Preselection of service provider and functionality
First Claim
1. A switched communications network, comprising:
- an exchange carrier network comprising trunked together central office switching systems providing telephone service for subscriber stations;
a common channel interoffice signaling system, comprising at least one signal transfer point and data links connecting the at least one signal transfer point to a plurality of the central office switching systems;
a remote multi-subscriber interface installed between one of the central office switching systems serving as an end office and subscriber premises served by the end office;
a first feeder link coupled between the end office and the multi-subscriber interface;
a plurality of individual subscriber links extending from the multi-subscriber interface to a plurality of the subscriber premises; and
a second feeder link coupled between the multi-subscriber interface and an alternate service node separate from the central office switching systems;
the multi-subscriber interface comprising;
(a) subscriber terminals, each of said subscriber terminals connecting to one of the subscriber links;
(b) a program controlled switching system coupled to the subscriber terminals and to the feeder links, wherein the program controlled switching system selectively provides communication connections of each of a plurality of the subscriber terminals to the first feeder link and to the second feeder link; and
(c) a signaling interface coupled to the program controlled switching system and connected to a data link to the signal transfer point of the common channel interoffice signaling system.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for interposing in the feeder system of a switched telecommunications network an adjunct programmable program controlled switching system providing preselection of service providers and the functionalities provided. The adjunct switching system is preferably enclosed in a controlled environment vault existing in the feeder system of the telecommunications network and housing optical to electrical interfaces. The system and method provide for by-passing the end office switches in the telecommunications network to connect subscribers to various services such as competitor local exchange networks, LANs, interexchange carrier points of presence, the Internet, packet data networks, wireless communication systems, traffic operator position stations, video services, and the like. The adjunct switching system provides both wideband and narrowband switching.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A switched communications network, comprising:
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an exchange carrier network comprising trunked together central office switching systems providing telephone service for subscriber stations; a common channel interoffice signaling system, comprising at least one signal transfer point and data links connecting the at least one signal transfer point to a plurality of the central office switching systems; a remote multi-subscriber interface installed between one of the central office switching systems serving as an end office and subscriber premises served by the end office; a first feeder link coupled between the end office and the multi-subscriber interface; a plurality of individual subscriber links extending from the multi-subscriber interface to a plurality of the subscriber premises; and a second feeder link coupled between the multi-subscriber interface and an alternate service node separate from the central office switching systems; the multi-subscriber interface comprising; (a) subscriber terminals, each of said subscriber terminals connecting to one of the subscriber links; (b) a program controlled switching system coupled to the subscriber terminals and to the feeder links, wherein the program controlled switching system selectively provides communication connections of each of a plurality of the subscriber terminals to the first feeder link and to the second feeder link; and (c) a signaling interface coupled to the program controlled switching system and connected to a data link to the signal transfer point of the common channel interoffice signaling system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A switched communications network, comprising:
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an exchange carrier network comprising trunked together central office switching systems providing telephone service for subscriber stations; a multi-subscriber interface installed between one of the central office switching systems serving as an end office and subscriber premises served by the end office; a first feeder link coupled between the end office and the multi-subscriber interface; a plurality of individual subscriber links extending from the multi-subscriber interface to a plurality of the subscriber premises served by the end office; and a plurality of second feeder links coupled between the multi-subscriber interface and respective alternate service nodes separate from the central office switching systems of the exchange carrier network; the multi-subscriber interface comprising; (a) subscriber terminals, each of said subscriber terminals connecting to one of the individual subscriber links; (b) couplings to the feeder links; and (c) a program controlled switching system connected to the subscriber terminals and to the couplings to the feeder links, the program controlled switching system selectively providing communication connections of each of a plurality of the subscriber terminals to the first feeder link and to each of the second feeder links. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A remote switching system for use in a feeder system of an exchange carrier network, the remote switching system comprising:
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a plurality of programmable switch modules; a fiber optic ring interconnecting the programmable switch modules; and a host server coupled to one of the programmable switch modules, for controlling operations of the remote switching system; at least one of the switching modules comprising a feeder port connection for a feeder to a central office switching system of the exchange carrier network; at least one of the switching modules comprising a feeder port connection for a feeder to an alternate service node independent of the central office switching system; at least one of the switching modules comprising subscriber terminals, for connection to a plurality of links to respective subscriber premises; wherein programming of the host server controls operations of the programmable switch modules enabling the switching system to provide selective communication connections of each of a plurality of the subscriber terminals to the feeder port connections. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for selectively providing connections to a telephone exchange carrier network and off-loading data traffic from the telephone exchange carrier network, comprising:
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coupling a program controlled switching system between a plurality of links to subscriber premises and first and second feeders, the first feeder going to an end office switch of the telephone exchange carrier network, and the second feeder going to a data system for servicing data traffic without going through the end office switch; sensing a request for telephone service for one of the links to subscriber premises; in response to the request for telephone service, providing a switched communication for the one subscriber link through the program controlled switching system and the first feeder to the end office switch, and providing telephone service via the end office switch; sensing a request for data communications service from any one of the links to subscriber premises; and using control data stored in association with the program controlled switching system, providing switched communication for said any one subscriber link through the program controlled switching system to the second feeder instead of the first feeder, in response to the request for data service. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification