System and method for communicating telecommunication information between network equipment and a plurality of local loop circuits

• US 6,404,763 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Bandwidth, Inc.
• Inventors: Mills, Brendon W., Renucci, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/502,369
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/389, 370/422, 370/465, 370/466, 379/219, 379/242
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0471 Terminal access circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13082 Power supply via phantom line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13386 Line concentrator

Abstract

A system for communicating telecommunication information between a telecommunication switch and multiple local loop circuits includes a telecommunication interface, a data packet service module, an analog service module, and a cross connect. The telecommunication interface receives telecommunication information from a telecommunication switch. The data packet service module receives the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and generates data packets for communicating the telecommunication information in a first mode of operation. The analog signal service module receives the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and generates an analog telephone signal for communicating the telecommunication information in a second mode of operation. The cross connect communicates the analog telephone signal to a selected one of the local loop circuits.

Claims

1. A system for communicating telecommunication information between a telecommunication switch and a plurality of local loop circuits, comprising:

a telecommunication interface operable to receive telecommunication information from the telecommunication switch;

a data packet service module operable to receive the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and to generate data packets for communicating the telecommunication information in a first mode of operation;

an analog signal service module operable to receive the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and to generate an analog telephone signal for communicating the telecommunication information in a second mode of operation; and

a cross connect operable to communicate the analog telephone signal to a selected one of the local loop circuits.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the analog signal service module includes a plurality of ports for communicating analog telephone signals; and

the cross connect communicates the analog telephone signals from the ports to select local loop circuits to allow a greater than 1;

1 concentration between the local loop circuits and the ports.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cross connect comprises:

a plurality of first ports operable to communicate analog telephone signals with the analog signal service module;

a plurality of second ports operable to communicate analog telephone signals with subscriber devices using the local loop circuits; and

a switch operable to couple a selected first port to a selected second port.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a number of first ports is less than a number of second ports.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory operable to store configuration information associating each of a plurality of destinations with one of the local loop circuits; and

a management module operable to determine a destination for the telecommunication information, to retrieve configuration information associating the destination with one of the local loop circuits, and to generate the control information for communicating the analog telephone signal to the associated local loop circuit in the second mode of operation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the destination is an integrated access device (IAD) servicing a plurality of subscriber lines using the associated local loop circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a management module operable to:

determine whether the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets;

select the first mode of operation in response to determining that the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets; and

select the second mode of operation in response to determining that the data packet service module cannot communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the management module determines that the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets if the data packet service module can maintain a virtual circuit between itself and an integrated access device (IAD).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the telecommunication information is voice information; and

the analog telephone signals is a voice signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the analog signal service module remotely couples to the telecommunication interface using a digital interface.

11. A system for communicating telecommunication information between telecommunication switch and a plurality of local loop circuits, comprising:

a memory operable to store configuration information associating each of a plurality of destinations with one of the local loop circuits;

a telecommunication interface operable to receive, from the telecommunication switch, telecommunication information for communication to one of the destinations;

a data packet service module operable to receive the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and to generate data packets for communicating the telecommunication information in a first mode of operation;

an analog signal service module operable to receive the telecommunication information from the telecommunication interface and to generate an analog telephone signal for communicating the telecommunication information in a second mode of operation; and

a management module operable to retrieve configuration information associating the destination with one of the local loop circuits and to generate control information for communicating the analog telephone signal to the associated local loop circuit in the second mode of operation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the destination is an integrated access device (IAD) servicing a plurality of subscriber lines using the associated local loop circuit.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein

the analog signal service module includes a plurality of ports for communicating analog telephone signals; and

the management module generates control information to communicate the analog telephone signals from the ports to select local loop circuits to allow a greater than 1;

1 concentration between the local loop circuits and the ports.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the management module is further operable to:

determine whether the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets;

select the first mode of operation in response to determining that the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets; and

select the second mode of operation in response to determining that the data packet service module cannot communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the management module determines that the data packet service module can communicate the telecommunication information using the data packets if the data packet service module can maintain a virtual circuit between itself and an integrated access device (IAD).

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a cross connect operable to receive the control information and to communicate the analog telephone signal to the associated local loop circuit according to the control information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the cross connect comprises:

a plurality of first ports operable to communicate analog telephone signals with the analog signal service module;

a plurality of second ports operable to communicate analog telephone signals with subscriber devices using the local loop circuits; and

a switch operable to couple a selected first port to a selected second port according to the control information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a number of first ports is less that a number of second ports.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the telecommunication information is voice information; and

the analog telephone signals is a voice signal.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the analog signal service module remotely couples to the telecommunication interface using a digital interface.

21. A method of communicating telecommunication information between telecommunication switch and a plurality of local loop circuits, comprising:

receiving first telecommunication information for communication to a destination;

generating data packets for communicating the telecommunication information to the destination;

receiving second telecommunication information for communication to the destination;

determining that data packets cannot be communicated to the destination;

generating an analog telephone signal for communicating the second telecommunication information to the destination; and

selecting one of plurality of ports for communicating the analog telephone signal to a local loop circuit servicing the destination.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the destination is an integrated access device (IAD) servicing a plurality of subscriber lines using an associated local loop circuit.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the number of ports is less than the number of local loop circuits.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein determining that data packets cannot be communicated to the destination further comprises determining that a virtual circuit cannot be maintained between a gateway and the destination.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the telecommunication information is voice information; and

the analog telephone signals is a voice signal.