Communication server apparatus using digital signal switching and method

• US 5,898,761 A
• Filed: 01/10/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ham, Ronald E., McCullough, Jason, Sisk, James R., Hall, Clifford L., Locklear, Robert H. Jr., McHale, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur.
• Application Number:
  US08/781,450
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 379/93.14, 379/93.15, 379/93.28, 379/93.31, 370/434
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2889 Multiservice, e.g. MSAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4612 LAN interconnection over narrowband networks, e.g. N-ISDN, PSTN, X.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0008 arrangements for allowing a transmitter or receiver to use more than one type of modulation negotiating modulation type for two-way transmission paths H04L5/1453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1302 Relay switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13036 Serial/parallel conversion, parallel bit transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1304 Coordinate switches, crossbar, 4/2 with relays, coupling field
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1319 Amplifier, attenuation circuit, echo suppressor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13203 : Exchange termination [ET]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13213 : Counting, timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 : Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 : Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13302 : Magnetic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 : Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13322 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1334 : Configuration within the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

A communication server (58) using digital signal switching is provided. A plurality of twisted pair subscriber lines are split into twisted pair data lines (54) and twisted pair phone lines (52). Analog signals received on the twisted pair data lines (54) are converted into incoming parallel digital words and outgoing parallel digital words are converted into analog signals for transmission on the twisted pair data lines (54) using first converters (614) coupled to each twisted pair data line (54). The incoming parallel digital words are converted into incoming serial bit streams and outgoing serial bit streams are converted into the outgoing parallel digital words using second converters (616) coupled to the first converters (614). A need for data service is detected on a selected twisted pair data line (54), and one of the XDSL modems (620) is selected in response to detecting the need for data service. The selected XDSL modem (620) is then coupled to a second converter (616) associated with the selected twisted pair data line (54) where the selected XDSL modem (620) receives the incoming serial bit stream from and provides the outgoing serial bit stream to the associated second converter (616).

Claims

1. A communication server coupled to a plurality of twisted pair data lines, each twisted pair data line coupled to an associated twisted pair subscriber line by a splitter, the communication server comprising:

a plurality of line interface components and detectors, each line interface components and detector coupled to an associated twisted pair data line, the line interface components and detectors operable to detect a need for data service on the twisted pair data line and provide a signal indicating a request for service;

a plurality of analog/digital and digital/analog converters, each analog/digital and digital/analog converter coupled to an associated line interface components and detector;

a plurality of parallel/serial and serial/parallel converters, each parallel/serial and serial/parallel converter coupled to an associated analog/digital and digital/analog converter;

a plurality of XDSL modems;

a digital multiplexer coupled to the parallel/serial and serial/parallel converters and coupled to the XDSL modems, the digital multiplexer operable to couple a selected subset of the parallel/serial and serial/parallel converters to the XDSL modems; and

a controller coupled to the detector and to the digital multiplexer, the controller operable to select one of the XDSL modems in response to detecting the need for data service, the controller further operable to direct the digital multiplexer to couple the selected XDSL modem to the parallel/serial and serial/parallel converter associated with the detected need for data service.

2. The communication server of claim 1, further comprising a network interface/multiplexer coupled to the XDSL modems, the network interface/multiplexer operable to combine information received from the XDSL modems for communication across an attached network.

3. The communication server of claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to and operable to communicate with the network interface/multiplexer.

4. A method for coupling a selected subset of a plurality of twisted pair subscriber lines to a plurality of XDSL modems, the method comprising:

splitting each twisted pair subscriber line into a twisted pair data line and a twisted pair phone line;

converting analog signals received on the twisted pair data lines into incoming parallel digital words and converting outgoing parallel digital words into analog signals for transmission on the twisted pair data lines using first converters coupled to each twisted pair data line;

converting the incoming parallel digital words into incoming serial bit streams and converting outgoing serial bit streams into the outgoing parallel digital words using second converters coupled to the first converters;

detecting a need for data service on a selected twisted pair data line;

selecting one of the XDSL modems in response to detecting the need for data service; and

coupling the selected XDSL modem to a second converter associated with the selected twisted pair data line, the selected XDSL modem receiving the incoming serial bit stream from and providing the outgoing serial bit stream to the associated second converter.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein coupling is accomplished using a digital multiplexer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting comprises coupling, in succession, a detector to the twisted pair data lines.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting comprises coupling one of a plurality of detectors to each of the twisted pair data lines.