C
`(.2) United States Patent
`(m) Patent Na:
`US 6,603,757 B1
`
`Locascio
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Aug. 5, 2003
`
`||||||||||||||||||l|||||||||||||||||||l||||||||||l||||||||||l||||||||||||||
`USUUGGU3757BI
`
`6.255.249 H1 - harm Belzile ..................... .. amass:
`6,3830? Ill
`-
`8.32an MacMillan el al.
`31'01‘552
`6.298.062 Bl
`‘ 103297” Gardeil el al.
`.
`3'H1i4fll
`{1,333,03l
`Ill
`‘ 1232001
`[.al-‘icr L'IaL _____________ .. 3?{L’352
`6345,04? Bl
`'
`2.52002 Regnier
`.. 3?(].-’352
`0.34.},3085 '32 _ Ezmz Rwy
`31,0852
`6,303,065 Bl
`‘
`3.9'2Lll2
`'l'homlon cl ill.
`......... .. 3TlJ.-’352
`
`
`
`W0
`
`FOREIGN pATLvNT DOCUMENTS
`WOQWUSHMI
`2;] 999
`
`"‘ eiled by examiner
`
`Primm'y Exmniner—Chau Nguyen
`Assistant Examiner—Kalb M. George
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Apparalus operable as a standalone, open programmable
`switch, a node an expandable lelecommunications system,
`or a gateway includes a vuicefdala access cuneenlrallor
`[VDAC] card for providing voice over [P (lnlcrnel preteen”
`capability. The VDAC card includes an array 01‘ digital
`signal procesmrs (USPS) which may be programmed lo
`perform desired prolncol conversions helween circuil-based
`protocols, such as T1. E1 or J1. and packet—based prolocols.
`such as 1P. The apparalus is scalable and may readily
`incorporate olher cards which provide bolh subscriber
`supplemenlary services and network signalling as required
`in meel the needs of a parlicular applicatien.
`'
`
`4 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`(54) VOICE-DATAACCESS CONCENTRATOR
`FOR NUDE [N AN EXPANHABLE
`TELECOMMUNlCATlONS SYSTEM
`
`-
`(7:3)
`
`,
`.
`-
`.
`.-
`,
`-
`inventor. Tlillgpthy Ray Lucasuu, Uslerville. MA
`(
`
`(73) Assignec: Excel Switching Corpunlliun,
`Hyannis, MA (US)
`
`( " ) Nulice:
`
`Subjecl :0 any diselaimer. [he wrm of this.
`palcnl
`is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by [I days.
`
`(21) App]. No.1 09l291,889
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. [4, 1999
`
`Int. Cl? .............................................. ,.H04L12ms
`(51)
`
`[1.5.0.
`................37:33:12,370!“
`(52)
`(58) Field of Search
`3?“!352, 353.
`
`370854, 355, 356, 465, 466
`
`
`
`(56)
`
`References L'md
`U's‘ [JA'I‘ENT [)QCUMEN‘I‘S
`
`liaran clal.
`2mm:
`4,993,251 A
`mom} Maw?”
`5:344‘1m A
`“(MS)”! A t ultimo hickl'ghlcr
`6,033.08? A "
`2.-'2f]iil] Miraahrafi cl all
`6,134,235 A " Elli-“2000 Goldman el Ell.
`0.141.341 A * 10:20:10 Jones el at.
`
`.
`
`
`
`30314-2
`3mr’m'1
`' “WW2”
`3705352
`3?".."352
`370.852
`
`123 -\
`(Z SEFA,HING1&RINGZ:
`423
`
`TO HOST
`(El-Fl ED UNDANT SEE]
`
`40a
`
`RINGIOCAFID
`
`C
`
`SET 3. HIN63&RENG4
`
`RING 10 CARD
`
`HEDUNDANT
`303 SWITCHING BUSES 30b
`
`443
`
`
`
`40b
`
`-—-—-
`
`432i)
`
`CPUIMRTFHX CARD 0R
`NODAL SWITCH
`
`{STANDBY}
`44b
`
`
`HOST INTERFACE
`
`- — - — -
`
`-
`
`CPurMATHIx CARD OR
`NODAL SWFTCH
`(ACTIVE)
`
`46
`
`
`
`4/
`
`
`
`
`
`REDUNDANTSS7
`
`387
`
`l
`
`001
`
`Facebook Ex. 1013
`Facebook Ex. 1013
`U.S. Pat. 8,995,433
`US. Pat. 8,995,433
`
`12,}
`
`CIRCUIT-8A5 ED
`N EI'WOFI KILI N E
`INT ERFACES
`
`PACKET-8A8 ED
`NETWORK
`INTERFACES
`
`001
`
`

`

`tHetaPQMU
`
`Aug. 5, 2003
`
`Sheet 1 0f4
`
`US 6,603,757 B1
`
`
`
`amen:Fz<oznomm
`
`mv
`
`M
`
`
`
`mmhmwFZ<DZDQMEIDI<O0.45.)EIOEm—Z-8995on
`
`mmofimmké
`
`[I
`
`5m_
`
`IF.9“.
