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US 5,115,431 AGranted
Method and apparatus for packet communications signaling
AssigneeStratacom, Inc.
InventorsCharles S. T. Williams, Shrikanth S. Kattemalalavadi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A packet format for accurately transporting signaling information in a packet network is described. The packet format comprises a burst count, a sequence number, a burst time, and a signaling status bit. The burst count is for indicating a burst to which the packet belongs. The sequence number is for identifying a first packet of the burst. The burst time is for selectably indicating (1) a time delay from onset to a packet node bus for the first packet of the burst and (2) a time interval between successive signaling bit transitions.
Claims18
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.
5 more elements
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.
11 more elements
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.
13 more elements
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.
13 more elements
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.
7 more elements
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.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.