Digital signal transmission system

• US 20020191708A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Leroy, Jean Francois, Guevel, Jean Luc, Argouarch, Francis, Cournut, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

In a system for transmitting digital signals between two equipment units of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, the equipment units are interconnected by an analog link. The system includes digital-analog converters for transmitting the signals on the analog link and analog-digital converters for reception of the signals by one of the equipment units in digital form.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting digital signals between two equipment units of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, wherein said equipment units are interconnected by an analog link and said system includes digital-analog converter means for transmitting said signals on said analog link and analog-digital converter means for reception of said signals by one of said equipment units in digital form.

2. The transmission system claimed in claim 1 further including means for receiving said digital signals from a first of said equipment units and/or both of said equipment units and, said digital signals including signaling information and voice and/or data information, means for separating said signaling information and said voice and/or data information.

3. The transmission system claimed in claim 2 further including, said signaling information containing management information and authenticated transmission information:

means for extracting said management information, said digital analog converter means converting said management information extracted by said extractor means to obtain analog management information having a bandwidth compatible with said analog link, and

means for sending said analog management information over a circuit of said analog link.

4. The transmission system claimed in claim 3 further including means for transcoding said management information in accordance with another digital protocol of the Internet Protocol type and preceding said digital-analog converter means.

5. The transmission system claimed in claim 4 further including means for authenticating said transcoded management information in accordance with a digital transfer control protocol associated with said Internet Protocol to obtain authenticated signaling information.

6. The transmission system claimed in claim 5 wherein said digital-analog converter means and said analog-digital converter means convert said authenticated management information.

7. The transmission system claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 further including:

means for converting said authenticated management information into transcoded management information, and

means for coding transcoded management information into management information conforming to said digital transmission protocol.

8. The transmission system claimed in claim 2 further including means for mixing said signaling information with said voice and/or data information for reception by one of said equipment units.

9. The transmission system claimed in claim 3 further including, said management information belonging to two separate categories, means for routing said management information in accordance with its category.

10. The transmission system claimed in claim 2 wherein said digital-analog converter means further convert said voice and/or data information to obtain analog voice and/or data information having a bandwidth compatible with said analog link and further including means for sending said analog voice and/or data information over a circuit of said analog link.

11. The transmission system claimed in claim 1 wherein said network is a GSM network or a PCS network.

12. The transmission system claimed in claim 1 wherein a first of said equipment units consists of one or more base transceiver stations and a base station controller and a second of said equipment units consists of a mobile-services switching center.

13. The transmission system claimed in claim 1 wherein said digital transmission protocol is the A interface digital transmission protocol.

14. The transmission system claimed in claim 1 wherein said analog link is part of a network chosen from the group comprising a radio network, a satellite network and a landline network.