a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst is comprised of a least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with; (d) generating a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst; (e) generating state information for the packet for indicating a state of a waveform to be replicated; (f) generating a burst time for the packet, wherein (1) if the packet is a first packet of the burst, then the burst time approximately indicates a time from a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted; (2) if the packet is not a first packet of the burst, then the burst time indicates a time since a previous signaling transition; (g) transmitting the packet on a packet transmission network; (h) receiving the packet from the packet transmission network; (i) reconstructing the waveform, comprising the steps of: (1) decoding the sequence number of the packet; (2) if the sequence number indicates that the packet is the first packet of the burst, then (A) delaying for a time based upon the burst time of the packet; (B) generating a waveform until a next waveform transition time, wherein the waveform is based upon the state information of the packet; (3) if the sequence number indicates that the packet is not the first packet of the burst, then generating a waveform until a next waveform transition time, wherein the waveform state is based upon the state information of the packet.

Claim 16

A method of encoding a telephone signaling waveform for transmission as packets, comprising the steps of: a. sequentially storing samples of the telephone signaling waveform; b. comparing the sequentially stored samples to a first sample having a first occurrence time to identify a second sample having a second occurrence time, said second sample indicating a change in said telephone signaling waveform; c. determining a time interval between said first occurrence time and said second occurrence time; d. if said time interval does not exceed a predetermined limit: i. associating said time interval as a burst time with said second sample, ii. incrementing a message counter to a first message count, iii. associating said first message count with said second sample, iv. associating a first burst count from a burst counter with said second sample; e. if said time interval exceeds said predetermined limit: i. associating said predetermined limit as said burst time with said second sample, ii. resetting said message counter to an initial message count, iii. associating said initial message count with said second sample, iv. incrementing said burst counter to a second burst count, v. associating said second burst count with said second sample; and f. formatting said second sample and said associated burst count, message count, and burst time into a packet for transmission.

Claim 17

A method of encoding a telephone signaling waveform for transmission as packets, comprising the steps of: a. sequentially storing samples of the telephone signaling waveform; b. comparing the sequentially stored samples to a first sample having a first occurrence time to identify a second sample having a second occurrence time, said second sample indicating a change in said telephone signaling waveform; c. determining a time interval between said first occurrence time and said second occurrence time; d. if said time interval does not exceed a predetermined limit: i. associating said time interval as a burst time with said second sample, ii. incrementing a message counter to a first message count, iii. associating said first message count with said second sample, iv. associating a first burst count from a burst counter with said second sample; e. if said time interval exceeds said predetermined limit: i. associating said predetermined limit as said burst time with said second sample, ii. resetting said message counter to an initial message count, iii. associating said initial message count with said second sample, iv. incrementing said burst counter to a second burst count, v. associating said second burst count with said second sample; and f. formatting said second sample and said associated burst count, message count, and burst time into a packet for transmission.

Claim 18

An apparatus for encoding signaling transition information for transmission on a packet transmission network, comprising: a) a memory storing signaling transition information; b) means for constructing packets from said signaling transition information, said packets including: 1) a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur with a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with, 2) a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst, 3) signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated, 4) a burst time indicating A) approximately a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted if the packet is a first packet of a burst, B) a time since a previous signaling transition if the packet is not the first packet of the burst; and c) means for connecting the packets to a trunk.

Claim 19

An apparatus for encoding signaling transition information for transmission on a packet transmission network, comprising: a) a memory storing signaling transition information; b) means for constructing packets from said signaling transition information, said packets including: 1) a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur with a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with, 2) a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst, 3) signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated, 4) a burst time indicating A) approximately a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted if the packet is a first packet of a burst, B) a time since a previous signaling transition if the packet is not the first packet of the burst; and c) means for connecting the packets to a trunk.

Claim 22

An apparatus for decoding signaling transition information received from a packet transmission network, comprising: a) means for receiving packets from a trunk; b) means for constructing signaling transition information from packets, said packets including: 1) a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur with a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with, 2) a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst, 3) signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated, 4) a burst time indicating A) approximately a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted if the packet is a first packet of a burst, B) a time since a previous signaling transition if the packet is not the first packet of the burst; and c) a memory storing signaling transition information.

Claim 23

An apparatus for decoding signaling transition information received from a packet transmission network, comprising: a) means for receiving packets from a trunk; b) means for constructing signaling transition information from packets, said packets including: 1) a burst count for the packet, wherein a burst is a collection of signaling transitions that occur with a predetermined time interval, wherein the burst includes at least one signaling transition, and wherein the burst count identifies the burst the packet is associated with, 2) a sequence number for the packet to identify a sequence of the packet with respect to any other packet associated with the burst, 3) signaling state information for the packet for indicating a state of a signal to be replicated, 4) a burst time indicating A) approximately a time that transmission of the packet is desired to a time that the packet is transmitted if the packet is a first packet of a burst, B) a time since a previous signaling transition if the packet is not the first packet of the burst; and c) a memory storing signaling transition information.