ATM direct access line system

• US 6,421,344 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sucharczuk, Mark, Duree, Albert D., Christie, Joseph Michael, Wiley, William Lyle, Gardner, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/587,451
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/396, 370/397, 370/398, 370/410, 370/553, 370/384, 370/399, 370/377, 370/466, 370/465, 370/474, 370/522, 370/477, 370/472, 370/351, 370/352, 370/523, 370/385, 370/409, 370/230, 370/231
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/125 One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/247 ATM or packet multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5653 using the ATM adaptation layer [AAL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5665 Interaction of ATM with other protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/206 Real Time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/50 Overload detection or protection within a single switching element
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 : ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 : Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 : Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1338 : Inter-exchange connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 : protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 : Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 : Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The invention is an ATM system to route DS0 traffic from T1 Extended Superframe (ESF)or Superframe (SF) systems that use robbed bit signaling. The invention is able to route the call selecting the ATM VPI/VCI that routes the call within the ATM system. DS0s with robbed bit signaling are transported transparently by the ATM system.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for routing information in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system with ATM cells that contain a virtual path identification/virtual channel identification (VPI/VCI), wherein the information is from a first DS0 in a first T1 Superframe/Extended Superframe (ESF/SF) system that uses robbed bit signaling and is routed by the ATM system to a second DS0 in a second T1 Superframe/Extended Superframe (ESF/SF) system that uses robbed bit signaling, wherein the system comprises;

a first ATM interworking multiplexer that is operational to monitor the robbed bit signaling from the first ESF/SF system, to generate and transmit a message indicating an off-hook state, to receive a message identifying the first DS0 and the VPI/VCI, to convert the information from the first DS0 into ATM cells with the VPI/VCI, to generate an F5 OA&

M cell containing frame alignment information and the VPI/VCI, and to transmit the ATM cells;

a second ATM interworking multiplexer that is operational to receive a message identifying the VPI/VCI and the second DS0, to receive the ATM cells with the VPI/VCI , to convert the ATM cells to information for the second DS0 using the frame alignment information, and to transmit the second DS0 to the second ESF/SF system;

a signaling processor that is operational to receive the message from the first ATM multiplexer, to select the VPI/VCI and the second DS0 in response to the off-hook state, to generate and transmit the message to the first ATM multiplexer identifying the first DS0 and the VPI/VCI, and to generate and transmit the message to the second ATM multiplexer identifying the second DS0 and the VPI/VCI;

a first link from the first ATM multiplexer to the signaling processor operational to transfer the messages;

a second link from the second ATM multiplexer to the signaling processor operational to transfer the message; and

an ATM routing system that is operational to route the ATM cells between the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer based on the VPI/VCI.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to correct T1 slips.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to correct synchronization in frame alignment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to handle ATM cell loss.

5. A telecommunications system for routing information in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) system with ATM cells that contain a virtual path identification/virtual channel identification (VPI/VCI), wherein the information is from a first DS0 in a first T1 Superframe/Extended Superframe (ESF/SF) system that uses robbed bit signaling and is routed by the ATM system to a second DS0 in a second T1 Superframe/Extended Superframe (ESF/SF) system that uses robbed bit signaling, wherein the first ESF/SF system includes a first switch that sends a route request message to the telecommunications system, wherein the system comprises;

a first ATM interworking multiplexer that is operational to receive a message identifying the first DS0 and the VPI/VCI, to convert the information from the first DS0 into ATM cells with the VPI/VCI, to generate an F5 OA&

M cell containing to frame alignment information and the VPI/VCI, and to transmit the ATM cells;

a second ATM interworking multiplexer that is operational to receive a message identifying the VPI/VCI and the second DS0, to receive the ATM cells with the VPI/VCI, to convert the ATM cells to information for the second DS0 using the frame alignment information, and to transmit the second DS0 to the second ESF/SF system;

a signaling processor that is operational to receive the route request message from the first switch, to select the first DS0, the VPI/VCI , and the second DS0 in response to the route request message, to generate and transmit the message to the first ATM multiplexer identifying the first DS0 and the VPI/VCI, and to generate and transmit the message to the second ATM multiplexer identifying the second DS0 and the VPI/VCI;

a first link from the first ATM multiplexer to the signaling processor operational to transfer the message;

a second link from the second ATM multiplexer to the signaling processor operational to transfer the message; and

an ATM routing system that is operational to route the ATM cells between the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer based on the VPI/VCI.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to correct T1 slips.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to correct synchronization in frame alignment.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the first ATM multiplexer and the second ATM multiplexer are operational to handle ATM cell loss.

