ISDN, basic rate interface arranged for quad voice

A method for transmitting multiple digitized voice channels on a single integrated services digital network (ISDN) basic rate interface (BRI) including at least first and second passive busses being interfaced to a single digital subscriber line, the method comprising the steps of:

• encoding four bits of digitized voice data representing a first voice data sample and positioning them into a first nibble of an octet of a first basic rate interface B-channel on said first passive bus;
• stuffing four bits of an electrically neutral line signal into a second nibble of the octet in the first basic rate interface B-channel on said first passive bus;
• encoding four bits of digitized voice data from a second voice data sample and positioning them into a second nipple of an octet in a first basic rate interface B-channel on said second passive bus;
• stuffing four bits of an electrically neutral line signal into the first nipple of the octet in the first basic rate interface B-channel on said second passive bus;
• and
• combining said first basic rate interface B-channel on said first passive bus with said first basic rate interface B-channel on said second passive bus to yield a single first basic rate interface B-channel including said encoded voice data in said first nibble of said first basic rate interface B-channel from said first passive bus and said encoded voice data from said second nibble of said first basic rate interface B-channel from said second passive bus.

A common communication system comprising:

• switching means including means for interfacing to at least one digital, subscriber line for transmitting and receiving an integrated services digital (ISDN) basic rate interface (BRI) including first and second B-channels and a D-channel, and means for assigning at least two voice channels to operate simultaneously on one of said first and second B-channel;
• a digital subscriber line;
• first means for providing an integrated services digital network (ISDN) "U" basic rate interface (BRI), said first means being connected to said digital subscriber line;
• a plurality of voice terminals;
• and
• second means for interfacing said plurality of voice terminals to said first means, wherein said assigned at least two voice channels are supplied from said voice terminals to said first means to be transmitted to said switching means on said one of said first and second B-channel, said second means including a first passive bus, an at least second passive bus, a predetermined number of said plurality of voice terminals being connected to said first passive bus and a predetermined number of said plurality of voice terminals being connected to said at least second passive bus, a first voice terminal connected to said first passive bus including means for providing a voice channel to a first portion of a first B-channel assigned to said first voice terminal on said first passive bus and a second voice terminal connected to said at least second passive bus including means for providing a voice channel to a second portion of a first B-channel assigned to said second voice terminal on said second passive bus and means for combining said assigned first B-channel on said first passive bus with said assigned first B-channel on said at least second passive bus to yield a single first B-channel to be interfaced to said digital subscriber line by said first means.