Apparatus, system and method for a unified circuit switched and packet-based communications system architecture with network interworking functionality
First Claim
1. A method for a unified circuit switched and packet-based communications system, the method comprising:
- establishing a first communication session via a first protocol between a primary station having an interworking function and a secondary station over a common communication path;
establishing a second communication session between the primary station and selectively a network circuit switch or a network packet router via a network specific protocol when the network circuit switch and the network packet router are connected to the primary station;
selecting a traffic channel;
transmitting and receiving data over the selected traffic channel using the first protocol;
using the interworking function, translating signaling information between the first protocol and the network specific protocol;
using the interworking function, bridging data between the first protocol and the network specific protocol; and
releasing the selected traffic channel when either the first or second communication session is terminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (105), system (100) and method is provided for a unified circuit switched and packet-based communications system architecture having network interworking functionality. The apparatus (105) includes a circuit switched network interface (130), with the circuit switched network interface coupleable to a network switch (135) for communication of a circuit switched network protocol signal with a circuit switched network (160); a packet-based network interface (140), the packet-based network interface coupleable to a router (115) for communication of a packet-based network protocol signal with a packet-based network (150); a transceiver (120) coupleable to the communications channel (103) for the transmission and reception of a first protocol signal; and a communications controller (145), the communications controller coupled to the circuit switched network interface, to the packet-based network interface and to the transceiver, the communications controller responsive, through a set of program instructions and an interworking function, to interconvert the first protocol signal with the circuit switched network protocol signal and to interconvert the first protocol signal with the packet-based network protocol signal.
214 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for a unified circuit switched and packet-based communications system, the method comprising:
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establishing a first communication session via a first protocol between a primary station having an interworking function and a secondary station over a common communication path; establishing a second communication session between the primary station and selectively a network circuit switch or a network packet router via a network specific protocol when the network circuit switch and the network packet router are connected to the primary station; selecting a traffic channel; transmitting and receiving data over the selected traffic channel using the first protocol; using the interworking function, translating signaling information between the first protocol and the network specific protocol; using the interworking function, bridging data between the first protocol and the network specific protocol; and releasing the selected traffic channel when either the first or second communication session is terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for a unified circuit switched and packet-based communications system, the apparatus comprising:
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a circuit switched network interface, the circuit switched network interface coupleable to a network switch for communication of a circuit switched network protocol signal with a circuit switched network; a packet-based network interface, the packet-based network interface coupleable to a router for communication of a packet-based network protocol signal with a packet-based network; a transceiver coupleable to a communications channel for the transmission and reception of a first protocol signal; a control unit having a communications controller, the communications controller coupled to the circuit switched network interface, to the packet-based network interface and to the transceiver, the communications controller responsive, through a set of program instructions and an interworking function, to selectively interconvert the first protocol signal with the circuit switched network protocol signal or the first protocol signal with the packet-based network protocol signal, the control unit for assigning from a pool of traffic channels one or more traffic channels for carrying one or more of the protocol signals. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for unified circuit switched and packet-based communications, the system comprising:
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a plurality of secondary stations; a primary station having a communication controller, coupled via a transceiver with a communications traffic channel to one or more of the plurality of secondary stations for the transmission and reception of a first protocol signal at a first predetermined frequency; a circuit switched network interface, the circuit switched network interface coupleable to a network switch for communication of a circuit switched network protocol signal with a circuit switched network; a packet based network interface, the packet-based network interface coupleable to a router for communication of a packet-based network protocol signal with a packet-based network; and the communications controller coupled to the circuit switched network interface, to the packet-based network interface and to the transceiver, the communications controller responsive, through a set of program instructions and an interworking function, to selectively interconvert the first protocol signal with the circuit switched network protocol signal or to interconvert the first protocol signal with the packet-based network protocol signal, the communications controller further enabling transmission and reception of the first protocol signal at an alternate frequency if the first predetermined frequency degrades in quality. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification