Local area voice/data communications and switching system
First Claim
1. A distributed, digital voice/data communications and switching system for connecting stations which may provide transmission of voice only, data only or both voice and data, the system comprising:
- a. a station interface associated with each station;
b. a plurality of nodes, each serving at least one station interface;
c. means for interconnecting said nodes with an assembly of networks formed of at least two interlocking networks;
d. a first one of such networks, termed the "regional ring," being a network connecting said nodes for carrying control messages transmitted among the nodes as well as packetized user data traffic transmitted between stations; and
e. a second one of such networks, termed the voice highway, being a "star" type of network carrying digitized voice traffic and including a digital voice switch at one of the nodes and a separate communications link between that node and each other node of the system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed, digital voice/data communications and switching system for connecting stations which may provide voice-only transmission, data only or voice and data. The system comprises one or more physical nodes, each serving (in an exemplary case) up to about 30 ports (i.e., station interfaces); nodes may be geographically distributed on the user'"'"'s premises or one or more nodes may be collected together at a common location. The nodes are interconnected via a hierarchical network configuration formed of at least two, generally three, and perhaps even four interlocking networks. The first network is a slotted ring (the "regional" ring) employing coaxial cable to connect the nodes; it carries all control messages transmitted among the nodes, as well as the users'"'"' data traffic, using a frame which circulates continuously at about 20 Mbps. The second network is a "star" arrangement carrying PCM-encoded digitized voice traffic; at the hub of the star, in one of the nodes, is a digital voice switch. An optional third network provides a ring-type local area network (the "nodal ring") which connects together a multiplicity of stations at a given node. Each station may include an analog key telephone; further, a personal computer or data terminal may be connected to the phone for transmission purposes. The nodal ring uses frequency division multiplexing to support both analog voice and data transmission over twisted-pair wiring; in the node, the analog voice is digitized and connected to the star network, while digital data is connected to the regional ring for transmission to other nodes. A fourth (so-called "national") ring may be used to interconnect a plurality of regional rings, to allow the system to grow to greater size. Both the hardware and software are modular and may be distributed among the nodes. The software (firmware) comprises a number of processes (or modules) which operate independently of one another and communicate solely by means of messages transmitted over the system'"'"'s rings and buses internal to the node(s).
256 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A distributed, digital voice/data communications and switching system for connecting stations which may provide transmission of voice only, data only or both voice and data, the system comprising:
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a. a station interface associated with each station; b. a plurality of nodes, each serving at least one station interface; c. means for interconnecting said nodes with an assembly of networks formed of at least two interlocking networks; d. a first one of such networks, termed the "regional ring," being a network connecting said nodes for carrying control messages transmitted among the nodes as well as packetized user data traffic transmitted between stations; and e. a second one of such networks, termed the voice highway, being a "star" type of network carrying digitized voice traffic and including a digital voice switch at one of the nodes and a separate communications link between that node and each other node of the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A distributed, voice and digital data communications and switching system for connecting communications stations such as telephones and personal computers, which system provides for the transmission between stations of both voice and data, the system comprising:
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a. a plurality of nodes, each including a programmed processor, the processors cooperating to control the operation of the system; b. a master switching unit; c. a star type communications network interconnecting the master switching unit and the plurality of nodes; d. each node including means for connecting at least one station to said communications network under control of the processor at such node; e. the master switching unit including a digital voice switch operable to establish digital voice communications between selected telephone stations associated with said nodes; and f. a ring type of network interconnecting said nodes and said master switching unit and carrying control messages transmitted among and between the nodes and master switching unit as well as digital data transmitted by at least one station.
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12. A distributed, digital voice and data communications and switching system for selectively controlling communications stations such as telephone and personal computers, and providing communications paths between multiple ones of said stations, which system supports the transmission between stations of voice signals and data, the system comprising:
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a. a plurality of nodes, each having at least one processor for controlling selected aspects of system operation including aspects of operation of a set of associated stations; b. a master switching unit operably connected to each of said nodes, and via each node to the associated set of stations, and including a digital voice switch operable to establish voice communications between selected ones of said stations; c. a ring type of network connecting said nodes and said master switching unit; d. the node processors adapted to place on the ring network control information for the processors of other nodes and for a master switching unit; e. at least one node adapted to place on the ring network, for transmission to a station associated with another node, digitized data provided by a station associated with the former node. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification