Systems and methods for multiple mode voice and data communications using intelligently bridged TDM and packet buses
First Claim
1. In a communication system coupled to a wide area communication network comprising a plurality of network resources, the communication system providing voice and data communications to a plurality of users in an office and having at least a first packet bus coupled to a plurality of packet-based devices, at least one time division multiplexed bus (TDM) coupled to a plurality of telephony devices and selectively coupled to the first packet bus and the wide area communication network, a processor and a switch/multiplexer coupled to the processor and the TDM bus, a method for providing voice and data communications comprising the steps of:
- transferring packetized data to and from the system with one or more of the packet-based devices, wherein data are transmitted over the first packet bus in packets;
transmitting data over the TDM bus in frames, each of the frames having a plurality of slots for transmitting data, wherein the data transmitted over the TDM bus includes data for voice communications from one or more of the plurality of telephony devices;
protocol processing at least certain data transmitted over the first packet bus in packets and selectively providing the protocol-processed data to the TDM bus;
wherein the switch/multiplexer selectively controls the providing of data to and from particular slots of particular frames;
wherein the processor selectively controls voice communications from the one or more telephony devices over the TDM bus and packet-based communications over the first packet bus, wherein voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form in the system occur over the TDM bus and the wide area communication network and wherein packet-based communications are protocol-processed and selectively coupled to the wide area communication network via the TDM bus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods by which voice/data communications may occur in multiple modes/protocols are disclosed. In particular, systems and methods are provided for multiple native mode/protocol voice and data transmissions and receptions with a computing system having a multi-bus structure, including, for example, a TDM bus and a packet bus, and multi-protocol framing engines. Such systems preferably include subsystem functions such as PBX, voice mail and other telephony functions, LAN hub and data router. In preferred embodiments, a TDM bus and a packet bus are intelligently bridged and managed, thereby enabling such multiple mode/protocol voice and data transmissions to be intelligently managed and controlled with a single, integrated system. A computer or other processor includes a local area network controller, which provides routing and hub(s) for one or more packet networks. The computer also is coupled to a buffer/framer, which serves to frame/deframe data to/from the computer from TDM bus. The buffer/framer includes a plurality of framer/deframer engines, supporting, for example, ATM and HDLC framing/deframing. The buffer/framer is coupled to the TDM bus by way of a switch/multiplexer, which includes the capability to intelligently map data traffic between the buffer/framer and the TDM bus to various slots of the TDM frames. Preferably, a DSP pool is coupled to buffer/framer in a manner to provide various signal processing and telecommunications support, such as dial tone generation, DTMF detection and the like. The TDM bus is coupled to a various line/station cards, serving to interface the TDM bus with telephone, facsimiles and other telecommunication devices, and also with a various digital and/or analog WAN network services.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. In a communication system coupled to a wide area communication network comprising a plurality of network resources, the communication system providing voice and data communications to a plurality of users in an office and having at least a first packet bus coupled to a plurality of packet-based devices, at least one time division multiplexed bus (TDM) coupled to a plurality of telephony devices and selectively coupled to the first packet bus and the wide area communication network, a processor and a switch/multiplexer coupled to the processor and the TDM bus, a method for providing voice and data communications comprising the steps of:
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transferring packetized data to and from the system with one or more of the packet-based devices, wherein data are transmitted over the first packet bus in packets;
transmitting data over the TDM bus in frames, each of the frames having a plurality of slots for transmitting data, wherein the data transmitted over the TDM bus includes data for voice communications from one or more of the plurality of telephony devices;
protocol processing at least certain data transmitted over the first packet bus in packets and selectively providing the protocol-processed data to the TDM bus;
wherein the switch/multiplexer selectively controls the providing of data to and from particular slots of particular frames;
wherein the processor selectively controls voice communications from the one or more telephony devices over the TDM bus and packet-based communications over the first packet bus, wherein voice communications that stay in a circuit-switched form in the system occur over the TDM bus and the wide area communication network and wherein packet-based communications are protocol-processed and selectively coupled to the wide area communication network via the TDM bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification