Excel Switching Corporation

Other

Cisco Technology, Inc.

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Excel, Inc.

Starent Networks Corporation

Peter Higgins

Rajat Ghai

Michael C Silva

Ashraf M Dahod

Mark P Hebert

Nick Lopez

Paul Shieh

John Depietro

John T Lynch

Rafal J Jazwierski

John DePietro

Advanced communications features are provided in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem. The mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol.

Providing advanced communications features

Advanced communications features are provided in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem. The mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol. An indication is received that a half-duplex mobile communications session is to be initiated between a first mobile station subsystem and a second mobile station subsystem. The first and second mobile station subsystems include full-duplex communications apparatus for use in full-duplex mobile communications sessions. The half-duplex mobile communications session relies on the first and second mobile station subsystems, and all of the reliance is only on the full-duplex communications apparatus. Mobile communications telephone calls are established with the first mobile station subsystem and the second mobile station subsystem. One of the first and second mobile station subsystems is selected as a voice signal source in the half-duplex communications session.

The real time Ethernet protocol (RTEP) of the present invention offers improved speed and performance for an Ethernet network, while simultaneously enhancing the Ethernet's communication functionality. The RTEP provides a data frame, within the standard Ethernet protocol frame, containing information to support network functionality ordinarily associated with higher level protocol layers. The RTEP can guarantee delivery of messages as well as correct message sequence. The RTEP also supports IP subnetting, message piggybacking, Ethernet network sharing, and dynamic replacement of Ethernet stations. The present invention has particular application in conducting communications between one or more hosts and a telecommunications switching system.

Real time ethernet protocol

A method and apparatus for the non-disruptive addition of one or more nodes to an active inter-nodal network is provided. A telecommunications switching system includes a plurality of nodes interconnected by an inter-nodal network which carries packetized information among the nodes. A host which issues various control instructions is connected to at least one node in the system. When one or more new nodes are to be added to the system, the two nodes adjacent to the location selected for the new node are instructed to begin a synchronized routine for simultaneously beginning to temporarily operate in a special loop back mode of operation which allows telecommunications traffic to continue to travel on the inter-nodal network while the new node or nodes are being physically connected into the system. Thereafter, a sequence of instructions provides for a synchronized routine for both neighbor nodes to return to open operating mode from loopback mode simultaneously. The instruction sequences are issued by a host and a master node of the system for implementing the non-disruptive addition of the new node or nodes to the system.

Method and apparatus for non-disruptive addition of a new node to an inter-nodal network

The system includes switching nodes with multiple ports for node-host communication, each port thereby connects the switching nodes to one or more hosts. One of the ports in a switching node is designated as a primary or master port and it connects the switching node to a default host. The default host controls all ports in the switching node and because applications on the default port are given the highest priority during switching node processing, the default host is useful for applications that require instant response from the switch. The other ports in the switching node are secondary ports and they connect the switching node to one or more secondary hosts simultaneously. The applications on the secondary hosts are given a lower priority than the default host's application. Therefore, the secondary hosts are useful for applications that do not require instant response from the switching nodes.

Telecommunications switch with multiple ports for host-node communications

A telephone switching system comprises a plurality of switching nodes interconnected by a call-switching network. The switching nodes are also linked by a host network to one or more hosts that exercise supervisory control over the nodes. The hosts communicate directly with one or more of the nodes, termed 'switching nodes', by means of virtual connections over the host network. The other switching nodes, termed 'slave nodes', are assigned to host nodes. The hosts communicate indirectly with the slave nodes by way of switching nodes to which they are assigned. Communications between a host and a slave node thus comprise messages (a) over the host network between the slave node and the switching node to which the slave node is assigned and (b) by way of a virtual connection between the switching node and the host.

Telecommunications switching system with readily configurable

Redundancy, expanded switching capacity and fault isolation arrangements for use with an expandable telecommunications system. An inter-nodal network connects a plurality of programmable switching nodes or other nodes. One or more additional inter-nodal networks may be provided across some or all of the ones. The bandwidth provided by the additional network(s) may be used to provide redundancy against failure of the primary network or the nodes, increased switching capacity or a combination of both. In addition, faults which occur either within a particular node or within an inter-nodal network may be effectively isolated and prevented from degrading system performance.

Growing community of inventors

Sandwich, MA, United States of America

Peter Higgins