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US 6,687,244 B1Granted
ATM transport system
AssigneeSprint Communications Company L.P.
InventorJoseph Michael Christie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is an ATM transport system that transports user information from a continuous signal transport system. The ATM transport system uses telecommunications signaling associated with the continuous signals to determine if the continuous signals are transporting any user information. If so, ATM cells containing user information are generated and transmitted, but if not ATM cells are not generated and transmitted. The invention includes an ATM interworking multiplexer and in some embodiments, a processor.
Claims18
A communications system comprising:
- a processor configured to receive signaling information associated with a continuous signal, process the signaling information to determine when the continuous signal transfers user information and to determine an identifier for asynchronous communications, transfer and enabling instruction for the identifier if the continuous signal will start transferring the user information, and transfer a disabling instruction for the identifier if the continuous signal will stop transferring the user information;
- an interworking device coupled to the processor and configured to receive the continuous signal and the enabling instruction, transfer the user information from the continuous signal in the asynchronous communications with the identifier in response to the enabling instruction, receive the disabling instruction, and stop transferring the user information from the continuous signal in the asynchronous communications with the identifier in response to the disabling instruction;
- and
- a signal point coupled to the processor and configured to transfer the signaling information to the processor.
1 more element
A method of operating a communications system comprising:
- receiving a first signaling message associated with a continuous signal into a signal point and transferring first signaling information from the first signaling message from the signal point to a processor;
- processing the first signaling information in the processor to determine that the continuous signal will carry user information and to determine an identifier;
- in response to the determination that the continuous signal will carry the user information, transferring an enabling instruction for the identifier from the processor to an interworking device;
- receiving the enabling instruction and the continuous signal carrying the user information in the interworking device;
- in response to the enabling instruction, transferring the user information with the identifier from the interworking device in asynchronous communications;
- receiving a second signaling message associated with the continuous signal into the signal point and transferring second signaling information from the second signaling message from the signal point to the processor;
- processing the second signaling information in the processor to determine that the continuous signal will not carry the user information;
- in response to the determine that the continuous signal will not carry the user information, transferring a disabling instruction for the identifier from the processor to the interworking device;
- receiving the disabling instruction in the interworking device;
- and
- in response to the disabling instruction, stopping the transfer of the user information with the identifier from the interworking device in asynchronous communications.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.