Switchboard for dual-rate single-band communication system

• US 20040114750A1
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Houghton, Phil, Cheung, Kenneth, LeBlanc, Wilf
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/387.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6427 Subscriber Access Module; Concentrator; Group equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/05 Electric or magnetic storage of signals before transmitting or retransmitting for changing the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/561 by multiplexing

Abstract

A switchboard device and methods of operation of same are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may provide a flexible means of interconnecting wideband and narrowband communications interfaces, where wideband communications interfaces may transfer wideband data sampled at a higher sampling rate, and narrowband communication interfaces may transfer narrowband data sampled at a lower sampling rate. Data streams sampled at different sampling rates can be combined and the sampling rate of the result adjusted as needed by the destination interface. Methods of operating embodiments of the present invention are included. An additional aspect of the present invention may include machine-readable storage having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the foregoing.

Claims

1. A switchboard device comprising:

a first input for receiving a first stream of data sampled at a first sampling rate;

a second input for receiving a second stream of data sampled at a second sampling rate;

a converter for modifying the first stream of data, producing a modified stream of data sampled at the second sampling rate; and

a combiner for combining the modified stream of data and the second stream of data, producing a combined stream of data.

2. The switchboard device of claim 1 further comprising a converter for modifying the combined stream of data, producing a modified combined stream of data sampled at the first sampling rate.

3. The switchboard device of claim 1 wherein the first and second sampling rates are different.

4. The switchboard device of claim 1 wherein the combiner adds the modified stream of data and the second stream of data.

5. The switchboard device of claim 1 wherein the first sampling rate is approximately 8 kHz.

6. The switchboard device of claim 1 wherein the second sampling rate is approximately 16 kHz.

7. A method of operating a switchboard device, the method comprising:

receiving a first stream of data sampled at a first sampling rate;

receiving a second stream of data sampled at a second sampling rate;

converting the first stream of data to the second sampling rate; and

combining the converted first stream of data and the second stream of data, producing a combined stream of data.

8. The method of claim 7 farther comprising converting the combined stream of data to the second sampling rate.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the first and second sampling rates are different.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the combining comprises adding.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the first sampling rate is approximately 8 kHz.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the second sampling rate is approximately 16 kHz.

13. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for implementing a switchboard device, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

receiving a first stream of data sampled at a first sampling rate;

receiving a second stream of data sampled at a second sampling rate;

converting the first stream of data to the second sampling rate; and

combining the converted first stream of data and the second stream of data, producing a combined stream of data.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising converting the combined stream of data to the second sampling rate.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first and second sampling rates are different.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the combining comprises adding.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the first sampling rate is approximately 8 kHz.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the second sampling rate is approximately 16 kHz.