JPH01174048A - Packet line accommodation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To limit the kind and quantity of equipments by providing a means incorporating a function for signal control for a subscriber and a function applying the signal control for a counter packet network and selecting either of both the functions depending on the mode setting at every line to a signal controller. CONSTITUTION:The signal control for counter subscriber is selected by the mode setting of a microprocessor 33 in the reception by a signal control section 20. The signal control is implemented by a procedure of the LAPB upon the input of a signal to a signal control section 32 for each channel via a multiplexer/demultiplexer circuit 31 in the reception and the received signal is transferred to a processor 10 via an interface section 34 by the control of the microprocessor 33. Then the signal control for counter network is selected by the mode setting of the microprocessor 33 in the transmission by a signal control section 20.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention simplifies the device configuration by performing signal control for subscribers and signal control for packet networks using the same signal control device. This invention relates to a packet line accommodating system in a switching module consisting of a packet signaling device and a switching network.

(Prior Art) Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional packet line accommodation system, which is called Permanent Virtual Circuit (hereinafter referred to as PvC).
, Virtual Call (hereinafter referred to as VC) A conventional switching module consisting of a signal control device that accommodates both subscriber lines and lines to a packet network and controls the data link layer of packet signals, and a switching network. This shows the configuration of Further, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a signal control device (signal control section) used in the exchange module of FIG. 2. The conventional packet line accommodating system will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

In Fig. 2, 1 is a VC subscriber line, 2 is a PVC subscriber line, 3 is a VC subscriber line termination, 4 is a PVC subscriber line termination, 5 is a switching network, and 6 is for subscribers. 7 is a signal control unit for a packet network, 8 is a packet network line termination unit, 9 is a packet network line, and IO is a processing device. In the switching module shown in FIG. 2, signal control for the subscriber and signal control for the packet network are performed by separate signal control devices, that is, a signal control unit 6 for the subscriber and a signal control unit 7 for the packet network. ing.

As shown in FIG. 3, these signal control units 6 and 7 are composed of a multiplexing/demultiplexing circuit 31, a signal control unit 32 for each channel, a microprocessor 33 including a memory, and an interface unit 34 with a host processing device. be done.

In the configuration of the switching module shown in FIG. 2, the overall signal flow will be explained as follows, focusing on the operations of the subscriber signal control section 6 and the packet network signal control section 7.

The signal from the VC subscriber line 1 is connected to the incoming terminal of the switching network 5 via the VC subscriber line termination section 3. VC subscribers use an empty subscriber signal control unit 6 for each call.
The switching network 5 performs this switching under the control of the processing device 10. Note that although the switching network 5 and the subscriber signal control section 6 are depicted as being connected by lines for each channel in FIG. 2, this is only a logical image and may differ from the actual configuration. It is now one multiplexed highway.

The signal from the PVC subscriber line 2 passes through the PVC subscriber line termination section 4 and is directly accommodated in the subscriber signal control section 6 without passing through the switching network 5. Similar to the connection between the switching network 5 and the subscriber signal control section 6, this interface also provides a common section in the PVC subscriber line termination section 4 to multiplex the subscriber signal. It can be interfaced to the control unit 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the subscriber signal control unit 6 is provided with a multiplexing/demultiplexing circuit 31 at the entrance, and signals are manually input to the signal control unit 32 for each channel. The signal control unit 32 for each channel uses LAPB (Link Access
Signal control is performed according to a protocol (Protocol-Balanced), and the received signal is transferred to a processing device IO connected to a bus via an interface section 34 with a host processing device under the control of a microprocessor 33. The LAPB procedure is based on CCITT Recommendation x, 25.
This is a procedure based on the link layer specifications specified in .

In the processing device 10, header information for communication with the packet network is added to the packet from the subscriber line, and the packet is transferred to the packet network signal control unit 7 connected to the bus.

The packet network signal control section 7 receives signals from the processing device 10h1 and the like through the interface section 34 with the upper processing device under the control of the microprocessor 33, and is controlled by the signal control section 32 for each channel according to the LAPB procedure. Then, it is transmitted via the multiplex/demultiplex circuit 31. Note that the packet network signal control unit 7 treats the received signal including the header as one packet without being aware of whether or not the header information is added.

