Method and apparatus for bypassing a local exchange carrier using analog in-band signaling

• US 6,363,080 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1997
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mount Hamilton Partners, LLC (Innovation Management Sciences, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lightsource Telecom, LLC
• Inventors: Katko, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/806,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 370/384, 370/360, 370/357, 370/522, 370/523, 370/524, 370/420, 370/466, 370/537, 370/539, 370/540, 370/527, 370/359, 370/220, 379/93.01, 379/201
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A technique for reducing or eliminating the access charges typically payable by an IXC to a LEC, and, in turn, payable by the subscriber to the IXC, for originating long distance calls by providing a hardwire connection between the IXC and the customer premises. The hardwire connection is created by purchasing analog facilities from the LEC which originate at the Central Office and connecting these facilities directly to a Central Office D4 multiplexer. The terminating end of the analog facilities are installed at the subscriber premises and terminated on a standard RJ11X four wire jack. The voice interface modules typically used in the D4 multiplexer are replaced by Foreign Exchange Subscriber (FXS) modules which perform A/D conversion of the analog voice data provided over the analog facilities from the customer premises. A T1 or higher capacity digital facility is also ordered from the LEC to terminate to the Central Office D4 multiplexer, and the T1 or higher capacity digital facility is D4/AMI configured for 56 kbps DS0 channels. The terminating end of the T1 or higher capacity digital facility is directed to a tandem “toll” Central Office and is terminated on a K01 digital electronic cross-connect system (DEXCS) frame which is ordered from the LEC. Each of the channels of the T1 or higher capacity digital facility is then configured by the customer using a network reconfiguration service at the end pointing towards the Central Office D4 multiplexer with Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) Loop Start signaling. A T1 is also ordered from the LEC to connect the DEXCS to the IXC and is also D4/AMI configured for 56 kbps DS0 channels. Each of the channels of this T1 is also configured by the customer using the reconfiguration service at the end pointing towards the IXC with FXS Loop Start signaling. The IXC terminates the T1 from the DEXCS within its own Call Control Platform.

Claims

1. A communications path for providing analog voice grade communications from a caller to an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services in the completion of a call from a caller'"'"'s telephone equipment at a caller'"'"'s premises to a called party via said LEC switching equipment, said communications path comprising;

an analog data line connected at one end to said caller'"'"'s telephone equipment so as to receive analog voice signals;

a multiplexer connected to another end of said analog data line, said multiplexer containing a converter that converts an analog voice signal on said analog data line to a digital voice signal;

a first digital data line connected at one end to said multiplexer and configured to carry a plurality of channels of digital voice signals to/from said multiplexer;

a reconfigurable digital electronic cross-connect system (“

DEXCS”

) tariffed for data services which is configured to provide signaling over each of said plurality of channels of said digital data line to/from said multiplexer without the use of customized customer premise signaling equipment by the caller and which provides switched connections to respective outputs of said DEXCS; and

a second digital data line which connects said respective outputs of said DEXCS to said IXC communications link,

wherein said multiplexer is located at a LEC central office and said converter comprises at least one Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) module including an A/D converter that converts said analog voice signal on said analog data line to said digital voice signal and a D/A converter that converts a digital voice signal from said first digital data line to an analog voice signal for transmission to the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment via said analog data line, and

wherein said at least one FXS module modulates call routing data onto said digital voice signals using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level.

2. A communications path as in claim 1, wherein said analog data line is a four-wire leased line which is terminated on a four-wire jack at the caller'"'"'s premises.

3. A communications path as in claim 1, wherein said first and second digital data lines comprise T1 lines which are D4/AMI configured for a plurality of 56 kbps DS0 channels.

4. A communications path as in claim 1, wherein said first digital data line comprises a T1 line connected to said multiplexer, a T3 multiplexer having one side connected to said T1 line, and a T3 line connected to another side of said T3 multiplexer.

5. A communications path as in claim 4, wherein said first digital data line further comprises at least one of a T3:

T1 Digital Access Cross-Connect System (DACCS) and another T3 multiplexer connected between said T3 line and another T1 line connected to said reconfigurable DEXCS.

