Communication system with internal packet switching and method for transmitting and switching data using said system

• US 20020196814A1
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gass, Raymond, Mouton, Michel
• Application Number:
  US10/147,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196814A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/10 characterised by the switching fabric construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/111 Switch interfaces, e.g. port details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The present invention concerns a communication system able to connect at least two voice and/or data communication terminals, linked to said system directly or through an external, local or national communication network.

Communication system whereby said system comprises means for switching and transmitting internally all data in the form of data packets.

Claims

1. Communication system able to connect at least two voice and/or data communication terminals, linked to said system directly or through an external, local or national communication network, whereby said system comprises means for switching and transmitting internally all data in the form of data packets.

2. Communication system according to claim 1, whereby it comprises a controller module, preferably implemented on a corresponding board, and a plurality of peripheral line boards, said controller module being mainly composed of a processor associated with a multiport integrated switch and memory and data storage means and providing the packet switch function and other shared functions of the communication system.

3. Communication system according to claim 2, whereby the line boards are fully interconnected, with full switching capacity on each of said line boards.

4. Communication system according to claim 2, whereby the line boards are partially interconnected in a star configuration, with the switching function implemented on a single board only.

5. Communication system according to claim 2, whereby the line boards are partially interconnected in a double star configuration, the communication system comprising a main controller module and a standby controller module and a fractional switching function being implemented on said line boards.

6. Communication system according to claim 2, whereby the line boards and the controller module are geographically separated, individually incorporated in boxes and interconnected by Ethernet cables.

7. Communication system according to anyone of claims 2 to 6, whereby that it comprises at least one voice line module, preferably implemented on a corresponding board, providing voice coding and packetisation functions and mainly composed of a processor associated with a digital signal processor, analog line interfaces and a multiport integrated switch.

8. Communication system according to anyone of claims 2 to 6, whereby it comprises at least one data line module, preferably implemented on a corresponding board, providing connection for Data Terminal Equipment or IP telephone sets and mainly composed of a multiport integrated switch associated with a routing engine.

9. Communication system according to anyone of claims 1 to 8, whereby the packet switching means are based on LAN switch technology and components, and the internal transmission means are based on Ethernet links, in particular 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet links.

10. Communication system according to anyone of claims 1 to 9, whereby it is incorporated in a PBX or PABX unit.

12. Method according to claim 11, whereby a communication system according to anyone of claims 2 to 10 is used.

11. Method for transmitting and switching data between at least two voice and/or non voice data communication terminals linked to an interconnecting communication system, directly or through an external, local or national communication network, wherein said method consists in switching and transmitting, inside said system, all data in the form of data packets.