The signal from the packet network signal control unit 7 is sent to the packet network line 9 via the packet network line termination unit 8.

Note that the connection between the packet network signal control section 7 and the packet network line termination section 8 is also made by one highway as described above.

In the above explanation, the signals going from the subscriber side to the packet network side have been described in detail, but since the signal flow in the opposite direction can be considered by reversing the flow of signals, the explanation will be omitted here.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above conventional system has the following problems.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the packet-to-packet network signal control section 7 has an interface with the packet-to-packet network line termination section 8,
Further, bus interfaces from the processing device 10 are also required for the subscriber signal control section 6 and the packet network signal control section 7, respectively. Therefore, the number of interfaces increases. In addition, since packets are multiplexed in the packet network signal control section 7 to increase trunk line efficiency, the signal control section 32 has a small number of channels (number of circuits) and a microprocessor is used as the packet network signal control section 7. 33 is required to have a large processing (transfer) capacity, whereas the subscriber signal control unit 6 is required to have a small processing (transfer) capacity of the microprocessor 33, but the signal control unit 32 is required to have a small processing (transfer) capacity. A large number of channels (number of circuits) is required. For this reason,
Signal control unit 6 for subscribers and signal control unit 7 for packet networks
requires different types of signal control equipment.

That is, according to the conventional system, a plurality of signal control devices of different types are required, and accordingly, the number of interfaces increases, and the entire exchange module becomes enormous and complicated.

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art, integrates the signal control device for subscribers and the signal control device for packet networks, reduces both types and quantities, and reduces the number of interfaces, thereby reducing the number of switching modules. The purpose of this invention is to provide a packet line accommodation system that can be downsized and simplified.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a signal control device that accommodates both lines to PVC and VC subscribers and lines to a packet network and controls the data link layer of packet signals; In order to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology, targeting a packet line accommodation method in a switching module consisting of a network,
The signal control device has a function of performing signal control for subscribers and a function of performing signal control for packet networks, and is provided with means for selecting either of the two functions by mode setting, A subscriber interface and a packet network interface from the signal control device are accommodated in the same highway and accommodated in the switching network, and switching in the switching network connects the line to the PVC subscriber and the packet network. The line is a fixed connection, and the line to the VC subscriber is connected on a call-by-call basis.

(Operation) In the present invention, the switching network sends packets from the VC subscriber line to the signal control device by switching on a call-by-call basis. On the other hand, packets from the PVC subscriber line are sent to the signal control device by the switching network through fixed connection switching. The signal control device has integrated signal control functions for the subscriber and for the packet network, and when it receives a packet from the subscriber line, it performs signal control for the subscriber using mode setting means. A function is selected, signal control is performed, and the signal is transferred to a higher-level processing device. In the upper processing device, header information for communication with the packet network is added to the transferred packet, and the packet is transferred to the signal control device. Then, in the signal control device, the function for performing signal control for the packet network is selected by the mode setting means, signal control is performed, and the packet with the header added is sent to the switching network. The switching network transmits this to the packet-to-packet network circuit by switching fixed connections. Packets flowing in the opposite direction are processed in the same manner as above. Therefore, by accommodating the subscriber interface and the packet network interface from the signal control device on the same highway and accommodating them in the switching network, it becomes possible to reduce both the types and quantity of signal control devices. At the same time, it becomes possible to reduce the number of interfaces, and the problems of the prior art described above are solved.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the exchange module of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, elements having the same functions as those in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals. As different elements, 20 is a signal control unit that integrates signal control functions for subscribers and packet networks, and 21 is a PvC in the switching network 5.
Fixed connection of the subscriber line 22 indicates a fixed connection of the packet network line in the switching network 5. Furthermore, although the internal components of the signal control unit 20 are functionally different from those of the signal control unit shown in FIG. 2, the block configuration is the same. In the explanation, FIG. 3 will be used together with FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the signal control for subscribers and the signal control for packets are performed by the same device, that is, the signal control unit 2.
0, and the signal control unit 20
The signal control section 32 for each channel inside can be used for both subscriber lines and packet networks depending on the mode setting.

In the configuration of the exchange module shown in FIG.
The overall signal flow, centering on the operation, will be explained in the same manner as in the conventional configuration as follows.

Note that descriptions of parts that are the same as those in the conventional configuration will be omitted as appropriate.

The signal from the VC subscriber line 1 is the same as in FIG. However, the signal control device connected is the signal control section 20. The signal from the PVC subscriber line 2 is connected to the incoming terminal of the switching network 5 via the PVC subscriber line termination 4. Then, as in the case of FIG. 2, it is connected to the signal control unit 20 by switching the exchange network 5, but the switching here is a fixed connection 21.

The reception operation in the signal control unit 20 is performed by the microprocessor 3.
According to the mode setting No. 3, signal control for subscribers is selected and performed. The receiving operation is similar to the operation in the subscriber signal control unit 6 in the conventional configuration, and the multiplexing/demultiplexing circuit 3
1 to the signal control section 32 for each channel, signal control is performed there according to the LAPB procedure, and the received signal is transferred to the processing device 10 via the interface section 34 under the control of the microprocessor 33. be done.

The operation in the processing device IO is also similar to that shown in FIG.

In the signal control unit 20, the microprocessor 33
According to the mode setting, the signal control for the packet network is selected and the transmission operation is performed. The transmission operation is similar to the operation in the packet network signal control unit 7 in the conventional configuration,
A signal from the processing device 10 is received via the interface unit 34 under the control of the microprocessor 33, and the signal is controlled by the LAPB procedure in the signal control unit 32 for each channel, and is transmitted via the multiplexing/demultiplexing circuit 31. Ru.

The signal from the signal processing section 20 is accommodated in the switching network 5, and is connected to the packet-to-packet network line termination section 8 through a fixed connection 22.
The data is then sent to the network line 9 for packet communication.

Above, we have described in detail the signals going from the subscriber side to the packet network side, but the same is true for signals going in the opposite direction, just by reversing the signal flow.

The signal control function for the packet network in the signal processing section 20 of the above embodiment is not concerned with the contents of the header information, so the operation is basically the same as that of the signal control section 6 for the subscriber of the conventional structure. The address part has different values for subscribers and packet networks, and the structure of the signal buffer (memory of the microprocessor 33) is slightly different depending on the presence or absence of a header, but depending on the mode setting, the address value and the beginning of the signal buffer to be accessed are different. By switching the position, it is easy to deal with any of these situations.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, a plurality of signal control sections 32, which can be set to either subscriber or packet network mode, are provided in the same signal processing device (signal processing section 20). , these ratios can be varied by mode setting depending on the local situation. In other words, even at any line ratio between PVC and VC subscriber lines and lines to the packet network, the signal control section 32 of the same circuit can be used depending on the mode setting and switching in the exchange network 5, so the signal control The interfaces from the unit 20 to each line can be accommodated in one highway. Therefore, the interface to other devices and lines becomes simple.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained in detail above, according to the packet line accommodation method of the present invention, the signal control device can
The signal control function of C and VC) and the signal control function for packet networks are integrated into one, and either function can be selected by mode setting, which reduces the signal control device's signal control function compared to conventional technology. Both types and quantities can be reduced, and the number of interfaces can also be reduced, making it possible to provide a small, simple, and economical replacement module.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of a switching module to which the packet line accommodation system of the present invention is applied, Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a switching module using the conventional packet line accommodation system, and Figure 3 is the internal configuration of the signal control section. It is a diagram. 1...VC subscriber line 2...PVC subscriber line 3...VC subscriber line termination section 4...PVC subscriber line termination section 5...Switching network 8...Packet-to-packet Network line termination unit 9...Packet network line IO...Processing device 20...Signal control unit

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A signal control device that controls a data link layer of packet signals by accommodating both a line to a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) and virtual call (VC) subscriber and a line to a packet network; In a switching module consisting of a switching network, the signal control device integrates a function for performing signal control for subscribers and a function for performing signal control for a packet-based network, and also controls both of the above by setting a mode for each line. Means for selecting one of the functions is provided, and a subscriber interface and a packet network interface from the signal control device are accommodated in the same highway and accommodated in the switching network, and the switching network A packet line characterized in that, by switching, lines to permanent virtual call (PVC) subscribers and lines to the packet network are fixedly connected, and lines to virtual call (VC) subscribers are connected on a call-by-call basis. Containment method.