Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
  • H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04Q—SELECTING
  • H04Q11/00—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems
  • H04Q11/04—Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems for time-division multiplexing
  • H04Q11/0428—Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
  • H04Q11/0478—Provisions for broadband connections
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/54—Store-and-forward switching systems 
  • H04L12/56—Packet switching systems
  • H04L12/5601—Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
  • H04L2012/5614—User Network Interface
  • H04L2012/5615—Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/54—Store-and-forward switching systems 
  • H04L12/56—Packet switching systems
  • H04L12/5601—Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
  • H04L2012/5638—Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
  • H04L2012/5671—Support of voice
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/64—Hybrid switching systems
  • H04L12/6418—Hybrid transport
  • H04L2012/6424—Access arrangements

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to telecommunications, and in particular, to providing voice over a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) with an embedded voice gateway module.
• DSL Digital Subscriber Line
• DLCs Digital Loop Carriers
• telecommunications systems have been used to carry data, other than voice signals, between terminals at remote locations as well.
• Transporting data has posed a variety of problems for conventional telephone systems.
• the telephone system was designed to carry low bandwidth voice traffic.
• these low bandwidth channels can provide a significant obstacle to providing higher bandwidth data services that have become so popular, e.g., the Internet and other data networks.
• DSL Digital Subscriber Line
• ADSL Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
• HDSL High-Bit Rate Digital Subscriber Line
• RADSL Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line
• SDSL Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line
• DSL voice traffic is not directly compatible with conventional equipment in the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
• PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
• DSL voice traffic conventionally is incorporated in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) packets or cells. This is different from the Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) format associated with the PSTN.
• TDM Time Division Multiplexing
• the ATM packets are not directly compatible with signaling and other requirements of the PSTN. Therefore, a specialized voice gateway is placed at the point in the network that DSL voice traffic, e.g., from a number of DLCs, is to enter the PSTN.
• This voice gateway provides translation between ATM and TDM formats as well as processing the signaling and other functions required by network standards, e.g., GR-303 in North America, V5 in the International market, to prepare the voice traffic for transmission over the PSTN.
• the voice gateway is typically an expensive piece of equipment and thus inhibits the ability of service providers to introduce new subscribers to voice over DSL service. Therefore, there is a need in the art for providing voice over DSL without the use of an expensive voice gateway located at the point that the DSL voice traffic is provided to the PSTN.
• Embodiments of the present invention incorporate a voice over DSL gateway module in network equipment associated with the provision of DSL services to convert the voice data from ATM to TDM formats.
• the network equipment uses existing circuitry in addition to the voice over DSL gateway module to prepare the data from the ATM cells for the legacy PSTN equipment, e.g., a GR-303 processor and DSO matrix or circuitry appropriate to another standard.
• an illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a telecommunication system.
• the telecommunications system includes an access transport network having an interface coupleable to the public switched telephone network.
• the telecommunications system further includes at least one digital loop carrier coupled to the access transport network that provides digital subscriber line (xDSL) services to a plurality of subscribers.
• the at least one digital loop carrier includes an embedded gateway module that converts between packet format and a time division multiplex format to facilitate transmission of voice between the digital subscriber line and the public switched telephone network.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a telecommunications network that incorporates digital loop carrier circuits having voice over Digital Subscriber Line gateway modules according to the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a digital loop carrier circuit incorporating a voice over Digital Subscriber Line gateway module according to the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a telecommunications network that incorporates a digital loop carrier having an embedded voice over Digital Subscriber Line gateway module according to the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a telecommunications network, indicated generally at 100, according to the teachings of the present invention.
• Network 100 includes digital loop carrier (DLC) circuits 102 — 1 , . . , 102 - N.
• DLC digital loop carrier
• Remote units 102 - 1, . . ., 102 - N each include integrated voice over Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) gateway modules. These gateway modules convert voice signals provided over the digital subscriber line (DSL) service, e.g., asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) service, to formats compatible with legacy voice systems.
• DSL digital subscriber line
• network 100 does not require an expensive, separate voice gateway located at the point of connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
• PSTN public switched telephone network
• DLC circuits 102 — 1, . . ., 102 — N are coupled together over access transport network 104.
• access transport network 104 comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
• access transport network 104 comprises a synchronous optical network (e.g., SONET, SDH) with at least one virtual connection, e.g., an STS - 1, that carries DSL data and at least one virtual connection that carries time division multiplex (TDM) data.
• access transport network 104 includes ATM functionality in at least one layer to back-haul voice data to the public switched telephone network.
• Each DLC circuit 102 — 1, . . ., 102 — N is coupled to a plurality of subscriber lines 106 ⁇ 1, . . ., 106 - N.
• Subscriber lines 106 — 1, . . ., 106 - N may comprise in one embodiment digital subscriber line (DSL) service lines or in another embodiment a combination of conventional plane old-fashioned telephone service (POTS) lines and digital subscriber line (DSL) service lines.
• POTS plane old-fashioned telephone service
• DSL digital subscriber line
• subscriber lines 106-1, . . ., 106-N also include Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate (BRI) service lines in combination with DSL service lines.
• ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
• BBI Basic Rate
• 106-N include some form of DSL service lines although other services may be provided in combination with the DSL service, e.g., POTS, ISDN.
• DSL service e.g., POTS, ISDN.
• POTS Packet Control Protocol
• ISDN ISDN-Specific Integrated Services Network
• the embodiments in this application are described in terms of providing DSL and POTS lines. It is understood that in an actual implementation some combination of DSL with POTS, ISDN or other services may be implemented. Thus, the described embodiments are provided by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.
• Subscriber lines 108 and 1 10 of subscriber lines 106 — 2 illustrate Digital Subscriber Line service provided over network 100 to subscribers 1 12 and 114, respectively.
• Subscriber 1 12 includes computer 1 16 coupled to subscriber line 108 through ADSL modem 1 18 and splitter 120.
• Subscriber 112 also includes telephone 122 coupled to subscriber line 108 through splitter 120.
• Telephone 122 is a conventional POTS telephone that operates in a conventional manner.
• Subscriber 112 illustrates that a single subscriber line may carry both conventional and DSL service.
• Subscriber 1 14 is configured for voice service using both conventional POTS and voice over DSL services using telephones 124 and 126, respectively.
• Subscriber 1 14 includes splitter 128.
• Splitter 128 is coupled to telephone 124 and to DSL modem 130.
• the DSL modem 130 is coupled to telephone 126 through integrated access device (IAD) 132.
• IAD integrated access device
• IAD 132 samples voice signals from telephone 126, optionally compresses the data, and maps the data to ATM cells.
• voice over DSL service is implemented using voice over ATM.
• voice over DSL service is implemented using voice over Internet protocol (IP).
• Subscriber 1 14 also includes computer 134 that is coupled to IAD 132.
• Computer 134 is configurable to transmit and receive data over a digital subscriber line service.
• subscribers 1 12 and 1 14 are provided by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. It is further understood that network 100 is designed to support access for a wide variety and quantity of end-users or subscribers through connections to Remote units 102 - 1, . . ., 102 - N.
• Network 100 includes an interface with the public switched telephone network.
• access transport network 104 includes transport gateway 136.
• Transport gateway 136 selectively passes the data to either the public switched telephone network 138 through local exchange 140 or to data network 142.
• network 100 is configured to provide voice over Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service.
• DSL Digital Subscriber Line
• voice traffic is generated at, for example, one of telephones 126.
• Integrated access device 132 samples the voice data, optionally compresses the voice data, and maps the voice data to ATM cells.
• IAD 132 provides these ATM cells to DSL modem 130.
• Modem 130 transmits the ATM cells on digital subscriber line 110 to DLC 102 - 2.
• DLC 102 - 2 converts the ATM cells to a format that is compatible with the public switched telephone network, e.g., time division multiplex (TDM) formats such as required by standards GR 303, V5, or other appropriate standard.
• DLC 102 — 2 provides the TDM data to local exchange 140 via access transport network 104 and transport gateway 136.
• voice over DSL service is thus provided without a separate voice gateway connected to local exchange 140.
• Network 100 operates in a similar manner in the downstream direction.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a digital loop carrier
• DLC circuit 200 incorporating a voice over Digital Subscriber Line gateway module 208 according to the teachings of the present invention.
