Method and apparatus for internet access which bypass local central end office using digital loop carrier and permanent signal treatment procedures

• US 20030214941A1
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stevenson K. Martin III
• Original Assignee: Stevenson K. Martin III
• Inventors: Stevenson, K. Martin III
• Granted Patent: US 6,965,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/122 where the PSTN/ISDN access is used as an access to networks other than PSTN/ISDN access arrangements to networks other than PSTN/ISDN H04M7/0066; access arrangements to public data networks H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13381 Pair-gain system, digital loop carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13393 Time slot switching, T-stage, time slot interchanging, TSI

Abstract

The time slot interchange capabilities of modern digital loop carriers are utilized to provide direct connectivity from the calling modem'"'"'s line to an internet access modem bank through the digital loop carrier, thereby bypassing the local central end office. A call which is to a telephone number of an internet access provider'"'"'s modem is routed to a bypass initiator. If the bypass initiator detects that the call is from a number which is serviced by a digital loop carrier having a local central end office bypass capability, then the bypass initiator issues a bypass command. The digital loop carrier establishes the bypass connection, but does not break the signaling connection on the initial call which was routed from the digital loop carrier through the local central end office to the bypass initiator. Once the bypass connection has been established, the bypass initiator sends a disconnect signal through the signaling connection of the initial call. The local central end office performs the permanent signal treatment procedures, resulting in the calling modem'"'"'s line being placed in the permanent signal state at the local central end office, so that the telephone system will know that the calling modem'"'"'s line is unavailable for incoming calls. When the bypass connection is complete at the end of the internet session, the calling modem'"'"'s line goes on hook and is reported to the local central end office in the conventional manner.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a digital loop carrier servicing a calling modem via a calling modem'"'"'s line;

a local central end office coupled to the digital loop carrier via a central office trunk group;

an internet access bypass modem bank coupled to the digital loop carrier via a bypass trunk group; and

a bypass initiator coupled to the digital loop carrier via an incoming call signaling path and coupled to the local central end office via command signaling path;

wherein, in response to a bypass command received through the command signaling path, the digital loop carrier is operable to reroute data from a call originating at the calling modem from the central office trunk group to the bypass trunk group while maintaining a calling modem hook status signaling connection of the call on the central office trunk group.

2. A telecommunications system as in claim 1, further comprising:

an internet access provider telephone receiving modem existing in the incoming call signaling path and the command signaling path.

3. A telecommunications system as in claim 2, further comprising:

a calling number bypass table coupled to the bypass initiator.

4. A telecommunications system as in claim 1,

wherein the local central end office exists in the command signaling path.

5. A telecommunications system as in claim 4, further comprising:

a called number bypass table coupled to the bypass initiator;

a calling number bypass table coupled to the bypass initiator; and

a modem bank status table coupled to the bypass initiator.

6. A telecommunications system as in claim 1,

wherein the bypass initiator is operable to disconnect from the call after the digital loop carrier has rerouted the call.

7. A telecommunications system as in claim 6,

wherein the local central end office releases central office trunk group resources allocated to the call and remembers the off hook status of the calling modem after a timeout period has elapsed.

8. A digital loop carrier, comprising:

a time slot interchanger operable to switch data between various time slots of a time multiplexed signal;

a demultiplexor coupled to the time slot interchanger operable to physically demultiplex the time multiplexed signal onto a plurality of physically separate output trunks;

a central office output trunk group coupled to the demultiplexor;

a bypass output trunk group coupled to the demultiplexor;

a controlling state machine coupled to the time slot interchanger and demultiplexor;

a central office command interface coupled to the controlling state machine for allocating and deallocating central office output trunk group time slots; and

a bypass command interface coupled to the controlling state machine for controlling the interchanging of data between time slots demultiplexing to different output trunk groups.

9. A digital loop carrier as in claim 8,

wherein, upon receipt of a bypass command through the bypass command interface, the time slot interchanger is operable to switch modem data from a central office output trunk time slot that demultiplexes to a central office output trunk to a bypass output trunk time slot that demultiplexes to a bypass output trunk time slot.

10. A digital loop carrier as in claim 9,

wherein, after the time slot interchanger switches the modem data from the central office output trunk time slot to the bypass output trunk time slot, the controlling state machine is operable issue a connect message through the bypass command interface.

11. A digital loop carrier as in claim 9,

wherein the time slot interchanger is operable to continue delivering bit-oriented hook status associated with the modem data to the central office output trunk time slot after the time slot interchanger has switched the modem data from the central office output trunk time slot to the bypass output trunk time slot.

12. A digital loop carrier as in claim 11,

wherein, upon receipt of a disconnect message through the central office command interface, the controlling state machine is operable to issue a release command through the central office command interface.

13. A digital loop carrier as in claim 12,

wherein, upon detecting an on hook status through bit-oriented signaling in an input time slot of the modem data, the controlling state machine is operable to issue a disconnect message through the bypass command interface.

14. A digital loop carrier as in claim 13,

wherein, upon detecting an on hook status through bit-oriented signaling in an input time slot of the modem data, the controlling state machine is operable to periodically issue a disconnect message through the bypass command interface until an acknowledging release message is received.

15. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a bypass command through a bypass command interface; and

switching modem data from a central office output trunk time slot that demultiplexes to a central office output trunk to a bypass output trunk time slot that demultiplexes to a bypass output trunk time slot.

16. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

after the modem data is switched from the central office output trunk time slot to the bypass output trunk time slot, issuing a connect message through the bypass command interface.

17. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

continuing to deliver bit-oriented hook status associated with the modem data to the central office output trunk time slot after switching the modem data from the central office output trunk time slot to the bypass output trunk time slot.

18. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier as in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

upon receipt of a disconnect message through a central office command interface, issuing a release command through the central office command interface.

19. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier as in claim 18, further comprising the step of:

upon detecting an on hook status through bit-oriented signaling in an input time slot of the modem data, issuing a disconnect message through the bypass command interface.

20. A method of routing a data call at a digital loop carrier as in claim 19, further comprising the step of:

upon detecting an on hook status through bit-oriented signaling in an input time slot of the modem data, periodically issuing a disconnect message through the command interface until an acknowledging release message is received.