POTS Extender for Voice Fallback in a Subscriber Line

Abstract

A full services access multiplexer is described. A master DSL modem is coupled to a conductor pair. A POTS extender is coupled to the conductor pair and may sense the operation of a fallback or other signal on the conductor pair. A suppression signal may be transmitted to the master DSL modem upon occurrence of the fallback. The suppression signal may travel over a control circuit. Traffic over a backplane or other network segment may be uninterrupted to an Integrated Access Device by handling signals inbound and outbound to the backplane via packet assembler and disassembler (PAD). The PAD may transmit a data stream to vocoder and received a data stream from vocoder for injection onto the backplane. The vocoder connects duplexed traffic to the subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC), wherein traffic between the vocoder and the SLIC are in analog formats in or near the audible range of frequencies.

1 . An apparatus for providing a voice path for analog voice signals from a customer premises equipment (CPE) on a digital subscription line in the event of an off-hook condition, the apparatus comprising: 
 a DSL suppression circuit for suppressing DSL modem operation on the line;    an analog port coupled to the line for receiving the analog voice signals from the CPE;    coding means for converting and compressing the analog voice signals into a data stream; and    a packet assembler and disassembler for converting the data stream into data packets for transmission onto a broadband medium.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coding means comprises a voice codec.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coding means comprises a vocoder.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an interface for linking the packet assembler and disassembler to the broadband medium.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the DSL suppression circuit comprises a detector for detecting an off-hook condition and on-hook condition.  
   
   
       6 . A method of providing a voice path for analog voice signals from customer premises equipment (CPE) on a digital subscriber line, the method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a fallback signal on the line indicating an off-hook condition;    suppressing master DSL modem operation on the line;    receiving the analog voice signals on an analog port;    converting and compressing the analog voice signals into a data stream; and    converting the data stream into data packets for transmission onto a broadband medium.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of detecting a fallback signal on the line comprises the step of sensing loop current drain.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of suppressing master DSL modem operation comprises sending a control signal to the master DSL modem to disable its operation.