• DLC circuit 200 is used, for example, as Remote units 102 - 1, . . ., 102 - - N in Figure 1.
• DLC circuit 200 includes line cards 202 - 1 , . . ., 202 - N. Line cards 202 -
• Line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N provide an interface between DLC circuit 200 and a plurality of subscriber lines.
• Line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N include at least one line card that supports a digital subscriber line service, e.g., ADSL.
• Each of line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N may also support POTS telephony.
• at least one of line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N comprises a line card that supports both POTS and DSL services.
• at least one of line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N supports only DSL services.
• one or more of line cards 202-1, . . ., 202 -N may also support other services such as Basic Rate ISDN or any other appropriate service.
• DLC circuit 200 also includes three modules that are connected to line cards
• DLC circuit 200 includes transport module 204.
• Transport module 204 is coupled to line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N.
• line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N support DSL services they provide packet data from a digital subscriber line service to transport module 204.
• Transport module 204 also includes an interface to the network such as access transport network 104 of Figure 1. Through the support of transport module 204, line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 - N gain access to the public switched telephone network as well as other data networks.
• DLC circuit 200 also includes network interface module 206.
• Network interface module 206 is coupled to line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N.
• Line cards 202 are coupled to line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N.
• network interface module 206 comprises a GR 303 processor and a DS-0 matrix.
• Network interface module 206 performs necessary functions for processing voice traffic destined for the public switched telephone network.
• the connection between line cards 202 - 1, . . ., 202 — N and network interface module 206 provides POTS service for the subscriber lines.
• Network interface module 206 is coupled to transport module 204.
• DLC circuit 200 also includes voice over DSL (VoDSL) gateway module 208.
• Module 208 is coupled to line cards 202 - 1 , . . ., 202 - N.
• line cards 202 - 1 , . . ., 202 — N provide voice packets, e.g., ATM cells, Internet protocol packets carried in ATM cells.
• Module 208 converts the packets received from one of line cards 202
• Module 208 is coupled to network interface module 206.
• digital loop carrier circuit 200 supports voice over DSL service for a number of subscriber lines.
• line card 202 — 1 receives voice over DSL data from its subscriber line.
• This data includes ATM cells that are provided to module 208 as voice packets.
• Module 208 converts the ATM cells to a time division multiplex format compatible with the public switched telephone network.
• Module 208 provides the time division multiplex data to network interface module 206.
• Network interface module 206 prepares this data to be provided to the public switched telephone network.
• Network interface module 206 further passes the data from the ATM cells to an access transport network through transport module 204.
• TDM data is received by transport module 204 and provided to network interface module 206 further, the TDM data after processing by network interface module 206 is provided to module 208 for conversion to packet data.
• the packet data from module 208 is provided to line card 202 ⁇ 1 for transmission as voice over DSL service to a subscriber.
• DLC circuit 200 advantageously may provide both lifeline POTS and voice over DSL services from the same platform. Further, both voice over DSL and POTS services may be routed to the same GR303 or V5 interface with the PSTN.
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a telecommunications network, indicated generally at 300, according to the teachings of the present invention.
• Network 300 includes a digital loop carrier (DLC) including central unit 301 and remote units 302 — 1, . . , 302 - N.
• Central unit 301 includes an integrated voice over Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) gateway module.
• This gateway module converts voice signals provided over the digital subscriber line (DSL) service, e.g., asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) service, to formats compatible with legacy voice systems in the public switched telephone network.
• DSL digital subscriber line
• PSTN public switched telephone network
• Access transport network 304 comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.
• access transport network 304 comprises a synchronous optical network (e.g., SONET, SDH) with at least one virtual connection, e.g., an STS - 1, that carries DSL data and at least one virtual connection that carries time division multiplex (TDM) data.
• access transport network 304 includes ATM functionality in at least one layer to back-haul voice data to the public switched telephone network.
• Subscriber lines 306 — 1, . . ., 306 - N comprise a combination of conventional plane old-fashioned telephone service (POTS) lines and digital subscriber line (DSL) service lines.
• POTS plane old-fashioned telephone service
• DSL digital subscriber line
• subscriber lines 306-1, . . ., 306-N also include Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate (BRI) service lines in combination with DSL service lines.
• ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
• BBI Basic Rate
• 306-N include some form of DSL service lines although other services may be provided in combination with the DSL service, e.g., POTS, ISDN.
• DSL service lines e.g., POTS, ISDN.
• the embodiments in this application are described in terms of providing DSL and POTS lines. It is understood that in an actual implementation some combination of DSL with POTS, ISDN or other services may be implemented. Thus, the described embodiments are provided by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.
• Subscriber lines 308 and 310 of subscriber lines 306 — 2 illustrate Digital
• Subscriber Line service provided over network 300 to subscribers 312 and 314, respectively.
• Subscriber 312 includes computer 316 coupled to subscriber line 308 through ADSL modem 318 and splitter 320.
• Subscriber 312 also includes telephone 322 coupled to subscriber line 308 through splitter 320.
• Telephone 322 is a conventional POTS telephone that operates in a conventional manner.
• Subscriber 312 illustrates that a single subscriber line may carry both conventional and DSL service.
• Subscriber 314 is configured for voice service using both conventional POTS and voice over DSL services using telephones 324 and 326, respectively.
• Subscriber 314 includes splitter 328.
• Splitter 328 is coupled to telephone 324 and to DSL modem 330.
• DSL modem 330 is coupled to telephone 326 through integrated access device (IAD) 332.
• IAD integrated access device
• IAD 332 samples voice signals from telephone 326, optionally compresses the data, and maps the data to ATM cells.
• voice over DSL service is implemented using voice over ATM.
• voice over DSL service is implemented using voice over Internet protocol (IP).
• Subscriber 314 also includes computer 334 that is coupled to IAD 332.
• Computer 334 is configurable to transmit and receive data over a digital subscriber line service. It is noted that subscribers 312 and 314 are provided by way of illustration and not by way oflimitation. It is further understood that network 300 is designed to support access for a wide variety and quantity of end-users or subscribers through connections to remote units 302 - 1, . . ., 302 - N.
• Network 300 includes an interface with the public switched telephone network. Specifically, remote units 302 — 1, . . ., 302 - N are coupled to central unit 301 by access transport network 304 central unit 301 selectively passes the data to either the public switched telephone network 338 through local exchange 340 or to data network 342. Central unit 301 also includes an embedded voice gateway that converts between packet data and time division multiplex formats compatible with the public switched telephone network.
• network 300 is configured to provide voice over Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service.
• DSL Digital Subscriber Line
• voice traffic is generated at, for example, one of telephones 326.
• Integrated access device 332 samples the voice data, optionally compresses the voice data, and maps the voice data to ATM cells.
• IAD 332 provides these ATM cells to DSL modem 330.
• Modem 330 transmits the ATM cells on digital subscriber line 310 to remote unit 302 — 2.
• Remote unit 302 — 2 forwards the cells to central unit 301 which converts the ATM cells to a format that is compatible with the public switched telephone network, e.g., time division multiplex (TDM) formats such as required by standards GR 303, V5, or other appropriate standard.
• Central unit 301 provides the TDM data to local exchange 340 via access transport network 304 and transport gateway 336.
• voice over DSL service is thus provided without a separate voice gateway connected to local exchange 340.
• Network 300 operates in a similar manner in the downstream direction
• network 300 Another advantage of network 300 is that lifeline POTS may be provided from the same platform as voice over DSL service. Further, both voice over DSL and POTS services may be routed to the same GR303 or V5 interface with the PSTN.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Use Of Switch Circuits For Exchanges And Methods Of Control Of Multiplex Exchanges (AREA)

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Citations (2)

• 2001
  • 2001-01-16 EP EP01942816A patent/EP1252748A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-01-16 CN CN01806354.3A patent/CN1416634A/zh active Pending
  • 2001-01-16 AU AU2001228756A patent/AU2001228756A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-01-16 BR BR0107687-6A patent/BR0107687A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-01-16 WO PCT/IB2001/000174 patent/WO2001054358A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-01-16 EA EA200200777A patent/EA005826B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-01-16 IL IL15068901A patent/IL150689A0/xx unknown
• 2002
  • 2002-08-12 ZA ZA200206392A patent/ZA200206392B/en unknown

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