Carrying speech-band signals over a power line communications system
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsRoy Leslie Williams, Robin Paul Rickard, Martin Brent Daniells
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Speech-band signals such as voice telephony and facsimile are trasnmitted over a power line communications system. The method comprises: receiving speech-band signals at the communications station from speech-band communications equipment; digitising the speech-band signals; encoding the digitised signals into data packets; and transmitting the data packets to/from a station over a part of the line which is external to the premises, using a packet data communications protocol. Equipment can selectively route the speech-band signals via the power line or the PSTN.
Claims17
A method of transmitting speech-band signals over a power line communications system comprising a power line for distributing electricity to a plurality of premises and a communication station coupled to the power line, the method comprising:
- receiving speech-band signals at the communications station from speech-bank communications equipment;
- encoding the digitised signals into data packets;
- transmitting the data packets to/from the station over a part of the line which is external to the premises, using a packet data communications protocol, wherein the data packets have a length of 2-5 ms.
A communications apparatus for transmitting speech-band signals over a power line communications system comprising a power line for distributing electricity to a plurality of premises and a communication station coupled to the power line, the apparatus comprising:
- an interface for receiving speech-band signals from speech-band communications equipment;
- means for digitising the speech-band signals;
- means for encoding the digitised signals into data packets;
- means for transmitting the data packets to/from the station over a part of the line which is external to the premises, using a packet data communications protocol, wherein the data packets have a length of 2-5 ms.
A method of establishing a speech-bank call over a power line communications system comprising a power line for distributing electricity to a plurality of premises and a communication station coupled to the power line, the method comprising:
- receiving speech-band signals at the communications station from speech-band communications equipment, the speech-band signals comprising speech and signalling;
- converting the signalling between an analogue form used by the communications equipment and digital messages which can be conveyed over the power line data packets;
- encoding the digital messages into data packets;
- transmitting the data packets to/from the station over a part of the line which is external to the premises, using a packet data communications protocol, wherein the data packets have a length of 2-5 ms.
- receiving the packets at a base station which is coupled to the power line;
- determining destination of the packets;
- transmitting the packets over a backhaul network to anther communications station according to the determined destination, and
- returning signalling information to the communications station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.