Branch exchange methods and apparatuses for switching telecommunication signals

• US 20070127443A1
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digium, Inc. (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Digium, Inc. (Sangoma Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Morris, Michael, Spencer, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0018 Computer Telephony Resource Boards
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A branch exchange comprises at least one interface module coupled to a plurality of telecommunication connections including a first telecommunication connection and a second telecommunication connection. A converter is coupled to the at least one interface module and a network interface controller (NIC). The converter is configured to communicate at least one time division multiplexed (TDM) data stream between the converter and the at least one interface module. The converter is further configured to packetize data from one of the telecommunication connections into a first plurality of data packets transmitted to the NIC by the converter. A branch exchange manager is configured to receive the data from the NIC and cause the data to be transmitted over the second telecommunication connection.

Claims

1. A branch exchange, comprising:

at least one interface module coupled to a plurality of telecommunication connections including a first telecommunication connection and a second telecommunication connection;

a network interface controller (NIC);

a converter coupled to the at least one interface module and the NIC, the converter configured to communicate at least one time division multiplexed (TDM) data stream between the converter and the at least one interface module, the converter further configured to packetize data from one of the telecommunication connections into a first plurality of data packets transmitted to the NIC by the converter; and

a branch exchange manager configured to receive the data from the NIC and cause the data to be transmitted over the second telecommunication connection.

2. The branch exchange of claim 1, wherein the network interface controller, the converter and the at least one interface module reside on a system card interfaced with a computer.

3. The branch exchange of claim 1, wherein the branch exchange manager is configured to transmit the data to the NIC, wherein the NIC is configured to packetize the data into a second plurality of data packet and to transmit the second plurality of data packets to the converter, and wherein the converter is configured to depacketized the second plurality of packets and to transmit the data to one of the interface modules.

4. The branch exchange of claim 1, further comprising a personal computer interface (PCI) bus interfaced with the NIC, wherein the NIC is configured to transmit the data over the PCI bus for access by the branch exchange manager.

5. A method for use in a branch exchange that is coupled to a first telecommunication connection and a second telecommunication connection, comprising the steps of:

receiving data from the first telecommunication connection;

transmitting the data via a time division multiplexed (TDM) data stream;

converting the TDM data stream into a first plurality of data packets transmitted, in parallel, to a network interface controller (NIC);

depacketizing, via the NIC, the first plurality of data packets thereby recovering the received data; and

causing the data to be communicated over the second communication connection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the causing step comprises the step of transmitting the data to the NIC, the method further comprising the steps of:

packetizing, via the NIC, the data into a second plurality of data packets transmitted, in parallel, from the NIC; and

converting the second plurality of data packets into a TDM data stream.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the NIC is interfaced with a personal computer interface (PCI) bus.

8. A branch exchange that is coupled to a first telecommunication connection and a second telecommunication connection, comprising the steps of:

means for receiving data from the first telecommunication connection and for transmitting the data via a time division multiplexed (TDM) data stream;

means for converting the data TDM stream into a first plurality of data packets;

a network interface controller (NIC) coupled to the converting means, the NIC configured to receive, in parallel, the first plurality of data packets from the converting means, the NIC configured to depacketize the first plurality of data packets thereby recovering the received data; and

means for causing the data to be communicated over the second communication connection.