`
`
`
`8
`
`
`
`wzQxZDE0947?.m0
`
`flmmdmfisogo
`
`wmofimmkz.
`
`002
`
`
`:,Frzz#5aam:Pwoe/E0mz...2mo§m_z
`9w$25.3Em5,3239me
`
`98259a?
`
`
`95m2:E<2m\\v
`
`m0DidoX_m._.<_23n_0
`_N02.x.mF02:”.(hmw
`33m2:E569$40m2:mm
`
`Fz<ozaommEddznomm
`
`I0._._>>.w13002._.mOIOF
`
`10:26.28250:ow\.
`
`02_Io._._>>mwv._.z<n_z:n_wmoIfMNFnewNewm3.mm.me
`
`3p
`
`m0056555238
`
`q02¢am62E.mEm
`
`002
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`220.;20n—mjmEDP
`
`mEDDOE
`
`
`
`
`
`mmmm8%IotamE05210:26
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2003
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`1B757.,306...,6SU
`
`mm.OE20mm
`
`
`
`NHH:93;Exam
`
`0m.9“.@EOEBPml8.9“.9RgoingIEmm.9“.mmEOEHEF“I19.2wEzmmzkm03:529:
`
`mm.o_“_mmzoExE.._8
`www-mmm82522|03:522:
`
`5..GE
`
`EOILROP
`
`ON.0.“—
`
`a%mam“.quZOF<mtmm¢
`
`in2Duo58020.6:
`
`mjmA<mebmwjmIEZIMHXM
`
`name532
`
`003
`
`mum:
`
`
`
` Hma:mam
`
`:mmgmum:0.6:
`
`MADDOE
`
`JOthOO
`
`an_<_2
`
`:_<OO._
`
`JONFZOO
`
`n35.O._.
`
`amomwNew
`
`
`
`003
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`US. Patent
`
`owu.A
`
`mw02Km,
`
`S
`
`4f03M...
`
`1B7.57w306...,6SU
`
`mm.OEON.9...—UoumEOIHQOF
`
`0m.07...OlaO._.
`
`UN.07.%EON—n.ka}
`
`(N.OE«InEOmmHOF}
`
`.mI
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`4(2EMwaJqZEMFxm442mmkxm
`
`1mgaweawn
`
`:I |
`
`
`
`mum
`
`mm
`
`%0»
`
`004
`
`
`
`004
`
`
`
`
`

`

`4ac
`
`1B75J306...,6SU
`
`
`
`
`
`4442mmbm._<zmm:.xm.EzmmbmEzmmkxmEoEEEMaweago885.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ONOE
`
`
`
`SEW—m54mmE<Em53mm
`
`4<2Ewhxw
`
`4<meHXm
`
`szmwkxw
`
`4<mehxw
`
`SEE—m
`
`E<mm
`
`E<¢m
`
`E<mm
`
`
`
`
`
`%a5“m
`
`
`
`
`
` *am_0_2_5,_we_54%:«mm52%52%A“442mm§m462$poézEbfi.ézmmhxmEQEEE
`
`3&0ammo—2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`tnetan...aSU
`
`_
`
`
`
`
`
`VIIIIIIIIII||I|||IlIll||IIIlllIllIIlIIiIIL
`
`III{{JLmm.9“.a?“EOELROF
`
`
`
`mm.9”.%20E|rJL
`
`(m.9“.wmEOEHEP
`
`mm.OEmlomEOILXOF
`
`005
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`US 6,603,757 B1
`
`1
`VOICE-DATA ACCESS CONCENTRA'I'OR
`FOR NOle IN AN EXPANDABLE
`TEI..ECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`invention relates generally to the field of
`The present
`telecommunications and, more specifically, to a program-
`mable telecommunications switch which is operable as a
`node in an expandable telecommunications system and
`includes an interface for conducting telecommunications
`over the Internet.
