Patent ID: 7106856
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A switching center, comprising: a plurality of first ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of local user devices; a plurality of second ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of external transmission media, each of said plurality of external transmission media being coupled at an opposite end to another switching center within the communication network; a switch for selectively coupling individual first ports to individual second ports within the switching center for use in establishing communication connections between local user devices and remote user devices in the communication network; a pool of echo cancellation units that are each capable of reducing echoes received by said switching center from an external transmission medium; a call classifier operable to detect an echo energy level from a first external transmission medium associated with a first communication connection; and an allocation unit for allocating an echo cancellation unit from said pool of echo cancellation units to the first communication connection being supported by the switching center in response to detection, by the call classifier, of echo energy above a threshold level from a first external transmission medium associated with said communication connection, wherein the first communication connection is between a first local user device and a remote user device.