9. A communications system comprising:

an interworking multiplexer operational to receive superframe traffic, generate and transmit information messages in response to the superframe traffic, receive control messages indicating identifiers for asynchronous traffic, interwork the superframe traffic with the asynchronous traffic in response to the control messages, and transmit the asynchronous traffic; and

a processor operational to receive the information messages, select the identifiers for the asynchronous traffic in response to the information messages, and generate and transmit the control messages indicating the identifiers.

10. The communications system of claim 9 wherein asynchronous traffic is asynchronous transfer mode traffic and the identifiers are asynchronous transfer mode connections.

11. The communications system of claim 9 wherein the superframe traffic includes extended superframe traffic.

12. The communications system of claim 9 wherein the interworking multiplexer is further operational to monitor signaling in the superframe traffic and wherein the information messages indicate the signaling.

13. The communications system of claim 9 wherein the interworking multiplexer is further operational to transmit frame alignment information in the asynchronous traffic.

14. The communications system of claim 9 further comprising a switch operational to process and transmit the superframe traffic.

15. The communications system of claim 9 further comprising an asynchronous communications system operational to receive the asynchronous communications from the interworking multiplexer.

16. The communications system of claim 9 wherein:

the processor is further operational to select connections in response to the information messages and generate and transmit other control messages indicating the connections; and

further comprising;

another interworking multiplexer operational to receive the asynchronous traffic, receive the other control messages indicating the connections, interwork the asynchronous traffic with other superframe traffic in response to the other control messages, and transmit the other superframe traffic.

17. The communications system of claim 16 wherein the interworking multiplexers are further operational to correct slips.

18. The communications system of claim 16 wherein the interworking multiplexers are further operational to correct frame alignment synchronization.

19. The communications system of claim 16 wherein the interworking multiplexers are further operational to handle loss of at least a portion of the asynchronous traffic.

20. The communications system of claim 16 wherein the interworking multiplexers are further operational to perform glare resolution.

21. The communications system of claim 16 wherein the other interworking multiplexer is further operational to interwork the asynchronous traffic with the other superframe traffic using frame alignment information in the asynchronous traffic.

22. The communications system of claim 16 further comprising an asynchronous communications system operational to transfer the asynchronous communications between the interworking multiplexers.

23. The communications system of claim 16 further comprising a switch operational to receive and process the other superframe traffic.

24. A method of operating a communications system, the method comprising:

receiving superframe traffic into an interworking multiplexer;

In the interworking multiplexer, generating and transmitting information messages in response to the superframe traffic;

receiving the information messages into a processor;

in the processor, selecting identifiers for asynchronous traffic in response to the information messages;

in the processor, generating and transmitting control messages indicating the identifiers;

in the interworking multiplexer, receiving the control messages indicating the identifiers;

in the interworking multiplexer, interworking the superframe traffic with asynchronous traffic in response to the control messages; and

transmitting the asynchronous traffic from the interworking multiplexer.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein asynchronous traffic is asynchronous transfer mode traffic and the identifiers are asynchronous transfer mode connections.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the superframe traffic includes extended superframe traffic.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising in the interworking multiplexer, monitoring signaling in the superframe traffic and wherein the information messages indicate the signaling.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting frame alignment information from the interworking multiplexer in the asynchronous traffic.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

processing the superframe traffic in a switch; and

transmitting the superframe traffic from the switch.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising transferring the asynchronous communications from the interworking multiplexer through an asynchronous communications system.