Expandable local inter-system bus architecture in a multiplexed environment

• US 5,771,232 A
• Filed: 08/23/1995
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Landa, Robert Eugene, Jones, Joe Fletcher Jr., Johnson, Willie James, Davis, Gordon Taylor, Mandalia, Baiju Dhirajlal, Sinibaldi, John Claude, Andrews, Lawrence Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/518,215
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 370/58.1, 370/58.2, 370/67, 370/77, 370/85.9, 370/85.11, 370/384, 370/385, 370/466, 370/467, 370/522
• US Class Current: 370/384
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/12 Arrangements providing for calling or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1641 Hierarchical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In an communication system including a computer system comprising a digital signal processing adapter for performing a-set of tasks, and a E-1 port for providing and receiving time division multiplexed (TDM) signals in accordance with a first inter-system communication protocol, such as the E-1 or T-1 protocols, a communication subsystem, for coupling to the IP system. The communication subsystem includes an E-1 link for coupling to the first I/O port, and for providing and receiving TDM signals in accordance with the E-1 or T-1 protocols. The subsystem further includes a digital signal processor adapter, coupled to the second I/O port, for enhancing processing capability of the digital signal processing resource; and a third I/O port, coupled to the digital signal processor circuit, for providing and receiving signals in accordance with the first or a second inter-system communication protocol.

Claims

1. In an information processing (IP) system comprising a digital signal processing resource for performing a set of tasks and having a first input/output (I/O) port for providing and receiving multiplexed signals in accordance with a first inter-system communication protocol, a communication subsystem, for coupling to the IP system, said subsystem comprising:

digital signal processor means, having a second I/O port, for enhancing processing capability of the digital signal processing resource;

said second I/O port for coupling to the first I/O port, and for providing and receiving TDM signals in accordance with the first inter-system communication protocol; and

a third I/O port, coupled to the digital signal processor means, for providing and receiving signals in accordance with the first or a second inter-system communication protocol.

2. The communication subsystem of claim 1 wherein

the digital signal processing resource performs a set of tasks including protocol processing;

the digital signal processor means enhances the processing capability of the digital signal processing resource by performing modem function processing; and

the first inter-system communication protocol is in accordance with one of the protocols E-1 or T-1 and the second protocol is in accordance with one of the protocols T-1 or E-1.

3. The communication subsystem of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor means enhances the processing power of the digital signal processing resource performing a subset of the set of tasks performed by the digital signal processing resource.

4. The communication subsystem of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processor means comprises a digital signal processor integrated circuit.

5. The communication subsystem of claim 2, wherein the digital signal processor means comprises a plurality of digital signal processor integrated circuits and a bus for coupling with each digital signal processor integrated circuit, each digital signal processor integrated circuit is allocated to processing of at least one respective channel of a plurality of TDM channels of the communication subsystem.

6. The communication subsystem of claim 1, wherein the first input/output (I/O) port includes means for coupling to an primary integrated services digital network.

7. The communication subsystem of claim 1, wherein the third input/output (I/O) port includes means for coupling to an primary integrated services digital network.

8. An information processing (IP) system comprising:

a host processor;

a digital signal processing resource coupled to the host processor for performing a set of tasks and having a first input/output (I/O) port for providing and receiving multiplexed signals in accordance with a first inter-system communication protocol;

an enhancement communication subsystem for enhancing the digital processing resource in the IP system, said subsystem comprising;

first coupling means for coupling a second I/O port to the first I/O port for providing and receiving TDM signals in accordance with the first inter-system communication protocol;

digital signal processor means coupled to the second I/O port, for enhancing processing capability of the digital signal processing resource; and

second coupling means, coupling an output sort to the digital signal processor means, for providing and receiving signals in accordance with the first or a second inter-system communication protocol.

9. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the first inter-system communication protocol is in accordance with the E-1 protocol.

10. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the first inter-system communication protocol is in accordance with the T-1 protocol.

11. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the digital signal processor means enhances the processing power of the digital signal processing resource performing a subset of the set of tasks performed by the digital signal processing resource.

12. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the second communication protocol is in accordance with the E-1 protocol.

13. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the second communication protocol is in accordance with the T-1 protocol.

14. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the digital signal processor means comprises a digital signal processor integrated circuit.

15. The IP system of claim 8, wherein the digital signal processor means comprises a plurality of digital signal processor integrated circuits and a bus for coupling with each digital signal processor integrated circuit.

16. A system for providing telecommunication services between a host processor and a plurality of diversely equipped remote user terminals linked to the host processor through a public switched telephone network comprising:

a first time division multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunk providing access for the host processor to the network;

all digital protocol processing means coupling the host processor with a local multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunk for exchanging signals with time division channels on the local trunk and for exchanging signals with the host in a form compatible with the processing requirements of the host, but incompatible with signalling requirements of the terminals;

all digital modem processing means coupling the local trunk to the first trunk for exchanging signals with time division channels on said first trunk in diverse signal forms compatible with requirements of the remote user terminals and for exchanging signals with time division channels on said local trunk; and

said protocol processing means and said modem processing means operating in response to respective programmable instructions for converting signals in transit between the host processor and the time division channels of the first trunk into forms respectively compatible with signalling requirements of the user terminals and processing requirements of the host.

17. A system for providing telecommunication services between a host processor and a plurality of diversely equipped remote user terminals linked to the host processor through a public switched telephone network comprising:

a plurality of first time division multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunks providing access for the host processor to the network;

a plurality of all digital protocol processing means, each coupling the host processor with a respective local multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunk for exchanging signals with time division channels on the respective local trunk and for exchanging signals with the host in a form compatible with the processing requirements of the host, but incompatible with signalling requirements of the terminals;

a plurality of all digital modem processing means, each coupling a respective one of the local trunks to a respective first trunk for exchanging signals with time division channels on said respective first trunk in diverse signal forms compatible with requirements of the remote user terminals and for exchanging signals with time division channels on said respective one local trunk; and

said protocol processing means and said modem processing means operating in response to respective programmable instructions for converting signals in transit between the host processor and the time division channels of respective first trunks into forms respectively compatible with signalling requirements of the user terminals and processing requirements of the host.

18. A system for providing telecommunication services between a host processor and a plurality of diversely equipped remote user terminals linked to the host processor through a public switched telephone network comprising:

a first time division multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunk providing access for the host processor to the network;

all digital protocol processing means coupling the host processor with a local multiplexed high-speed digital carrier trunk and operating in response to programmable instructions for exchanging signals with time division channels on the local trunk and for exchanging signals with the host in a form compatible with the processing requirements of the host but incompatible with signalling requirements of the terminals;

all digital modem processing means coupling the local trunk to the first trunk and operating in response to programmable instructions for exchanging signals with time division channels on said first trunk in diverse signal forms compatible with requirements of the remote user terminals and for exchanging signals with time division channels on said local trunk; and

said protocol processing means and said modem processing means operating in response to respective programmable instructions for converting signals in transit between the host processor and the time division channels of the first trunk into forms respectively compatible with signalling requirements of the user terminals and processing requirements of the host.