Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A satellite-based Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) communications system, comprising: a satellite having associated satellite channels; source and destination earth stations for communicating with one another over selected said satellite channels; originating equipment for generating ISDN signaling messages and bearer traffic supported by ISDN; destination equipment for receiving said ISDN signaling messages and said bearer traffic; a source ISDN Satellite Switch (ISS) responsive to said ISDN signaling messages for generating resource messages having a predetermined first protocol and, responsive to received said bearer traffic from said originating equipment, for providing a protocol conversion function to thereby convert selected said received bearer traffic from a predetermined second protocol to a predetermined third protocol representing converted data, so as to permit transmission of said resource messages and said converted data from said source earth station to said destination earth station over one of said satellite channels; and a destination ISS responsive to said resource messages received at said destination earth station via one of said satellite channels for regenerating said ISDN signalling messages for transmission to said destination equipment and for reconverting said converted data from said third protocol to said second protocol.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A satellite-based Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) communications system, comprising: a satellite having associated satellite channels; source and destination earth stations for communicating with one another over selected said satellite channels; originating equipment for generating ISDN signaling messages and bearer traffic supported by ISDN; destination equipment for receiving said ISDN signaling messages and said bearer traffic; a source ISDN Satellite Switch (ISS) responsive to said ISDN signaling messages for generating resource messages having a predetermined first protocol and, responsive to received said bearer traffic from said originating equipment, for providing a protocol conversion function to thereby convert selected said received bearer traffic from a predetermined second protocol to a predetermined third protocol representing converted data, so as to permit transmission of said resource messages and said converted data from said source earth station to said destination earth station over one of said satellite channels; and a destination ISS responsive to said resource messages received at said destination earth station via one of said satellite channels for regenerating said ISDN signalling messages for transmission to said destination equipment and for reconverting said converted data from said third protocol to said second protocol.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein said source ISS is responsive to signalling from said originating equipment for allocating an available one of said satellite channels to a call from said originating equipment on a demand assignment basis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein said source ISS generates signaling response messages to said originating equipment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein said satellite channels include at least one dedicated signaling channel and a plurality of communication channels, with handshaking signaling for setting up a connection over one of said communication channels between said originating and destination equipments being exchanged over said dedicated signaling channel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said resource messages specifies said second and said third protocols.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein said ISDN communications provides services including voice, text, facsimile, videotext and video, and wherein said originating ISS configures an appropriate one of said satellite channels for a particular service requested.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The satellite-based ISDN communications system according to claim 1, wherein said originating ISS multiplexes said resource messages from multiple source equipments onto a single satellite channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
152 words
In an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) system having channel equipment for establishing a communications channel connecting originating equipment for generating ISDN signaling messages and digital data with destination equipment receiving said ISDN signaling messages and said digital data, said channel equipment comprising: first means receiving and transmitting said ISDN signalling messages for generating resource messages in a first protocol matched to said communications channel and receiving said digital data for converting and transmitting said digital data received in a predetermined second protocol to transmission data in a predetermined third protocol, wherein said third protocol is selected so as to minimize transmission data degradation during transmission via said communications channel; and second means operatively connected to said first means for regenerating said ISDN signalling messages for transmission to said destination equipment responsive to receipt of said resource messages and for reconverting said transmitted data from said third protocol to said second protocol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
152 words
In an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) system having channel equipment for establishing a communications channel connecting originating equipment for generating ISDN signaling messages and digital data with destination equipment receiving said ISDN signaling messages and said digital data, said channel equipment comprising: first means receiving and transmitting said ISDN signalling messages for generating resource messages in a first protocol matched to said communications channel and receiving said digital data for converting and transmitting said digital data received in a predetermined second protocol to transmission data in a predetermined third protocol, wherein said third protocol is selected so as to minimize transmission data degradation during transmission via said communications channel; and second means operatively connected to said first means for regenerating said ISDN signalling messages for transmission to said destination equipment responsive to receipt of said resource messages and for reconverting said transmitted data from said third protocol to said second protocol.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ISDN communications channel equipment according to claim 8, wherein said second means generates signaling response messages routed to the originating equipment via said first means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ISDN communications channel equipment according to claim 8, wherein said first means multiplexes said resource messages from multiple source equipments onto one said communication channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ISDN communications channel equipment according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said resource messages specifies said second and said third protocols.