6. A communications path as in claim 1, wherein said DEXCS is configured to provide Foreign Exchange Office (“

FXO”

) loop start signaling to/from said FXS module.

7. A communications path as in claim 1, wherein said DEXCS is configured to provide Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) loop start signaling to/from said IXC communications link.

8. A communications path as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of analog data lines connected at said one end thereof to telephone equipment at respective caller premises and at said another end thereof to said multiplexer.

9. A communications path for providing analog voice grade communications from a caller to an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services in the completion of a call from a caller'"'"'s telephone equipment at a caller'"'"'s premises to a called party via said LEC switching equipment, said communications path comprising;

an analog data line connected at one end to said caller'"'"'s telephone equipment so as to receive analog voice signals;

a converter connected to another end of said analog data line that converts an analog voice signal on said analog data line to a digital voice signal;

a first digital data line connected at one end to said converter and configured to carry a plurality of channels of digital voice signals to/from said converter;

a reconfigurable digital switch tariffed for data services that is configured to provide signaling over each of said plurality of channels of said digital data line to/from said converter without the use of customized customer premise signaling equipment by the caller and that provides switched connections to respective outputs of said digital switch; and

a second digital data line which connects said respective outputs of said digital switch to said IXC communications link,

wherein said converter is located at a LEC central office and comprises a multiplexer having at least one Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) module including an A/D converter that converts said analog voice signal on said analog data line to said digital voice signal and a D/A converter that converts a digital voice signal from said first digital data line to an analog voice signal for transmission to the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment via said analog data line, and

wherein said at least one FXS module modulates call routing data onto said digital voice signals using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level.

10. A communications path as in claim 9, wherein said analog data line is a four-wire leased line which is terminated on a four-wire jack at the caller'"'"'s premises.

11. A communications path as in claim 9, wherein said first and second digital data lines are T1 lines which are D4/AMI configured for a plurality of 56 kbps DS0 channels.

12. A communications path as in claim 9, wherein said first digital data line comprises a T1 line connected to said converter, a T3 multiplexer having one side connected to said T1 line, and a T3 line connected to another side of said T3 multiplexer.

13. A communications path as in claim 12, wherein said first digital data line further comprises at least one of a T3:

T1 Digital Access Cross-Connect System (DACCS) and another T3 multiplexer connected between said T3 line and another T1 line connected to said reconfigurable digital switch.

14. A communications path as in claim 9, wherein said digital switching means is configured to provide Foreign Exchange Office (“

FXO”

) loop start signaling to/from said FXS module.

15. A communications path as in claim 9, wherein said digital switching means is configured to provide Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) loop start signaling to/from said IXC communications link.

16. A communications path as in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of analog data lines connected at said one end thereof to telephone equipment at respective caller premises and at said another end thereof to said converter.

17. A method of providing analog voice grade communications from a caller to an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services in the completion of a call from a caller'"'"'s telephone equipment at a caller'"'"'s premises to a called party via said LEC switching equipment, said method comprising the steps of;

connecting one end of an analog data line to said caller'"'"'s telephone equipment so as to receive analog voice signals;

providing access to a converter at a LEC central office that converts an analog voice signal on said analog data line to a digital voice signal;

configuring a first digital data line connected at one end to said converter so as to carry a plurality of channels of digital voice signals to/from said converter;

configuring a digital switch tariffed for data services so as to provide signaling over each of said plurality of channels of said digital data line to/from said converter without the use of customized customer premise signaling equipment by the caller and so as to provide switched connections to respective outputs of said digital switch;

configuring a multiplexer at said LEC central office so as to include at least one Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) module including an AID converter that converts said analog voice signal on said analog data line to said digital voice signal and a D/A converter that converts a digital voice signal from said first digital data line to an analog voice signal for transmission to the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment via said analog data line;

modulating call routing data onto said digital voice signal at said FXS module using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level; and

configuring a second digital data line connected at one end to said respective outputs of said digital switch so as to carry switched digital voice signals to/from said IXC communications link.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein said analog data line is a four-wire leased line and said connecting step comprises the step of terminating said four-wire leased line on a four-wire jack at the caller'"'"'s premises.

