US5710769A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merging the functions of switching and cross connect in telecommunications networks
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1996-02-29
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Granted: 1998-01-20
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Expires: 2016-02-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and a method for establishing voice band telecommunications connections using a cross connect/switching system (CCSS) for establishing all or part of the connection setments required for individual calls. The CCSS contains bundles of provisioned paths and also has facilities for establishing individual per call paths which do not use these bundles. When a call is received, the CCSS switches the call through a combination of provisioned and unprovisioned paths. In the preferred embodiment, the CCSS is an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch enhanced with converters to communicate with pulse code modulation (PCM) facilities for communicating with other switches and with associated PCM switches. Terminal adapters are provided in either the CCSS or the associated switches or both for processing voice signals to perform functions such as echo cancellation or speech quality enhancement. Advantageously, such a switch can support a very large node that carries extensive wideband and broadband signal traffic as well as the voice band traffic.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Wayne Anderson
- 👤 Lih-Fen Leu Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/0016; H04Q3/0025; H04J; H04J2203/00; H04J2203/0001; H04J2203/0051; H04J2203/0064; H04J2203/0066; H04J2203/0073; H04J2203/0076; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5619; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/563; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/5646; H04L2012/5649; H04L2012/5671
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
In a telecommunications network, apparatus in a node of said network for establishing a voice band call connection through said node, comprising: processor means, responsive to reception of request messages to establish a voice band connection, for generating and transmitting control messages for requesting establishment of said voice band connection; A CCSS (cross connect/switching system), connectable to a plurality of transmission facilities, and responsive to said control messages for establishing segments of a switched voice band connection between an incoming voice channel received over one of said plurality of transmission facilities and an outgoing voice channel transmitted over another of said plurality of transmission facilities; said CCSS further adapted for switching signals of data rates different from rates for voice band signals; said CCSS comprising a plurality of provisioned connections, established and released in response to provisioning request messages; wherein at least one said segments of a switched voice band connection is switched over one of said plurality of provisioned connections.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
In a telecommunications network, apparatus in a node of said network for establishing a voice band call connection through said node, comprising: processor means, responsive to reception of request messages to establish a voice band connection, for generating and transmitting control messages for requesting establishment of said voice band connection; A CCSS (cross connect/switching system), connectable to a plurality of transmission facilities, and responsive to said control messages for establishing segments of a switched voice band connection between an incoming voice channel received over one of said plurality of transmission facilities and an outgoing voice channel transmitted over another of said plurality of transmission facilities; said CCSS further adapted for switching signals of data rates different from rates for voice band signals; said CCSS comprising a plurality of provisioned connections, established and released in response to provisioning request messages; wherein at least one said segments of a switched voice band connection is switched over one of said plurality of provisioned connections.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said CCSS comprises an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switching fabric.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plurality of transmission facilities comprises a plurality of PCM (pulse code modulation) facilities and wherein said CCSS comprises means for converting between PCM signals for communicating with PCM facilities and ATM signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising terminal adapter means connected to said CCSS for providing terminal adapter functions for calls switched in said CCSS.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a PCM switch connected to said CCSS by a plurality of transmission facilities, wherein said call connection is established using call paths in said CCSS, call paths in said PCM switch and call paths connecting said CCSS and said PCM switch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said PCM switch comprises switch processor means, and wherein said processor means comprises said switch processor means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor means comprises SPP (switching processor platform) means for receiving said request to establish a voice band connection and for controlling transmission of control messages for requesting establishment of said voice band connection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a PCM switch comprising switch processor means, connected to said CCSS, wherein said switch processor means and said SPP means cooperate to perform the function of said processor means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said provisioned connections are established in groups of voice band connections.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said provisioning request messages are transmitted from an operations support system to said CCSS.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a telecommunications network, a method of establishing a voice band call connection through a node of said network, comprising the steps of: in a CCSS (cross connect/switching system) of said node comprising a plurality of switched voice band connection segments, establishing a plurality of provisioned bundles of channels of voice band connection segments; and in said CCSS establishing one or more segments of said voice band call connection by selecting channels of ones of said bundles of provisioned voice band connection segments and establishing one or more segments of said connection by selecting one or more switched voice band connection segments that are not in one of the plurality of bundles of provisioned voice band connections.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a telecommunications network, a method of establishing a voice band call connection through a node of said network, comprising the steps of: in a CCSS (cross connect/switching system) of said node comprising a plurality of switched voice band connection segments, establishing a plurality of provisioned bundles of channels of voice band connection segments; and in said CCSS establishing one or more segments of said voice band call connection by selecting channels of ones of said bundles of provisioned voice band connection segments and establishing one or more segments of said connection by selecting one or more switched voice band connection segments that are not in one of the plurality of bundles of provisioned voice band connections.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said CCSS comprises an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switching fabric and means for converting between PCM (pulse code modulation) signals and ATM signals and wherein said selecting one or more of said switched voice band connection segments comprises selecting connection segments to said means for converting.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said selecting one or more switched voiceband connection segments comprises selecting a connection segment to a PCM switch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein selecting one or more switched voice band segments comprises selecting a connection segment to a terminal adapter means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a telecommunications network, a method of establishing a voice band call connection through a node of said network, comprising the steps of: in an ATM (a synchronous transfer mode) CCSS (cross connect/swtiching system) of said node, establishing a connection to an ATM/PCM (ATM/pulse code modulation) converter over a provisioned path; performing terminal adapter functions on the output of said ATM/PCM converter and converting the adapted PCM signal to another ATM signal; and switching said another ATM signal over a switched path toward an outgoing transmission facility: wherein said terminal adapter functions comprises at least one of echo cancellation, voice enhancement, in line announcements, in line monitoring for tone digits, and inband supervisory signaling.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a telecommunications network, a method of establishing a voice band call connection through a node of said network, comprising the steps of: in an ATM (a synchronous transfer mode) CCSS (cross connect/swtiching system) of said node, establishing a connection to an ATM/PCM (ATM/pulse code modulation) converter over a provisioned path; performing terminal adapter functions on the output of said ATM/PCM converter and converting the adapted PCM signal to another ATM signal; and switching said another ATM signal over a switched path toward an outgoing transmission facility: wherein said terminal adapter functions comprises at least one of echo cancellation, voice enhancement, in line announcements, in line monitoring for tone digits, and inband supervisory signaling.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of connecting said another ATM signal to another ATM/PCM converter for connection to an outgoing PCM transmission facility.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said another ATM signal is directly connectable to an ATM transmission facility.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the step of performing terminal adapter functions comprises the steps of: transmitting the output of said ATM/PCM converter to a PCM switch containing a terminal adapter and means for converting the adapted PCM signal to another ATM signal; and transmitting said another ATM signal to said ATM CCSS.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-01-19 | 2001-07-21 | 2002-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-01-19 | 2005-07-21 | 2006-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-19 | 2009-07-21 | 2010-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |