Digital signal transmission system

• US 7,602,842 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Leroy, Jean François, Cournut, Stéphane, Guevel, Jean Luc, Argouarch, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US10/142,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,713 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/242, 375/257, 375/259, 375/356, 375/377, 370277-279
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

In a system for transmitting digital signals between two equipment units of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, the equipment units are interconnected by an analog link. The system includes digital-analog converters for converting the digital signals into an analog form and transmitting the converted digital signals on the analog link and analog-to-digital converters for reception of the analog signals and converting the received signal into digital form by one of the equipment units.

Claims

1. A transmission system for transmitting digital signals between a first equipment unit and a second equipment unit of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, said first equipment unit and said second equipment unit interconnected by an analog link, the transmission system comprising:

means for separating said digital signals into portions, said portions comprising signaling information and voice and/or data information;

digital-to-analog converter means for converting said signaling formation and said voice and/or data information into analog signals and for transmitting said converted analog signals on said analog link from the first equipment unit of the mobile radio network; and

analog-to-digital converter means for reception of said transmitted analog signals by the second equipment unit of the mobile radio network and for converting said transmitted analog signals into digital form;

wherein the first equipment unit and the second equipment unit are connected via said analog link, and

wherein the analog signals of the separated portions of said digital signals are transmitted via said analog link, separately.

2. The transmission system claimed in claim 1, further comprising means,coupled to said seperations for receiving said digital signals from said first equipment unit, where said digital signals comprise said signaling information and said voice and/or data information.

3. The transmission system claimed in claim 2, wherein said digital-to-analog converter means converts said voice and/or data information into a voice or data analog signal having a bandwidth compatible with said analog link and further comprising means for sending said voice or data analog signal over a circuit of said analog link.

4. The transmission system claimed in claim 2, wherein said signaling information comprises management information and authenticated transmission information and the transmission system further comprising means for extracting said management information.

5. The transmission system claimed in claim 4, wherein said management information comprises one of base station system management application part (BSSMAP) and direct transfer application part (DTAP) layer, and the transmission system further comprising sender routing means for routing an analog management information of said transmitted analog signals in accordance with one of the BSSMAT and DTAP layer.

6. The transmission system claimed in claim 4, further comprising means for transcoding said extracted management information in accordance with another digital transmission protocol of Internet Protocol type and preceding said digital-to-analog converter means.

7. The transmission system claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for authenticating said transcoded management information in accordance with a digital transfer control protocol associated with said Internet Protocol type and obtaining authenticated management information.

8. The transmission system claimed in claim 7, wherein said digital-to-analog converter means converts said authenticated management information and said voice and/or data information into said analog signals.

9. The transmission system claimed in claim 7 further comprising:

receiver converting means for converting said authenticated management information into received transcoded management information, and

receiver coding means for coding said received transcoded management information into received management information conforming to said digital transmission protocol.

10. The transmission system claimed in claim 9, further comprising receiver mixing means for mixing said received management information with voice and/or data information received from the analog-to-digital converter means for reception by said second equipment unit.

11. The transmission system claimed in claim 1, wherein said network is one of a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) network and a Person Communication System (PCS) network.

12. The transmission system claimed in claim 1, wherein the first equipment unit comprises at least one of a base transceiver station and a base station controller, and wherein the second equipment unit comprises a mobile-services switching center.

13. The transmission system claimed in claim 1, wherein said analog link is part of a network chosen from a group consisting of a radio network, a satellite network, and a landline network.

14. A system for transmitting digital signals between a first equipment unit and a second equipment unit of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, said first equipment unit and said second equipment unit interconnected by an analog link, the system comprising:

a separating module separating the digital signals into portions, said portions comprising signaling information and voice and/or data information;

a digital-to-analog converter converting the signaling information and the voice and/or data information into analog signals; and

an analog-to-digital converter converting said analog signals into digital form,

wherein the first equipment unit and the second equipment unit are connected via said analog link and wherein the analog signals of the separated portions of said digital signals are transmitted via said analog link, separately.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said signaling information comprises management information and authenticated transmission information and the system further comprising an extractor extracting said management information.

16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a transcoder transcoding the extracted management information in accordance with an internet protocol.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising an authenticating module authenticating said transcoded management information.

18. A method for transmitting digital signals between a first equipment unit and a second equipment unit of a mobile radio network in accordance with a digital transmission protocol, said first equipment unit and said second equipment unit interconnected by an analog link, the method comprising:

separating said digital signals into portions, said portions comprising signaling information and voice and/or data information;

converting, by a digital-to-analog converter, said signaling information and said voice and/or data information from the first equipment unit of the mobile radio network into analog signals;

transmitting said analog signals on said analog link; and

converting, by an analog-to-digital converter, said transmitted analog signals into digital form, said converted analog signals received by the second equipment unit of the mobile radio network,

wherein the analog signals of the separated portions of said digital signals are transmitted separately.