`2. Discussion of the Related Art
`
`in
`
`IS
`
`'
`
`an
`
`With the goal of providing telecommunication services at
`lower prices than those charged by long distance carriers,
`competitive local exchange carriers (C[.ECs} and
`govemment-controlled telephone companies, an effort
`is
`underway to use the Internet to carry voice traffic which has
`traditionally been carried by the public switcher] telephone
`network (PSTN). This type of application or service is often
`referred to as “voice over IP" (VolP) where “1P” refers to
`Internet protocol.
`Several important considerations arise in connection with r
`the development of VoIP including determining how much,
`if any, of a communication path from a given subscriber to
`another should be provided by the PSTN and how much
`should be provided by the Internet. In other words, should a
`subscriber’s communication device interface directly with
`the Internet (meaning that subscribers must be equipped
`with “Internet telephones,” PCs which include telephone
`functionality or the like), or should the PSTN be used to
`connect subscribers (who would continue to use conven-
`tional telephone sets) to the Internet through a gateway or
`similar device. Of course, other scenarios are possible as
`well, and it is likely that a mixed or hybrid infrastructure will
`exist for a long time because of the prohibitive cost of
`constructing or replacing networks as well as replacing
`subscriber equipment.
`Another consideration is how to provide supplementary or
`enhanced Services to subscribers who will not want
`to
`sacrifice call forwarding, call—waiting, voicemail, confer—
`ence calling and other existing services merely to obtain
`lower cost Internet-based phone service. Further. there is
`great need for system flexibility to allow rapid, inexpensive
`development and introduction of new services,
`largely
`because such new services provide large revenue growth
`potential for most carriers.
`A third consideration is system capacity and scalability.
`Because of the difficulty in accurately forecasting both the
`demand for additional telecommunication bandwidth and
`the rate at which subscribers will migrate to Internet-based
`telephony,
`it
`is extremely important
`that any system be
`capable of rapid, large-scale expansion without significant
`disruption of service and without forcing large initial invest-
`ment for capacity that may not be needed for a long time.
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In brief summary, the present invention provides a pro-
`grammable telecommunication switch, operable as a node in
`an expandable telecommunications system, as a standalone
`switch. or as a gateway. 'I‘he programmable switch includes
`an interface, sometimes referred to as a voicefdata concen-
`trator card, for conducting VoIP communications. One side
`of the interface connects to the Internet or other packet-
`
`60
`
`65
`
`006
`
`2
`based network, while the other side of the interface connects
`with the switch's internal bus structure over which the
`interface and other circuitry within the switch may commu-
`nicate.
`
`The present invention permits a CLEC. system integrator
`or other customer to introduce VoIP capability as either an
`addition to an existing network (eg, PSTN) or through the
`construction ofa new network as desired. In either case, the
`present invention allows the introduction of VoIP capability
`in the locations and amounts needed to satisfy demand.
`Future growth in demand for such capacity is flexiny
`accommodated by simply including additional
`interfaces
`within the switch or adding additional nodes as the case may
`be. If desired, multiple interfaces may be concentrated in a
`single node whose VoIP capability is fully accessible by the
`other nodes of the expandable telecommunications system.
`Similar considerations apply to using the present invention
`to provide communications based on protocols other than IP.
`In addition, traditional telephony services and functions,
`including both supplementary services (conferencing, call
`waiting, voicemail, etc.) and network signalling (tone
`detection, tone generation. etc.), as well as new services,
`may be provided within the same programmable switch
`which includes a VoIP capability or within other nodes that
`are part of the same expandable telecommunications system.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The invention description below refers to the accompa-
`nying drawings, of which:
`FIG, 1 is block diagram of a programmable telecommu-
`nication switch which is operable as a standalone device, a
`node in an expandable telecommunications system or as a
`gateway, and which is constructed in accordance with a
`preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
`FIGS. ZA—ZC together form a block diagram of the
`voicetdata access concentrator card of FIG. 1 in further
`detail
`in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN
`II.I..USTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
`
`I shows the major functional components of a
`FIG.
