System and method for processing wireless voice and data telecommunications

Abstract

A system for processing data is provided. The system includes a data type detector that determines whether a data frame is a speech/voice data frame or a data/fax data frame. The system further includes a transcoder and rate adapter system that is connected to the data type detector. The data type detector transfers the data frame to the transcoder and rate adapter system if the data frame is a voice data frame. An interworking function system is also connected to the data type detector. The data type detector transfers the data frame to the interworking function system if the data frame is a data/fax data frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for processing data, comprising: a data type detector operable to determine whether a data frame is a voice data frame or a data/fax data frame;   a transcoder and rate adapter system coupled to the data type detector, wherein the data type detector is operable to transfer the data frame to the transcoder and rate adapter system if the data frame is a voice data frame; and   an interworking function system coupled to the data type detector, wherein the data type detector is operable to transfer the data frame to the interworking function system if the data frame is a data/fax data frame.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an error detection system coupled to the data type detector, the error detection system operable to generate an error signal if a data type field of a present data frame is different from a data type field of a previous data frame. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1 wherein the interworking function further comprises a rate adaption system, the rate adaption system operable to receive a data transmission rate and to transmit the data/fax data at the data transmission rate. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1 wherein the data type detector, the transcoder and rate adapter system, and the interworking function system are software systems that are programmed on a digital signal processor integrated circuit chip. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data type detector, the transcoder and rate adapter system, and the interworking function system are software systems that are programmed on a digital signal processor integrated circuit chip, the digital signal processor integrated circuit chip further comprising: an input connected to at least one multiple channel input line; and   an output connected to at least one multiple channel output line.   
     
     
       6. The system of claim 1 wherein the transcoder and rate adapter system further comprises a coder/decoder system operable to convert data from a first data format to a second data format in a first mode of operation, and to convert data from the second data format to the first data format in a second mode of operation. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 1 wherein the transcoder and rate adapter system further comprises a rate adaption system coupled to the coder/decoder system, the rate adaption system operable to receive data at a first data transmission rate and to transmit the data at a second data transmission rate, and to receive data at the second data transmission rate and to transmit the data at the first data transmission rate. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 1 wherein the transcoder and rate adapter system further comprises: a coder/decoder system operable to convert data from a first data format to a second data format in a first mode of operation, and to convert data from the second data format to the first data format in a second mode of operation; and   a rate adaption system coupled to the coder/decoder system, the rate adaption system operable to receive data at a first data transmission rate and to transmit the data at a second data transmission rate, and to receive data at the second data transmission rate and to transmit the data at the first data transmission rate.   
     
     
       9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first data format is a public switched telephone network data format and the second data format is a Global System for Mobile Communications data format. 
     
     
       10. A method for processing data comprising: receiving a frame of data;   determining whether the data frame contains voice data or data/fax data;   transmitting the frame of data to a transcoder and rate adaption system if the data frame contains voice data; and   transmitting the frame of data to an interworking function system if the data frame contains data/fax data.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: determining whether the data type contained in the present data frame is different from the data type contained in the previous data frame; and   generating an error signal if the data type contained in the present data frame is different from the data type contained in the previous data frame.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 further comprising: determining a transmission rate if the data frame contains data/fax data; and   transmitting the data frame from the interworking function system at the transmission rate.   
     
     
       13. The method of claim 10 further comprising: transmitting a transmission rate query to a terminal device if the data frame contains data/fax data;   receiving a transmission rate from the terminal device in response to the transmission rate query; and   transmitting the data frame from the interworking function system at the transmission rate.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting the frame of data to the transcoder and rate adaption system further comprises: changing the data format of the data from a first data format to a second data format; and   changing the data transmission rate of the data from a first data transmission rate to a second data transmission rate.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first format is the format for the Global System for Mobile Communications, and the second format is a pulse code modulation format. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first data transmission rate is 16 kilobits per second and the second data transmission rate is 64 kilobits per second. 
     
     
       17. A method for processing telecommunications data comprising: receiving data from a terminal device;   determining whether the data is voice data or data/fax data;   encoding the data for transmission over a network and adjusting the data transmission rate for transmission over the network if the data is voice data; and   adjusting the transmission rate of the data if the data is data/fax data.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving data from a terminal device further comprises receiving data from a terminal device in a Global System for Mobile Communications data format. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17 wherein determining whether the data is voice data or data/fax data comprises comparing the value of a data field in a data frame to predetermined data values for voice data and data/fax data. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 17 wherein encoding the data for transmission over a network if the data is voice data comprises encoding the data as pulse code modulation data. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 17 wherein adjusting the data transmission rate for transmission over the network if the data is voice data comprises adjusting the data transmission rate to 64 kilobits per second. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 17 wherein adjusting the transmission rate of the data if the data is data/fax data comprises: determining the data reception rate of another terminal device; and   adjusting the transmission rate of the data to match the data reception rate of the other terminal device.