19. A method as in claim 17, wherein said steps of configuring said first and second digital data lines each comprise the step of D4/AMI configuring T1 lines for a plurality of 56 kbps DS0 channels.

20. A method as in claim 17, wherein said step of configuring said first digital data line comprises the steps of multiplexing a T1 line connected to said converter to a T3 line and demultiplexing said T3 line to another T1 line connected to said digital switch.

21. A method as in claim 17, wherein said digital switching means configuring step comprises the step of providing Foreign Exchange Office (“

FXO”

) loop start signaling to/from said FXS module.

22. A method as in claim 17, wherein said digital switching means configuring step comprises the step of providing Foreign Exchange Service (“

FXS”

) loop start signaling to/from said IXC communications link.

23. A method as in claim 17, comprising the additional steps of connecting one end of a plurality of analog data lines to telephone equipment at respective caller premises and another end thereof to said converter.

24. A method of providing voice communications from a caller to a called party via an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services, said method comprising the steps of;

converting analog voice data from the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment into digital voice data signals and modulating call routing data onto said digital voice data signals using a converter at a LEC central office and using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level;

transmitting said modulated digital voice data signals via a digital voice channel of a first digital data line connected at one end to said converter;

routing said modulated digital voice data signals to a particular output terminal of a digital switch tariffed for data services at said LEC central office;

transmitting said modulated digital voice data signals from said output terminal to said IXC communications link via a digital voice channel of a second digital data line connected between said particular output terminal of said digital switch and said IXC communications link;

routing said modulated digital voice data signals through said IXC communications link to a LEC central office of said called party; and

converting said digital voice data to analog voice data at said LEC central office of said called party for receipt by telephone equipment of said called party.

25. A method as in claim 24, comprising the step of transmitting said analog voice data from the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment to said converter via a four-wire leased line terminated on a four-wire jack at the caller'"'"'s premises.

26. A method as in claim 24, wherein said transmitting steps each comprise the step of transmitting said digital voice data signals via one of a plurality of 56 kbps DS0 channels of a T1 line.

27. A method as in claim 24, wherein said step of transmitting said modulated digital voice data signals via a digital voice channel of a first digital data line comprises the steps of multiplexing a T1 line connected to said converter to a T3 line and demultiplexing said T3 line to another T1 line connected to said digital switch.

28. A method as in claim 24, comprising the additional steps of converting a digital voice signal from said called party received via first digital data line to an analog voice signal from said called party using said converter at said LEC central office and transmitting the analog voice signal from the called party to the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment.

29. A method of providing analog voice grade communications from a caller to an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services in the completion of a call from a caller'"'"'s telephone equipment at a caller'"'"'s premises to a called party via said LEC switching equipment, said method comprising the steps of;

connecting one end of an analog data line to said caller'"'"'s telephone equipment so as to receive analog voice signals;

connecting another end of said analog data line to a converter at a LEC central office that converts an analog voice signal on said analog data line to a digital voice signal using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level;

configuring a digital switch tariffed for data services so as to provide signaling over said analog data line via said converter without the use of customized customer premise signaling equipment by the caller and so as to provide switched connections to respective outputs of said digital switch; and

configuring a digital data line connected at one end to said respective outputs of said digital switch so as to carry switched digital voice signals to/from said IXC communications link.

30. A method of providing voice communications from a caller to a called party via an interexchange carrier (“

IXC”

) communications link without requiring payment of an originating per call access fee to a local exchange carrier service provider (“

LEC”

) for use of LEC switching equipment tariffed for voice services, said method comprising the steps of;

converting analog voice data from the caller'"'"'s telephone equipment into digital voice data signals and modulating call routing data onto said digital voice data signals using a converter at a LEC central office and using one of ground start and ear and mouth signaling at the bit level;

routing said modulated digital voice data signals to a particular output terminal of a digital switch tariffed for data services at said LEC central office;

transmitting said modulated digital voice data signals from said output terminal to said IXC communications link via a digital voice channel of a digital data line connected between said particular output terminal of said digital switch and said IXC communications link;

routing said modulated digital voice data signals through said IXC communications link to a LEC central office of said called party; and

converting said digital voice data to analog voice data at said LEC central office of said called party for receipt by telephone equipment of said called party.