`preferred embodiment of a programmable telecommuniean
`lions switch 2 in which the present
`invention may be
`implemented. Circuit—based networkfline interfaces 4. which
`may represent links to a public switched telephone network
`(I’S'IN) or private circuit-basedtcircuit-switched network
`(or both), are provided by a series of line card inpuh‘output
`(IO) cards 20.
`If desired, a
`redundant
`IO card 22 and
`redundant IO bus 24 may optionally be included.
`One or more digital network (Tl, E1 or J1) or analog
`trunkfline line cards 26 communicate with 10 cards 20 over
`line card (LC) 10 lines 28. Line cards 26 are also connected
`in communicating relationship with redundant switching
`buses 30:: and 30!). Again, if desired. one or more redundant
`line cards 32 may be provided, such redundant line cards
`arranged to communicate with a redundant IO card 22 over
`redundant LC IO lines 34.
`
`If desired, diverse, programmable communications ser—
`vices such as tone detection and generation, sub-rate
`switching, conferencing, voice recorded announcements,
`call progress analysis, speech recognition, ADPCM
`compression,
`interactive voice response (IVR) and many
`others may be provided by one or more multifunction digital
`signal processing (MFDSP) cards 36 and optional redundant
`cards,
`
`
`
`006
`
`

`

`US 6,603,757 B1
`
`
`
`3
`If desired, a Signalling System No. 7 (SS7) card 38
`supports communications over networkfline interfaces 4
`using the SS? protocol. As noted above with respect to other
`types of cards, one or more optional redundant SS7 cards 38
`may be provided within switch 2.
`One or more voicei’data access concentrator (VDAC)
`cards 48 (which may include an optional n+1 VDAC card)
`are connected in communicating relationship with switching
`buses 30:? and 30b. VDAC cards 48 provide packet-based
`network interfaces 50 for connection with the Internet (not
`shown) or other packet-based networks whose communica-
`tion protocols are supported by cards 48.
`It should be understood that by providing other types of
`cards within switch 2, other communication protocols such
`as lSDN, D83, SONET, ATM or others may also be sup—
`ported by switch 2.
`Control of the operations ol'switch 2, as well as the actual
`switching functions, are performed by either a CPUr'rnatrix
`card or nodal switch 440. If a CPUi'matrix card is used,
`switch 2 may operate essentially as a standalone device (i.e.,
`as opposed to operating as a switching node in an expand-
`able telecommunications system, described below) or as a
`gateway between PS'I‘N networki'line interfaces 4 and
`packet-switched network interfaces 50. In that case,
`the
`Cl’Ulmalrix card 440 may be connected to a host interface *
`42:? through which communications with an external host
`device (not shown) are effected. Typically, but not
`necessarily, the overall operations of switch 2 are controlled
`by an application program running on the host device.
`Alternatively, if a nodal switch is used, switch 2 may
`operate as a node in an expandable telecommunications
`system, an example of which is described in US. Pat. No.
`5,544,163 which is hereby incorporated by reference In
`such an embodiment,
`the nodal switch 44a is preferably
`connected with a ring IO card 40a through which commu-
`nications with an inter-nodal network 12:: are effected.
`Inter—nodal network 120 is preferably implemented with one
`or more fiber optic rings. Inter-nodal network 12b is a
`redundant set of one or more fiber optic rings. The nodal
`switch 44a may also communicate with an extemal host via
`host interface 42a.
`
`it]
`
`15
`
`3o
`
`35
`
`4t]
`
`Regardless of whether a CPUlmatrix card or a nodal
`switch is selected, a matching standby CPUfmatrix card or
`nodal switch 44b may optionally be provided and accom-
`panied by the appropriate host interface 42.!) or ring IO card
`40b (or both). In such a configuration, a link 46 is provided
`for direct communication between active and standby
`devices 440 and 44!).
`
`Details of the construction and operation of an exemplary
`C PUfmatrix card, as well as switching buses 30a and 30!),
`may be found in US. Pat. No. 5,349,579 which is hereby
`incorporated by reference. Similarly, details of the construc-
`tion and operation of an exemplary nodal switch may be
`found in the above-referenced US. Pat. No. 5,544,163.
`FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of VDAC card 48
`shown in FIG. 1. An ethemet switch 54 provides dual
`network interfaces 50 which are capable of operating at 100
`MbiUSec. Ethernet switch 54 is interfaced with a CPU 52,
`which is preferably a Motorola MCSGU, that controls overall
`operation of VDAC card 48. CPU 52 communicates over
`dual l-IDLC buses which are part of switching buses 30a and
`30!).
`
`A local control map 56, which is under the control of CPU
`52, operates in conjunction with a time division multiplex
`(TDM) bus switch 58,
`to time switch data (timeslots)
`between switching buses 30a and 30b and VDAC card 48.
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`55
`
`007
`
`4
`Timcslots which is are received from buses 30a and 30b, via
`'I‘DM bus switch 58, are passed to PCM memory 60 and then
`to PCMEmodule switch 62, whose operation is controlled by
`module control map 64.
`As the tirneslots are passed through switch 62, they are
`routed to one of eight Texas Instruments 'l‘I320C549 Digital
`Signal Processors (USPS) Silo—80d on one of four VoIP
`daughter cards (each is denoted by a dashed line box). Each
`daughter card includes eight D895 [and their] Burr-«80d, each
`with its own external SRAM Sln—Sld. The DSPs are
`memory mapped into the address space of a Motorola
`MCSSO processor 74n~74d, used to control the operation of
`the daughter card, which has its own local SDRAM 78n—78d
`and flash memory {not shown). Each processor 74n—74d has
`a 10 Mbitr’sec full duplex [ethernet]Ethernct pipe to
`[ethernet1Ethernet switch 54 which allows for communica-
`tion among all of the daughter cards, CPU 52 and the
`external IP network.
`
`CPU 52 is also connected in communicating relationship
`with external bus arbitration logic 66, external bus buffers
`68, SDRAM 70 and flash memory 72.
`In general, VDAC card 48 functions to provide intemet—
`working between packetnswitehed or packet»based commun
`nication protocols (e.g., ll’) that are typically used to effect
`communications over network interfaces 50. and circuit-
`switched or circuit-based communication protocols {i.e., T1,
`E1 or J1) that are typically used to effect communications
`over networkr’line interfaces 4 (FIG. 1). DSPs 74aw74d,
`along with their related circuitry, operate to perform the
`necessary steps,
`including packetizing and depacketizing,
`digital processing of data and the like, to convert from one
`protocol
`to another. For example, by loading appropriate
`software into memories 70 and 72, CPU 52 may simulta-
`neously run H.323, H.225 (0.931) and H.245 protocols or a
`variety of other protocols chosen to meet
`the needs of a
`particular application, thereby enabling. VDAC card 48 to
`support communications which use any of those protocols.
`Such protocol software may he obtained from commercial
`sources, one such source for H.323 software being RAD-
`Vision Inc. of Mahwah, NJ.
`With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A—2C, an example of the
`protocol conversion that may be performed will now be
`described. Assure that one or more T1 spans are connected
`to circuit-based networklline interfaces 4. Further assume
`that packet—based network interfaces 50 are connected to the
`Internet for the purpose of providing VoIP service within
`switch 2. As timeslots {e.g., PCM data} which are destined
`for the Internet arrive at T1 line cards 26 (or smart line cards
`32), they are transmitted over switching buses 300 and 30b
`to TDM bus switch 58 on VDAC card 48. TDM bus switch
`58 time switches those time slots to PCM memory 60, from
`which they pass through PCthodule switch 62 and then to
`designated areas of 081’ external SRAM Slur—81d. Once
`stored in SRAM Sln—Sld, the timeslols are available for
`processing by the respective one of DSPs [74a—74d]
`Sfla—Sfld that has access to such SRAM. Such pmcessittg
`may typically include packetizalion of the timeslots as data
`within IP packets, which packets are then passed via the
`processor 74a—74o'
`through the [ethernet] Ethernet buses
`82nm82d to [ethernet] Ethernet switch 54 for transmission to
`the Internet.
`
`It will be understood by those skilled in the art that VDAC
`card 4-8 may also perform a protocol conversion which is
`essentially the reverse of the process just described, that is,
`receiving Internet packets containing timeslots at ethemet
`
`switch 54, depaeketizing the timeslots, and passing those
`
`007
`
`

`

`
`
`US 6,603,75? B]
`
`5
`timeslots via TDM bus switch 58 to switching buses 30a and
`30b, over which such timeslots may be passed to line cards
`26. MFDSP cards 36. SS7 cards 38 CPUr‘matrix cards or
`nodal switches 44a and 44b.
`
`The foregoing description has been limited to a specific
`embodiment of this invention. It will be apparent, however,
`that variations and modifications may be made to the
`invention, with the attainment of some or all of the advan-
`tages of the invention. Therefore,
`it
`is the object of the
`appended claims to cover all such variations and modifica-
`tions as come within the true spirit and scope of the
`invention.
`What
`is claimed as new and desired to be secured by
`Letters Patent of the United States is:
`1. Apparatus operable as a switching node in an expaan—
`ahle telecommunications system, which system includes a
`plurality of switching nodes interconnected by an associated
`inter-nodal network, each switching node being capable of
`dynamically connecting or disconnecting communications
`paths with respect to various ones of a plurality of ports, said
`switching node comprising:
`(A) one or more nodal switches each of which includes
`circuitry for transmitting and receiving information
`over the inter-nodal network to which the switching
`node and other nodes of said system are connected in *
`communicating relationship, and said nodal switch
`including a time switch for time-switching information
`in time slots to or from said ports, and including
`circuitry for transmitting and receiving information in
`time slots in a packet over the internodal network to
`which said switching node and other switching nodes
`are connected in a communicating relationship;
`(B) one or more line cards, connected in communicating
`relationship with said one or more nodes for interfacing
`the node with one or more circuit-switched networks
`over which communications are conducted using
`circuit—switched protocols; and
`(C) a voiceidata access concentrator card, connected in
`communicating relationship with said one or more
`nodal switches, and that includes an interface to one or
`more packet-switched networks over which communi-
`cations are conducted using packet—switched protocols
`including Internet protocol, said interface including one
`or more digital signal processors for converting infor-
`mation between said circuit—switched protocols and
`said packet-switched protocols,
`including means for
`
`I!)
`
`15
`
`3f]
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`008
`
`6
`converting information received through said packet-
`switched network into circuit-switched data and con-
`verting circuit-switched data into information for trans-
`mission through said packet-switched network
`whereby the switching node provides internetworking
`between a circuitnswitched protocol and a packetn
`switched protocol, including sending voice over Inter-
`net information therebetween, and
`said voice data access concentrator card having associated
`therewith an Ethernet switch that provides dual network
`interfaces with said one or more packet-switched networks,
`and said Ethernet switch having an associated CPU to
`control operation of said card, and said associated CPU
`being in communicating relationship with components in
`said switching node over dual HDLC buses incorporated
`into redundant internal switching buses in said switching
`node.
`2. The switching node as defined in claim 1
`comprising
`a local control map, which is under the control of said
`CPU associated with said Ethernet switch, said local
`control map operating in conjunction with a time
`division multiplex (TDM) bus switch for
`time—
`switching timeslols between internal switching buses
`of said switching node and said voice data access
`concentrator card.
`
`further
`
`3. The switching node as defined in claim 2 further
`comprising:
`a plurality of VoIP daughter cards, each including:
`(i) at least one of said digital signal processors; and
`(ii) an external memory storage device associated with
`each digital signal processor, and said digital signal
`processors are memory mapped into an address
`space of an associated processor that is programmed
`to control operation of the daughter card with which
`it
`is associated, said processor also having a full
`duplex Ethernet pipe to Ethernet switch 54 for com—
`munication among said daughter cards, the CPU and
`said packet-switched IP network.
`4. The switching node as defined in claim 1, wherein said
`node is a services node that is adapted to provide at least one
`of the following: a) a voiCe mail services; b) interactive
`voice response services; c) voice messaging services; d) call
`waiting; c} wireless communications services; c) personal
`communications services PCS; and D conferencing.
`assesses
`
`
`
`008
`
`