Distributed voice processing system

A method of processing a call in a distributed voice processing system comprising at least first and second systems connected by an isochronous network, said method including the steps of:

• providing in the first system a first line adapter card having a plurality of telephony interface ports connected to a telephony network separate from said isochronous network, thereby permitting the exchange of telephone signals between the first line adapter card and the telephony network as part of a telephone call;
• receiving an incoming telephone call from the telephony network at one of said plurality of telephony interface ports;
• determining that the call should be handled by an application processor unit on said second system;
• linking said telephony interface port on said first system and a timeslot on a time division multiplex (TDM) bus on the first system, whereby telephony input comprising telephone signals received at said one telephony interface port as part of the telephone call can be transferred into said timeslot;
• forwarding said telephone signals from said timeslot on the TDM bus on the first system to a timeslot on a TDM bus on the second system via a connection across said isochronous network;
• passing the telephone signals from said timeslot on the TDM bus on the second system to said application processor unit on said second system;
• thereby receiving telephony input over said connection at said application processor unit to handle said call.

A distributed telephony switch comprising at least first and second systems connected by an isochronous network,

• said first system including:
• a first line adapter card having a first plurality of telephony interface ports for connection to a telephony network separate from said isochronous network, whereby in operation each telephony interface port can be connected to a corresponding one of said first plurality of telephony channels;
• a first time division multiplex (TDM) bus presenting multiple timeslots attached to said plurality of telephony interface ports, whereby an incoming telephony signal from a telephony channel associated with a telephony interface port can be transmitted from the port onto a corresponding timeslot on the TDM bus;
• call handling means responsive to an incoming telephony call for providing a determination that the incoming telephony signal associated with said call should be forwarded to a telephony interface port on the second system;
• and
• a first interface adapter card for attaching said first time division multiplex bus to said isochronous network, whereby responsive to said determination the incoming telephony signal can be passed from said corresponding timeslot on the TDM bus through the first interface adapter card onto the isochronous network;
• said second system including:
• a second interface adapter card for attachment to said isochronous network to receive said incoming telephony signal passed onto said isochronous network by the first interface adapter card;
• a second time division multiplex bus presenting multiple timeslots attached to said second interface adapter card, whereby the incoming telephony signal can be received from the second interface adapter card onto a corresponding timeslot on the second TDM bus;
• and
• a second plurality of telephony interface ports connected to a second plurality of telephony channels, whereby the incoming telephony signal can be directed from the timeslot on the second TDM bus out over one of said second plurality of telephony channels through one of said second plurality of telephony interface ports.