Abstract: A system for managing a plurality of applications and communications therebetween in a distributed telecommunications switch is provided. The distributed telecommunications switch includes a service unit and at least one delivery unit. The system includes a services element residing in the service unit operable to provide a plurality of services to the plurality of applications, and an application procedure interface residing in the service unit operable to serve as an interface between the plurality of applications and the services element.

Abstract: A telecommunications terminal is provided that is compatible with, and capable of connecting to, a cellular switch. Also provided are a protocol engine programmed to convert signals used in the terminal to a protocol required by the cellular switch and a service element programmed to generate wireline services for wireline subscribers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for power reduction in the operation of a power circuit for a relay or other electro-mechanical device having a first (higher) power requirement for the device to be activated, and a second (lower) power requirement for the device to be maintained includes charging a power supply capacitor to the necessary voltage for the first power requirement while the device is not activated, supplying current from the power supply capacitor to the device when it is activated until the voltage reaches the second power requirement, and keeping the power supply capacitor voltage at that second power requirement to maintain activation of the device.

Abstract: A signal transfer point (14) in a telecommunications network (10) distributes messages to a plurality of service control points (16) as a result of global title translation processing. The signal transfer point (14) assigns a message allocation to each of the service control points (16). The signal transfer point (14) equally distributes messages to the service control points (16) in a sequential manner. The signal transfer point (14) keeps track of the number of messages sent to each service control point (16). When a particular service control point (16) reaches its message allocation, the signal transfer point (14) prevents further messages to be sent to the particular service control point (16). The signal transfer point (14) then continues sequential and equal distribution to the remaining service control points (16) until each service control point (16) reaches its message allocation. The signal transfer point (14) then resets to send a next set of messages to the service control points (16).

Abstract: An echo canceler (10) includes an idle code density detector (12) that measures an idle code density over a period of time. The idle code density detector (12) includes an idle code detector (30) that identifies idle codes and non-idle codes. An idle code integrator (32) increments an idle code count (36) by a first weight factor (38) for each idle code identified by the idle code detector (30). The idle code integrator (32) decrements the idle code count (36) by a second weight factor (40) for each non-idle code identified by the idle code detector (30). A threshold detector (34) continuously compares the idle code count (36) to a threshold value (42). When the idle code count (36) exceeds the threshold value (42), the threshold detector (34) generates a control signal (22) to disable an adaptive filter (14) and a processor (18) of the echo canceler (10).

Abstract: AIN services include multiple SCP pairs, which can be expanded to meet increased demand. The expansion can occur without cessation in services by migrating records between SCP pairs while maintaining redundancy between the pairs. A centralized GTT maintains the GTTs distributed between multiple subsystems in the AIN system. Synchronization between mate SCPs within a pair occurs at high speed as the subscriber database is split into multiple files, each file having a separate synchronization process.

Abstract: A method of provisioning telecommunications services includes receiving a first provisioning command comprising a first set of provisioning information. The provisioning command is received according to a generic provisioning protocol. The method also includes transmitting the first set of provisioning information to a telephony database to provision the telephony database. The method also includes modifying the telephony database to produce a modified database and receiving a second provisioning command comprising a second set of provisioning information. The second provisioning command is received according to the generic provisioning protocol. The method further includes transmitting the second set of provisioning information to the telephony database to provision the modified database.

Abstract: An intelligent service peripheral device (28) includes a service intelligent unit (50) and a media processing unit (52). The service intelligence unit (50) has an intelligent service peripheral manager module (90) and a SS7 interface module (58). The SS7 interface module (58) receives service requests for a call from a service switching point (12) for processing by the intelligent service peripheral manager module (90). The intelligent service peripheral manager module (90) determines a routing package for the call based on the service request for transport to the service switching module (90) through the SS7 interface module (58). For service requests requiring special features, the intelligent service peripheral manager module (90) passes the request to a media processor manager module (92) within the media processing unit (52). The media processor manager module (92) establishes a connection between the originator of the call and a carrier interface module (94) within the media processing unit (52).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for configuring software for acquiring PM data from telecommunication equipment in response to PM signals generated by the equipment responsive to events, including the steps of maintaining a library of product-independent, event-responsive modules, maintaining product-dependent data relating selected ones of the modules with a plurality of telecommunication equipment systems, and generating event-responsive PM software corresponding to one or more of the telecommunication equipment systems by assembling the modules in accordance with the product-dependent data.

Abstract: AIN services include multiple SCP pairs, which can be expanded to meet increased demand. The expansion can occur without cessation in services by migrating records between SCP pairs while maintaining redundancy between the pairs. A centralized GTT maintains the GTTs distributed between multiple subsystems in the AIN system. Synchronization between mate SCPs within a pair occurs at high speed as the subscriber database is split into multiple files, each file having a separate synchronization process.

Abstract: A system and method for application location register routing at a signal transfer point (26) are provided. The signal transfer point (26) includes processor clusters (64, 66, 68) and databases (236, 238) for processing queries including global title translation, local number portability, and application location register routing. A query message is received by the signal transfer point (26), a first database residing in the signal transfer point (26) is accessed to determine the location of a second database (238) also residing in the signal transfer point for processing the query message. The second database (238) is then accessed to obtain the network address of a home location register or short message service center, which is then used to deliver the query message to the network node specified by the network address.

Abstract: A cell bus, which reduces the number of conductors required to transfer data in a telecommunications switching fabric, contains a plurality of conductors, Data[X:0], for transmitting information. A cell bus interface generates a cell bus frame that includes a plurality of words, "X" bits in length, of both data and control information that includes, in part, routing information for the data. As a result of encapsulating data and control information into and cell bus frame for transmission on the Data[X:0] conductors, the number of conductors required to transmit data is reduced. An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching fabric, which includes a plurality of cell buses configured in a point to point fashion between a cell routing unit (CRU)/ATM fiber bank interface unit (AFIU) and a plurality of optical line units (OLUs), is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of communicating telecommunications services provisioning information in a telecommunication system includes establishing a connection between a user and a generic provisioning unit in a telecommunications node of a telecommunication system. The method also includes sending a provisioning message from the user to the generic provisioning unit that specifies a name of a database for provisioning and that also has a standard query language command associated with provisioning the database. The standard query language command specifies a name associated with a table in the database. The method also includes transmitting the information contained in the standard query language command to the database for provisioning of the table. The information is transmitted to the database according to a format understandable by the database.

Abstract: A frequency and phase locking method for fine phase locking of a plurality of temporal frames, such as synchronous optical network (SONET) frames, includes the steps of fine phase tracking of the first frame and setting the phases of the subsequent frames in coherence with the phase of the first frame, for example, by a plurality of drop clock signals.

Abstract: A telecommunications network (10) includes a main distribution frame (12) that receives telecommunications traffic carried over individual tip and ring signal line pairs (20) from trunks (18). The main distribution frame (12) provides the individual tip and ring signal line pairs (20) to a protector block (14). The protector block (14) includes a connector (22) for each individual tip and ring signal line pair (20). The connector (22) has a first terminal (24) that provides external access to low frequency voice band telecommunications traffic for POTS providers. The connector (22) has a second terminal (26) that provides external access to high frequency telecommunications traffic, such as ADSL for ADSL providers. The external access capability allows for the unbundling of physical connections at the main distribution frame (12) in order to provide competitive access to subscribers.

Abstract: A telecommunication system (10) includes one or more subscribers (24) that provide telecommunication traffic in an upstream direction to a D4 channel bank (26). The D4 channel bank provides network interface signals having a first signaling protocol format to a cross-connect (18) over a telecommunication link (28). The cross-connect (18) includes a signaling protocol converter (30) that converts network interface signals having the first signaling protocol format into network interface signals with a second signaling protocol format. The cross-connect (18) passes the network interface signals with the second signaling protocol format to a local digital switch (20) over any of multiple telecommunication links (22a-22n). In a downstream direction from the local digital switch (20) to the subscribers (24), the signaling protocol converter (30) converts from the second signaling protocol format to the first signaling protocol format.

Abstract: A method for determining the change in frequency of a clock signal (168). The method includes the step of counting the number of clock signal cycles (168) that occur over at least two time windows (162, 164). The number of clock signal cycles counted in the first time window (162) is compared to the number of clock signal cycles counted in the second time window (164).

Abstract: A passive cooling system for cooling an enclosure containing electronic components. A hollowed portion of the enclosure is formed as an integral heat pipe containing a working fluid. The hollowed portion has an evaporator section located at the top and a condenser section located at the bottom. The enclosure also has hollowed side walls which serve as passage ways for the working fluid to flow through in between the evaporator and condenser sections. Gravity and the pressure of evaporation force the working fluid down to the condenser section. A wick is provided for returning the working fluid to the evaporator section by capillary action. Additionally, an ultrasonic transducer driven by the heat rejected from the condenser section may be used to help return the working fluid to the evaporator section. Finally, a check valve may be employed before the evaporator section for the working fluid to flow through.

Abstract: A queuing apparatus for avoiding address collision in a plurality of frames received from different interfaces includes a queuing memory 2, an address collision detector 16 which generates a frame offset for a succeeding frame colliding with its preceding frame, and a frame offset device 14 coupled to the address collision detector 16 to offset the address of the succeeding frame in response to detecting the address collision. A method of queuing the frames includes the steps of detecting an address collision between the preceding and the succeeding frames and repositioning at least some of the frames to eliminate the address collision.

Abstract: A method of routing a call includes receiving a number of dialed digits entered by a caller, the dialed digits including a called party number, recognizing the called party number as a subscriber to a fully flexible routing service, obtaining a call plan having at least one predetermined routing feature for the subscriber, process the call according to the at least one predetermined routing feature in the call plan, determining a destination number according to the at least one routing features in the call plan, and routing the call to the destination number.