Wireless access unit with trunk interface
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a trunk interface unit having a plurality of subscriber ports, each port being coupled to a trunk of a central telephone switcha plurality of subscriber line interface cards, each coupled to a subscriber port to provide loop interface functions to the central telephone switch;
a subscriber interface module associated with each subscriber line interface card;
a radio transceiver to communicate with a wireless cellular communications network using a wireless trunk;
a control section coupled to each subscriber line interface card, to each of the subscriber interface modules, and to the radio transceiver to receive voice and signaling from each of the subscriber line interface cards to package and format the received voice and signaling for the wireless communications network and, using the subscriber interface modules, to coordinate and control over the air protocols of the wireless communications network, anda wireless access communications unit to route calls from user stations coupled to the central telephone switch to the wireless cellular communications network in response to a command received from the central telephone switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system having a wireless trunk for connecting multiple phone lines over wireless communication links to a cellular network comprises a central telephone switch, such as a private branch exchange or key system, connected through one or more trunk lines to a wireless access communication unit. The wireless access communication unit preferably comprises a separate subscriber interface for each trunk line from the central telephone switch. The wireless access communication unit collects data from each of the subscriber interfaces, formats the data into a format compatible with an over-the-air protocol, and transmits the information over one or more wireless channels to a cellular base station. The wireless access communication unit thereby connects calls received from the central telephone switch'"'"'s trunk lines over a wireless trunk to a network.
77 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a trunk interface unit having a plurality of subscriber ports, each port being coupled to a trunk of a central telephone switch a plurality of subscriber line interface cards, each coupled to a subscriber port to provide loop interface functions to the central telephone switch; a subscriber interface module associated with each subscriber line interface card; a radio transceiver to communicate with a wireless cellular communications network using a wireless trunk; a control section coupled to each subscriber line interface card, to each of the subscriber interface modules, and to the radio transceiver to receive voice and signaling from each of the subscriber line interface cards to package and format the received voice and signaling for the wireless communications network and, using the subscriber interface modules, to coordinate and control over the air protocols of the wireless communications network, and a wireless access communications unit to route calls from user stations coupled to the central telephone switch to the wireless cellular communications network in response to a command received from the central telephone switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a central telephone switch coupled to a plurality of user stations; a trunk interface unit having a plurality of subscriber ports, each port being coupled to a trunk of the central telephone switch; a plurality of subscriber line interface cards, each coupled to a subscriber port to provide loop interface functions to the central telephone switch; a subscriber interface module associated with each subscriber line interface card; a radio transceiver to communicate with a wireless cellular communications network using a wireless trunk; and a control section coupled to each subscriber line interface card, to each of the subscriber interface modules, and to the radio transceiver to receive voice and signaling from each of the subscriber line interface cards to package and format the received voice and signaling for the wireless communications network and, using the subscriber interface modules, to coordinate and control over the air protocols of the wireless communications network, wherein the wireless access communications unit routes calls from user stations coupled to the central telephone switch to the wireless cellular communications network in response to a command received from the central telephone switch. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification