Abstract: Provisioning a Central Office (CO) Basic Rate Interface (BRI) access is a complex procedure which involves hundreds, and potentially thousands, of parameters that must be asserted to configure the CO for a particular users service profile. In such a complex procedure, errors in the provisioning may be introduced which are difficult and costly to detect and correct. To solve this problem, a provisioning tool which exercises BRI lines i.e., digital subscriber lines (DSLs) from a CO to a premises switch is defined which validates that transport related restrictions and permissions are properly administered at the CO. This is achieved by the system calling itself over such lines, and varying the types (e.g., voice, digital, data, 3.1 kHz audio, et al.) of call attempts that are placed to ensure that all lines support the intended services.

Abstract: Full channel service is obtained over a modified ISDN BRI interface by emulating at least one central office (CO) station terminal which provides access to a voice channel over a single digital subscriber line DSL for user station terminals whether or not they are ISDN BRI compatible. To this end, an interface is provided for the DSL that emulates an ISDN BRI CO station terminal and acts like a facility to user station terminals. More specifically, a plurality of CO station terminals are emulated on a single multi-point passive bus terminating the single DSL. Each of the emulated CO station terminals presents to the CO switching office the appearance of being a CO station terminal. The emulated CO station terminals are configured such that CO features are accessible. Information from the emulated CO station terminals is mapped into existing system structures where such structures are available and compatible with the information from the emulated terminal.

Abstract: Communications systems and methods are directed to a novel communications platform which employs a TDM bus, a TDM bus controller, a passive Ethernet bus, and a centralized Ethernet hub to provide for the communication of data, voice, and/or video signals among a plurality of endpoint devices. The TDM bus controller provides a plurality of B-Channels on the TDM bus. The centralized Ethernet hub is coupled to the TDM bus controller via a control link. Each endpoint device is connected to at least one of the passive Ethernet bus and the TDM bus. The centralized Ethernet hub operates over the passive Ethernet bus to dynamically allocate one or more individual B-Channels of a single B-Channel set amongst a group of endpoint devices, such as telephone equipment, video communications equipment, processors, and/or computing devices. The centralized Ethernet hub provides a logical control channel to each endpoint device for call establishment.

Abstract: Full channel service is obtained over a modified ISDN BRI interface by emulating at least one central office (CO) station terminal which provides access to a voice channel over a single DSL for user station terminals whether or not they are ISDN BRI compatible. To this end, an interface is provided for the DSL that emulates an ISDN BRI CO station terminal and acts like a facility to station terminals. More specifically, a plurality of CO station terminals are emulated on a single multi-point passive bus terminating the single DSL. Each of the emulated CO station terminals presents to the CO switching office the appearance of being a CO station terminal. The emulated CO station terminals are configured such that CO features are accessible. Information from the emulated CO station terminals is mapped into existing system structures where such structures are available and compatible with the information from the emulated terminal.

Abstract: A communication system enables a system controller to allocate to a first system endpoint (e.g., application processor) control over one or more components of a second system endpoint (e.g., terminal). In response to a valid control request signal received from the first endpoint identifying one or more components at the second endpoint over which control is requested, the controller sends an acknowledgment signal to the first endpoint indicating that control over the identified component(s) has been allocated to the first endpoint. In response to the acknowledgment signal, an endpoint interface enables the first endpoint to directly communicate with the second endpoint using a first endpoint originated control signal which simulates a controller originated control signal for controlling the identified components at the second endpoint.

Abstract: An adjunct unit provides Incoming Caller Line Identification (ICLID) capability for a communication system. The adjunct unit interposed between the control unit and station sets of a communication system obtains ICLID from ringing central office lines and monitors signalling between the control unit and station sets to determine which stations are to receive the ICLID information. Using prestored database information the ICLID information can be used to obtain the calling party name for output to the station sets. The adjunct unit also outputs ICLID information to an application processor which stores calling records for the system.

Abstract: A communication system operates compatibly with a public or private switching network using a Q.931 protocol for basic rate ISDN communications. Communications between a control unit and station terminals of the system use a local protocol which is a modification of the Q.931 protocol. This local protocol includes one segment including the mandatory elements of the Q.931 protocol and a second segment derived by converting the optional elements of the Q.931 protocol into a local codeset which controls the user interface circuits at each station terminal. The local protocol enables call control between the control unit and each station terminal to be managed on a bearer channel basis while call control between the system and the network is managed on a call appearance basis using the standard Q.931 protocol. The local protocol provides for communicating line selection and feature activation commands from the terminal to the control unit, using simple button commands.