Method and system for integration of ATM edge switch with access device
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorStephen Bennett Elliott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ATM edge switch incorporating wireless and wireline voice and data functions is utilized to provide an integrating point for wireless and wireline communications. Functions included in the ATM edge switch are: a voice services function for voice processing functions, element management function for real time management of resources required for call processing, a call processing function for supporting calls, a mobility manager function providing access to Home Location Register/Visitor Location Register (HLR/VLR) and a network access function to consolidate traffic to and from access devices and to interface the access devices to an ATM communications network fabric.
Claims17
A system for incorporating both wireless voice and data capability with wireline voice and data capability into a telecommunications network, said system comprising:
- customer premises equipment;
- an Asynchronous Transfer Mode switching fabric within said network for delivering communications signals between a first communications device and a second communications device;
- at least one integrated edge switch access device connected to said Asynchronous Transfer Mode switching fabric, said edge switch access device comprising:
- a plurality of data and voice signal processing functions for processing communications signals, said data and voice signal processing functions comprising:
- a signal processing function for pre-processing incoming and outgoing signals;
- an access interface function for interfacing with said Asynchronous Transfer Mode network;
- a trunk interface function for interfacing Public Switched Telephone Network with a connected wireless network;
- a Digital Service Level Zero function for converting analog signals to Pulse Code Modulation signals;
- and
- an element management function for controlling and managing network Operations Administration and Maintenance functions;
- a plurality of conversion functions for converting said communications signals;
- and
- a call processing function in said integrated edge switch access device for controlling said processing and said conversion functions.
A method for incorporating wireless voice and data capability with wireline voice and data capability in a telecommunications network containing customer premises equipment, said method comprising the steps of:
- in said telecommunications network, receiving a signal from an originating communications device;
- responsive to said signal, utilizing an integrated edge switch access device for processing said signal and for transmitting said signal to a target communications device by:
- utilizing a signal processing function for pre-processing incoming and outgoing signals;
- utilizing an access interface function for interfacing said integrated edge switch access device with said Asynchronous Transfer Mode network fabric;
- providing a trunk interface function for interfacing a Public Switched Telephone Network with a wireless communications network;
- converting analog signals to Pulse code Modulation signals with a Digital Service-Level Zero function;
- and
- controlling and managing network Operations, Administration and Maintenance functions with an element management function;
- determining whether said target communications device utilizes a communication protocol identical to a communication protocol of said originating device;
- utilizing a plurality of voice and signal processing functions and conversion functions within said integrated edge switch device to process and convert said signal from said originating communications device;
- and
- utilizing an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network fabric to transmit said processed and converted signal to said target communications device.
A switch for incorporating wireless voice and data signals and wireline voice and data signals into a telecommunications network containing customer premises equipment, said switch comprising:
- at least one integrated edge switch access device connected to an Asynchronous Transfer Mode switching fabric within said telecommunications network, comprising:
- a plurality of data and voice signal processing functions for processing communications signals comprising:
- a signal processing function for pre-processing incoming and outgoing signals;
- an access interface function for interfacing with said Asynchronous Transfer Mode network;
- a trunk interface function for interfacing Public Switched Telephone Network with a connected wireless network;
- a Digital Service Level Zero function for converting analog signals to Pulse Code Modulation signals;
- and
- an element management function for controlling and managing network Operations Administration and Maintenance functions;
- a plurality of conversion functions for converting said communications signals;
- and
- a call processing function in said integrated edge switch access device for controlling said processing and said conversion functions.
A program of instructions, within instruction bearing media associated with a telecommunication system for incorporating wireless voice and data capability with wireline voice and data capability in a telecommunications network containing customer premises equipment, comprising the steps of:
- instructions within said instruction bearing media for receiving a signal from an originating communications device in said telecommunications network;
- responsive to said signal, instructions within said instruction bearing media for utilizing an integrated edge switch access device for processing said signal and for transmitting said signal to a target communications device;
- instructions within said instruction bearing media for determining whether said target communications device utilizes a communication protocol identical to a communication protocol of said originating device;
- instructions within said instruction bearing media for utilizing a plurality of voice and signal processing functions and conversion functions within said integrated edge switch device to process and convert said signal from said originating communications device;
- and
- instructions within said instruction bearing media for utilizing an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network fabric to transmit said processed and converted signal to said target communications device.
A telecommunication system for incorporating wireless voice and data capability with wireline voice and data capability in a telecommunications network containing customer premises equipment, said system comprising:
- means for receiving a signal from an originating communications device in said telecommunications network;
- means, responsive to said signal, for utilizing an integrated edge switch access device for processing said signal and for transmitting said signal to a target communications device;
- means for determining whether said target communications device utilizes a communication protocol identical to a communication protocol of said originating device;
- means for utilizing a plurality of voice and signal processing functions and conversion functions within said integrated edge switch device to process and convert said signal from said originating communications device;
- and
- means for utilizing an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network fabric to transmit said processed and converted signal to said target communications device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.